I have been using Nil's website to try to get my acoustic guitar setup so that it is easier to play and doesn't buzz on the frets. Currently the nut height is a little more than .005", the string height is about 8/64ths, and the neck relief is about .011". I currently get some fret buzz on the low E string when it is depressed from the 2nd fret on down and on the A string from the 5th fret on down. The buzz gets worse the further down the neck I go. I recenty sanded down the underside of the saddle some (not too much; I didn't want to have to go back and do shims) and that reduced the string height but increased the buzz. I went back and increased the neck relief to reduce some of the buzz but of course that raised the string height. I am currently using extra light strings (10's) and I was thinking of going back to lights (12's); would that help the situation? Or am I just dealing with the problems of a cheap guitar. My acoustic is an Alvarez RD20 which was more money than my electric which is a Squire Standard Strat. My strat is setup beautifully even though it only cost me $125 used. The strat also has almost perfect intonation while the acoustic is always sharp on the frets. Are acoustic guitars the most frustrating instruments on the planet or what?
I did some more adjustments and got the neck relief down to .008" and I remeasured the string height and it is about 6/64". I just noted that the buzzing has gone away; I think because the temperature is warmer. I also noted earlier, when I was still getting a buzz, that using a lighter technique with a thinner pick seemed to help. I notice the buzzing the most when I am picking bass notes; maybe I am hitting the string too hard? Is there a certain amount of buzzing that is unavoidable with an acoustic?
i wouldn't say unavoidable but you will get some buzz if your attack is too hard or the wrong angle with the pick. Also, if you are pressing too hard on the strings you can cause it to go a little out of tune and also make it buzz. You just need to find that happy medium on the picking and fretting.
Make sure you aren't angling your pick. If you slope the tip up tward you on down strokes it has the tendancy to catch under the string on upstrokes and cause more of an up and down vibration rather than side to side. Try and hold the pick at a right angle to the face of the guitar, see if that helps.
-Metaellihead
I think it is partly a problem with too hard of an attack on the strings. I think I may want to get heavier strings because I am trying to get the bass notes to ring out more and that is where the problem comes in. I am concerned I won't be able to barre heavier strings very well. I think I may also have to live with some action on the higher side of optimum. Do most people have more than 4/64ths of action at the 12th fret of the bass strings? Are there better guitars that allow for lower action? I was curious if anyone had any experience with Zager EZplay guitars; they seem like a good idea although I wonder if a good guitar tech or luthier could make the same modifications. Is there a perfect guitar or are there always tradeoffs and compromises? Is that why there are so many people with a dozen guitars or more?
not sure about other acoustics, but i have that alvarez rd20sc and i love it.
try a thinner pick and maybe less aggressive strumming
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Mine is an SC also. I have mostly been happy with it. Now that I have been playing for three years, I'm getting pretty picky about sound and playability. I need to also get picky about my technique as well. Does the pursuit of perfection ever end. I guess that is what gives us the passion to learn more and play better. I have played other instruments when I was younger but never had quite the passion I have for the guitar. It is kind of amazing that it took me to the age of 39 to pick up a guitar; midlife crisis thing I guess. BTW have you ever had any preamp/pickup problems with yours. Almost since I have had the guitar I have chased around an intermittent problem with the preamp cutting out. I had a guitar tech check it out but he could never duplicate the problem. I finally figured out that if I unplugged and reconnected the battery once in a while, I don't have any problems. I only need to do this about once a month. I used to change the battery everytime it started cutting out and then realized it really wasn't the battery. Weird, huh?
no, haven't had any issues with it cutting out, but i play it unplugged most of the time.
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I practice mostly unplugged and the problem doesn't seem to occur until the guitar has accumulated about 4-5 hours of plugged-in time.
