Buzzing frets

[New]

I know... what an original topic huh? ...

Anyway, on my new Epi SG there's a little buzz that I can't seem to get rid of. It's mainly on the lower frets, low E and A strings. I have tried everything except mess with the frets. I'm thinking it's the nut.

I have NEVER been satisfied with shimming a nut. Any nuts (and I don't mean macadamia nuts) you guys can recommend would be appreciated. I think it's a 1 11/16 size nut.

Or, should I just live with it buzzing. I can't hear any buzz through the amp, but since I play at very low volumes, acoustically it stands out.

Anyway, great forum you guys have here, and thanks a lot!

 

[Biddlin]

Have you checked the string height at the first fret ?

Top of fret to bottom of the string @ first fret: high E string-1/64", low E-1/32"

If there is adequate clearance, you may have too much tension on the truss rod, back bowing the neck . Consult these two articles for neck relief information,

http://www.everythingsg.com/index.php/articles/how-to/216-setting-up-your-guitar.html

http://www.everythingsg.com/images/stories/articles/howto/gibson_truss_rod_2.jpg

Biddlin ;>)/

 

[thinkgreen]

My epi lp was just like this. In the end I put a tusq nut on and scraped the fret board and leveled and polished the frets(there was several that were out mainly between the 12 and 20th fret). It not only stopped buzzing the neck felt a lot slicker.

 

[ghostwolf]

Biddlin's advice is good. Fret the low E string at the third fret. Look at the space between the top of the first fret and the bottom of the string. Much less space than you can slide a business card into is likely a nut slot cut too deeply, same with the A string. If they check out OK, loosen the truss 1/8th to 1/4 of a turn.
If the slots are too deep, and you don't want to shim the nut, you can fill those two slots with baking soda, drop a dab of superglue onto the baking soda, and then re-cut those two slots to the correct depth after everything dries, usually no more than a few minutes.

 

[happy_tom]

+1 on all suggestions. Graph tech is good, I use them. When istalling you goota get the height just right, too high and your open chords will be out of tune.

But there's good instructions in every graph tech package.

You should try the truss rod first though, it's reversible

 

[donepearce]

I know... what an original topic huh? ...

Anyway, on my new Epi SG there's a little buzz that I can't seem to get rid of. It's mainly on the lower frets, low E and A strings. I have tried everything except mess with the frets. I'm thinking it's the nut.

I have NEVER been satisfied with shimming a nut. Any nuts (and I don't mean macadamia nuts) you guys can recommend would be appreciated. I think it's a 1 11/16 size nut.

Or, should I just live with it buzzing. I can't hear any buzz through the amp, but since I play at very low volumes, acoustically it stands out.

Anyway, great forum you guys have here, and thanks a lot!

If it is happening with fretted notes, the problem is definitely not the nut. Fret buzz on the lower frets suggests that the truss rod needs to be loosened slightly. I find myself adjusting in probably no more than 1/16 of a turn at a time.
So loosen the truss rod, then drop the bridge a little. At some point you will find that the high frets start to buzz - that means you have dropped the bridge too far, so bring it up a little. Now get the truss rod as tight as it will go with no lower fret buzz, and you have your adjustment.
If the action is still too high at this point, the neck need attention - it is crooked.
As for nut height - there is no reason for it to be any higher than a fret; it is after all doing exactly the same job. I don't expect a manufacturer to get that right though, it is far too tricky a job. I do that myself.