Hey everybody!
I'm new here and was hoping to pick some of your much more musically experienced brains for a second. I am sure this topic, or similar, has been asked before but i did have a look through some previous topics and didnt find exactly what i was after.
I bought a Gibson Gospel acoustic from ebay about a year ago and have been plucking away on it without problem until recently. I noticed about 2 weeks ago fret 15 on high E started buzzing and since then its been getting worse. Fret 15 and 14 are now completely dull and the buzzing has spread along the fretboard to frets 13 and 12. It still affects the High E string only though.
I know that i can probably sort this by adjusting the action via the truss rod but as the action on this guitar is (in my opinion at least) so good already i don't want to make a pigs ear of it. I have checked with a straight edge in case one of the fret bars is raised but they all appear to be fine. The only other thing i could think of is that the bone bridge has worn down or moved but i cant imagine this is likely.
So I thought that maybe some of you more experienced guitarists could help me out a little, it would be much appreciated!
Is there any reason my guitar neck would be moving? Damp air maybe? Or could it be movement at the bridge end? And more importantly how should i go about sorting it out? Should i just fiddle with the truss rod and see if it gets better? Oh and sorry if i am being over-cautious or just a complete remtard! :oops:
Thanks in advance!!
First things first - I suggest that you do the one thing that you haven't mentioned doing and that is changing the strings.
Do your guitar a favour and treat her to some nice new strings. I think that may clear up the buzzing.
As for the other thing, guitars are made of wood, which is affected by changes in climate. It may be nothing more than that. It may also be something much more serious, your description leaves a lot open to the imagination.
I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
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Yup, what greybeard said.
Before you do anything, change the strings.
Playing guitar and never playing for others is like studying medicine and never working in a clinic.
Change the strings, cause you just never know.
If the problem persists- start measuring before you adjust anything. IF the action is good...how is your neck curvature? If your neck has the right amount of bow, then don't touch the truss rod.
IT could be wear at the bridge, but you should be able to see that. Could be shifting/swelling in any one of a lot of places...
STrings first.
Then start measuring things.
Don't adjust the truss rod until/unless you're sure that this is really the cause of the problem.
Coincidentally, the truss rod is about adjusting the amount of relief/bow in the neck. It isn't really about action. (Since bridge heignt, nut height, etc also affect this.)
Best,
Ande
