acoustic guitar buzz

Rather than a new guitar, you may need a new guitar shop. (cause that's a great old guitar, and if the guy can't fix/contemplate fixing a little buzz, he's not real useful.)

Thing is, a LOT of things can buzz. Get as much info as you can up here, and the guys who know will try to troubleshoot- but a buzz isn't usually hard to fix, it's only hard to find. So it'll be hard to be sure via internet.

A couple of questions-

1) does it do it all the time, or just when you play some notes?

2) It doesn't do it without the 1st (high E) string? Does it only do it when you PLAY the E string, or is playing another string with the E silent enough?

3) Play something you know will "buzz," with the guitar on a bench or something- where you can carefully squint at the whole length of the high E string. Is it hitting anything? Anywhere?

4) Are you sure the buzzing is at or near the bridge? Have a good look around. Any loose piece on a guitar might buzz. is everything solidly mounted, with no wobbling? End pin? It's really hard to tell where a buzz comes from sometimes.

And all that said- here's my best guess at the moment. If you think it's coming from the bridge, and if it always/usually buzzes when the high E string is played, hardly ever when it's not...it's probably located near the high E end of your bridge saddle. Look at it closely. (The hard piece, usually white, set in the bridge where all the strings pass over and sit in little grooves.) Is the groove the high E sits in clearly marked, and is the string firmly seated in it? I'm betting not. If that groove is a little too deep, or a little too wide, or in any way too loose, the string can vibrate in it. That would be my guess about what's happening.

Even if the groove is fine, if the saddle itself is loose at all, that may be your cause.

If it's too low, you may be able to "shim" the saddle. (Take it out, and put a bit of paper card under it, raising it up a tad.

If the groove is just "worn," and no longer holds the string firmly, you might be able to shim it (to raise it) and then re-file a better groove.

Replacing the saddle could be a fairly easy fix as well.

Best,
Ande

Thanks for responding... I find it saddening that there are more knowledgeable people on the internet than in my local guitar shop. The guy there couldn't even figure if it was an old guitar or if i had just bought it new. Anyone who plays knows yamaha is making FG's in the 700's not the 100's like in the 60's and 70's.

Anyways to clarify the high e may be buzzing but its not when im playing it. The buzzing occurs when I am playing the open A and Open G as well as the fretted G and Fretted A on the Low E. But i noticed that when i take the high e completely off the guitar ...no buzz. So im thinking that you are right and its a saddle problem because if i put slight pressure on the high e behind the saddle the buzzing also stops. Another thing i found was that if i tune it up to standard tuning the buzzing stops (I usually play a whole step down therefore less pressure down on the saddle, causing the buzz.) So im taking your advice and buying a new saddle and i will raise the action which is not a problem because it is fairly low although i have never gotten fret buzz.

Thanks again for the reply ... let me know what you think

Yamaha FG 150 - 180 tuners can be tightened too, for another possibility, as they loosen themselves over the years, and 1 screw that holds the gear on to the post at the rear. I know you said your buzz was at the other end maybe worn saddle, and also on the old Yammies, the rosewood bridge splits between the pins, and can be filled with Tite Bond cement, filed down and fine-sanded, then oiled. 8) My sister got this concert-size 1970 when she was 7, I traded her my fancier acoustic with less tone, used it for 35 years and gave it to my son. I've teched it alot and maintained it as above.

if i put slight pressure on the high e behind the saddle the buzzing also stops.

That pretty much puts it at the saddle, I'd say. Well found.
So im taking your advice and buying a new saddle and i will raise the action

I'd bet strongly that that takes care of it. If you don't find a saddle replacement, or just don't want to bother, a shim under the saddle would probably do about the same thing. It might not be the saddle height, though- could just be that the groove it's in is worn- how does the groove look?

And by the way- if you're playing tuned a full step down, and not getting any other buzzes, you are fortunate indeed! And if it's not buzzing at any frets, and the action is low and comfortable tuned down- heck of a guitar, imo. Keep her forever!

And let us know how it turns out,
Ande

Im sorry to say that after replacing the saddle there was no luck with resolving the buzz. So in a last effort attempt i took all the strings off examined the saddle groove and everything looked fine to me ,i will post some picture for you to look at also. One thing i noticed is how worn the bridge pins holes are from the string "digging" into the bridge you can see it clearly in the photo i dont know if that is the cause or not but just something to keep in mind. I am also going to try what bluejay suggested which was to tighten the machine heads im pretty positive thats not the problem but at this point ill try anything.

Yamaha FG 150 - 180 tuners can be tightened too, for another possibility, as they loosen themselves over the years, and 1 screw that holds the gear on to the post at the rear.

Well i unscrew the machine head covers and tighten the tuners but again no such luck I dont know what else to try at this point. At first I thought that this was going to be it but it didnt turn out that way.=[

Please Im begging you if have any idea what the problem could be let me know.

THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE THAT RESPONDED.

I'd suggest having a look at Frank Ford's page - http://frets.com/FRETSPages/pagelist.html He's the head luthier and founder of Gryphon Stringed Instruments - a pretty well respected music store/repair shop here in Silicon Valley (and I think wider afield than that too). He does have a buzz diagnosis walkthrough so that might be able to help.

I just looked at the pictures.

Nothing appears obviously wrong, so I re-read the first post, actually ALL posts, and if you have eliminated a loose brace, maybe just buy new tight-fitting or exact and precise fitting pins. :|

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Hardware,_parts/Acoustic_guitar:_Bridge_and_endpins/Acoustic_Guitar_Bridge_Pins,_Endpins_and_Strap_Buttons.html

Bridge pins sounds like a possibility.

I also wonder if there might be a small sliver of wood come separated in the pin hole/string slot?
Perhaps try (just as an experiment) and shim this area between the wood and the string with a bit of paper or thin card to see if that makes a difference.