Bridge-neck issue with a Stratocaster

[ShrillBear52]

So i have a problem with my Stratocaster,you can hear it in the video(hope you can and it's not bad),the Low E and A string is buzzing in the open notes.I even tighted the neck,and the problem is still.Can anyone give me a guide to solve this problem?I think the main problem is with the nut,because if only 2 string is buzzing then the problem is not with the neck,but i'm not sure about it!

 

 

 

http://www.filedropper.com/mov0015

[ikwtif]

Doesn't sound like a neck problem. Try lowering your pickups

[GetTheLedOut]

When you play open strings, the string vibrates across a larger distance. Especially the harder you pick the string. This means that the string is more likely to hit your pickups or other frets. It sounds like this it what's happening here - probably not a defect with the bridge or nut.

You could try either lowering the pickup (just a bit on the bottom end) or raising the bridge saddles. If you haven't done a proper setup on your guitar, then definitely check out some online tutorials on how to do that to ensure that you're getting the best best playability and intonation.

Also, I wouldn't advise that you ever make adjustments to the truss rod in your neck when your string are at full tension. It's pretty easy to do some serious damage to your neck that way. Making adjustments in small increments (usually a 1/4 turn) with the strings severely detuned or even removed is the way to go.

 

[Frack]

1-You should set your guitar in playing position (90°) flipped

2-hit the strings with a pick instead of pulling them (too) strong (if you do that with other guitars they will buzz too).

 

(the 1st up/down movement of the strings when they're hit with a pick must be parallel to the body) (there's almost twice more space between your strings than between your string  & your frets).

 

Then follow the GetTheLedOut advices.

[fiddlesticks]

From watching the video it's not a pickup height problem in my opinion.

 

The main reason is likely either:

not enough neck relief

action too low - there's always a trade off between buzz and low action. 

nut cut too low

 

If it's only the open string buzzing and not any fretted notes then I'm be inclined to look at the nut.

 

They're all simple fixes, but if you're new to setups or don't have the tools then I recommend taking it to a guitar shop/tech and having them do it for you, won't cost much or take very long.

 

I also highly recommend you buy some basic guitar setup tools and learn how do it yourself, it's something all guitar players should know how to do - there's no such thing as a magic perfect setup, its completely dependant on the individual.

 

Finally, while I don't agree with the notion of only letting a professional adjust your truss rod, for the love of god don't just randomly mess with it - you should know what you're trying to achieve before touching it !

 

Hope that helps

[ikwtif]

 

They're all simple fixes, but if you're new to setups or don't have the tools then I recommend taking it to a guitar shop/tech and having them do it for you, won't cost much or take very long.

 

 

Not sure what you pay for a complete setup, but I paid around €60 for it (first and) last time I believe (wich was a few years ago), in my opinion that's way too much for what you can basically do yourself in 1 hour depending how comfortable you are with it. But even when you are slow with it, it's a good learning experience and I highly recommend doing it yourself.

 

As for the neck relief, I don't see why hitting an open string would cause a problem and fretting the string not. I would expect at least the first frets to buzz too if the relief is the problem. But I was never able to download the video..

 

You can also easily see if it's a pickup problem if you see the string vibrate strongly when you hit it. 

 

And like others said, be carefull with the truss rod.

[fiddlesticks]

 

As for the neck relief, I don't see why hitting an open string would cause a problem and fretting the string not. I would expect at least the first frets to buzz too if the relief is the problem. But I was never able to download the video..

 

 

I meant that situation would indicate a nut problem, not neck relief.

 

As for price, I wouldn't pay more than 30euro for a full basic setup (truss rod, action, intonation, nut, pickup height)

I still think it's a good idea to get it done by a professional the first time, especially if they let you sit in and explain what they're doing, but I wouldn't discourage anyone from doing it themselves.

[ShrillBear52]

Well,I lowerd the pickups and it's still buzzing,but not that much before i made this post,i litearly tryd every option for the pickups,but the problem is still.Can be the nut the problem,what do you think?

 

 

BTW.For to pay something like this is very expensive for me,especaily in my country(Thank you Mr Orbán).A few months ago i took my Les Paul to a Guitar Center to fix it with the same issue,they fixd it(that's what they said) and even know i hear the string buzzings,also the nut is bad in The Les Paul,need to fix that too,because it goes out of tune if I just play in Eb Standard or lower tunnings.

[fiddlesticks]

Ok, here's a quick guide to doing a setup on a strat without any fancy tools

 

1. Check neck relief.

Put a capo on the first fret (use a pencil and some elastic bands if you don't have a capo)

Fret the 17th fret of the low E

Measure the distance under the 7th fret using the cut off end of a 9 or 10 gauge string

Adjust truss rod (1/4 turns at a time leaving to sit for 10mins between turns) until string end just fits in the gap - it should touch the fret and string without moving the string.

 

2. Action at Bridge.

Measure distance between 17th fret and string, use plecs to measure as their width in mm is usually on the plec. Distance should be around 1.5mm. Raise the action slightly is you get fret buzz or fret out when bending.

 

3. Action at Nut.

Use the end of a G string (9s or 10s) to measure distance from top of 1st fret to string. If the gap is too small put a little bit of tin foil (you can also use super glue, but thats a bit more permanent!) in the nut slots to raise the strings.

 

Doing all of this should help :)

[ShrillBear52]

Ok, here's a quick guide to doing a setup on a strat without any fancy tools

 

1. Check neck relief.

Put a capo on the first fret (use a pencil and some elastic bands if you don't have a capo)

Fret the 17th fret of the low E

Measure the distance under the 7th fret using the cut off end of a 9 or 10 gauge string

Adjust truss rod (1/4 turns at a time leaving to sit for 10mins between turns) until string end just fits in the gap - it should touch the fret and string without moving the string.

 

2. Action at Bridge.

Measure distance between 17th fret and string, use plecs to measure as their width in mm is usually on the plec. Distance should be around 1.5mm. Raise the action slightly is you get fret buzz or fret out when bending.

 

3. Action at Nut.

Use the end of a G string (9s or 10s) to measure distance from top of 1st fret to string. If the gap is too small put a little bit of tin foil (you can also use super glue, but thats a bit more permanent!) in the nut slots to raise the strings.

 

Doing all of this should help :)

Thank you,i will try it tomorrow!

[ShrillBear52]

Ok, here's a quick guide to doing a setup on a strat without any fancy tools

 

1. Check neck relief.

Put a capo on the first fret (use a pencil and some elastic bands if you don't have a capo)

Fret the 17th fret of the low E

Measure the distance under the 7th fret using the cut off end of a 9 or 10 gauge string

Adjust truss rod (1/4 turns at a time leaving to sit for 10mins between turns) until string end just fits in the gap - it should touch the fret and string without moving the string.

 

2. Action at Bridge.

Measure distance between 17th fret and string, use plecs to measure as their width in mm is usually on the plec. Distance should be around 1.5mm. Raise the action slightly is you get fret buzz or fret out when bending.

 

3. Action at Nut.

Use the end of a G string (9s or 10s) to measure distance from top of 1st fret to string. If the gap is too small put a little bit of tin foil (you can also use super glue, but thats a bit more permanent!) in the nut slots to raise the strings.

 

Doing all of this should help :)

Well, here is the current situation, i bought a new pacage of string,removed the previous from the strat. restring almost competely,only the low E string left what i have to make,but here is a problem.When i try to tight the string,there is a point where it's very tight and i don't dare to tight it more,because it well broke, i was with my friends yesterday and one of them made the bridge height to a diffrent height.All the string are good,ecpect for the Low E string.I grabed my tunner and at the C#  is the pont where i don't dare to tight it more,because i'm affraid it will broke.Also when i restring the other stirng form A-high e they went out of tunning,but now they stay in the normal tunning,is that normal?Oh yes,and i haven't really tryd what you said earlyer because i didn't had the time and my Enligh in some pont are limited.So what can i do now?  http://oi68.tinypic.com/33y2e1j.jpghttp://oi67.tinypic.com/11uknc4.jpg

[ikwtif]

 

Well, here is the current situation, i bought a new pacage of string,removed the previous from the strat. restring almost competely,only the low E string left what i have to make,but here is a problem.When i try to tight the string,there is a point where it's very tight and i don't dare to tight it more,because it well broke, i was with my friends yesterday and one of them made the bridge height to a diffrent height.All the string are good,ecpect for the Low E string.I grabed my tunner and at the C#  is the pont where i don't dare to tight it more,because i'm affraid it will broke.Also when i restring the other stirng form A-high e they went out of tunning,but now they stay in the normal tunning,is that normal?Oh yes,and i haven't really tryd what you said earlyer because i didn't had the time and my Enligh in some pont are limited.So what can i do now?

 

 

If you have a floating bridge (wich I assume you have), while tuning, it will raise and the tension on the strings will even out more, so they go flat again and you have to keep retuning until you get it balanced. I'm guessing that's what happening.

 

I don't see why the low E would have far greater tension than the other strings, you can try to losen the screw on the back that's connected to the springs that pull on your bridge on the side of the low E string a bit, maybe that helps. But I'm not really sure if that's the real problem tough. 

 

And I'm confused, are you saying your low E actually broke because of the tensions? Or that you are just afraid it will break? And to be sure, we are talking about the thickest E string here right? Or are you referring to the high E string? Because I don't see the low E ever breaking from tension, unless you are tuning an octave too high, wich would surprise me. So I have a feeling you are actually talking about the high E (thinest E string)

 

If you are unsure, just detune everything until your bridge hits the body of the guitar and retune all strings simultaniously again

[fiddlesticks]

After a restring when you tune to normal pitch the strings need to be stretched (literally grab the string and pull it up a few time) before they settle into tune. This is perfectly normal.

 

The only reasons I can think of for an E string being super tight at C# is either:

you've accidentally put the wrong string on, like an A string - but that's pretty unlikely

or you're trying to tune to octave above standard E. Have you tried using the rocksmith tuner instead ?

[ShrillBear52]

 

 

Well, here is the current situation, i bought a new pacage of string,removed the previous from the strat. restring almost competely,only the low E string left what i have to make,but here is a problem.When i try to tight the string,there is a point where it's very tight and i don't dare to tight it more,because it well broke, i was with my friends yesterday and one of them made the bridge height to a diffrent height.All the string are good,ecpect for the Low E string.I grabed my tunner and at the C#  is the pont where i don't dare to tight it more,because i'm affraid it will broke.Also when i restring the other stirng form A-high e they went out of tunning,but now they stay in the normal tunning,is that normal?Oh yes,and i haven't really tryd what you said earlyer because i didn't had the time and my Enligh in some pont are limited.So what can i do now?

 

 

If you have a floating bridge (wich I assume you have), while tuning, it will raise and the tension on the strings will even out more, so they go flat again and you have to keep retuning until you get it balanced. I'm guessing that's what happening.

 

I don't see why the low E would have far greater tension than the other strings, you can try to losen the screw on the back that's connected to the springs that pull on your bridge on the side of the low E string a bit, maybe that helps. But I'm not really sure if that's the real problem tough. 

 

And I'm confused, are you saying your low E actually broke because of the tensions? Or that you are just afraid it will break? And to be sure, we are talking about the thickest E string here right? Or are you referring to the high E string? Because I don't see the low E ever breaking from tension, unless you are tuning an octave too high, wich would surprise me. So I have a feeling you are actually talking about the high E (thinest E string)

 

If you are unsure, just detune everything until your bridge hits the body of the guitar and retune all strings simultaniously again

 

Yes,I'm talking about the Low E or in other name the The Thicker E not the high E string.And i tryd it with the older E string after i restring the other 5 string.But when i tight it the E string (the old one) it brookd.

[ikwtif]

 

Yes,I'm talking about the Low E or in other name the The Thicker E not the high E string.And i tryd it with the older E string after i restring the other 5 string.But when i tight it the E string (the old one) it brookd.

 

 

 

 

Well, you might be tuning it an octave too high then, even tough it's a used one that snapped, I don't think a lowE string can just snap that easily unless it's a faulty string in the first place or you are putting way too much tension on it.

[ikwtif]

Just noticed the pictures in a previous post, don't think they loaded for me before. Seems like your bridge saddles are all at the same height. Usually the saddles for D and G  strings should be the highest with the others slightly lower. You want something like this 

 

Since you don't have a floating bridge, I still think you tuned the lowE an octave too high, no idea why it would snap otherwhise.

[GetTheLedOut]

Yeah.... you should really set up your guitar properly before you do anything else.

As others have said, the only way you can break a low e string is if you tried tuning it an octave too high.

Your bridge saddles really shouldn't have to be that high. That tells me that your neck is probably way too straight. Your video showed you tightening the neck A LOT. When under full tension, it should bow/bend just slightly away from you (when in a playing position). Once you get that corrected, THEN adjust the bridge saddles individually. Most people when the bridge saddles as low as possible without the string buzzing on any fret, or buzzing during bending on any fret.

I'm sure you can find a setup tutorial video in your native language, if that would help. And again, don't forget to loosen the strings fully before adjusting the truss rod in your neck.

[ShrillBear52]

Well, I put 2 pices paper to the E and A nut,and it's not buzzing.I just don't know should i remove or leave it there.Also i'm not  wiling to take it to the guitar shop,because one of the seller is quite old,and he even a dick(well sometimes)yesterday i sent my friend to buy a 10th A string,and the seller gave a 10th D string.And today i sent my mother to buy s f*cking 10th A string,and the seller gave her a 9th A string.How can somebody be so stupid like this? And i have to set up my Les Paul,that's why the A string needed.Anyone know how to properly set up a Les Pauil just in off topic? :P  Thanks for the previous replys!

 

 

Edit:Never mind about the Les Paul, i think i solved the buzzing issue with it,but still don't know should i reomve the papers from the nuts in the Strat.and find a way to fix it,or leave it on there?

[Berneer]

This video series helped me set up my strat.

 

 

He also sells a thin but informative e-book.

 

Good luck.