New strings cause a lot of buzz on two lowest strings. It's driving me crazy!

[bosnialove]

So I changed strings this week after a long time. I used to have 10's on it with topwrapping and I switched to 9's with topwrapping.

Since there is less pull from the strings I had to adjust the trussrod. I've also intonated it again.

However, since I put them on the Goldtop I'm getting a lot of buzz on the low E and A strings. The buzz starts around the 5th frets with pretty noticable buzz and when you are going up tge frets the buzz is getting less, however still noticable.

The action on my guitar has always been 1,1mm between the 12th fret and string, on bass and treble side, always measured with a capo on the first fret.

I've checked the neck and everything seems to be okay. There's enough relief around the 7th - 9th fret when pressing on first and last fret. I've also checked every fret for sticking out frets, but couldn't find a single fret that was sticking out.

 

[rich85]

9-42 or 9-46?

 

[bosnialove]

Ernies Balls 0.009 - 0.042.

 

[harrie 0492]

Marshall on buzz gone ????

 

[db3266]

did you accidentally lower the action when you changed strings?
Maybe another tweek on the truss rod and/or raise the action a smidge?

 

[GitFiddle]

It sounds like you have adjusted all but one remaining factor... you.

I have gigged with 9s on Fender necks for several decades. When I got my first LP style neck, and put 9s on it, they were just too loose. I had to move to 10s to get the same feel I was used to, on my Fenders.

Now I play all LPs with 10s. I also have a MIM Strat, project guitar and an old 70s Tele Custom. Occasionally, when I gig the Strat, 10s feel pretty good on it. When I tried 10s on the Tele, it tore my fingers up after a couple sets. I went back to 9s on the Tele.

Now whenever I gig the Tele, I have to be very conscious about adjusting my playing technique. I have to be very gentle about picking, fretting, and especially bends.

I'm just saying, give it a little time and practice, using a much lighter feel and attack. For me, 9s on a short neck is just too loose. I've found my touch is much more aggressive, on stage with a band, than it is at home unplugged.

 

[rockinlespaul]

So does it feel like your playing 8's? Going from 10's to 9's and a topwrap on top of it all, or were you top wrapping with the 10's?

 

[Falconbill]

I've had some guitars buzz when topwrapped for some reason. Topwrapping does make the strings feel slinkier, so that could be your problem. I don't find 9s to be a good fit for LPs. They seem to be made for 10s or heavier.

 

[jamman]

You'll need to raise the action . If I understand what you wrote as to the action , for 9's it's a bit low . Adjust it up a bit and retry . LP's are , Imo better with 10's . It's the scale length that makes them fit and feel correct with 10's. You can use 9's on an LP but you need to compensate for that . With the Action . Of course how it plays through the Amp can be different . Don't hear the Buzz then ? It's all good . Some buzz is acceptable when going for a very low action

 

[bosnialove]

Buzz is not there when it's plugged into the the amp.. It could use another quarter turn of neck relief..

Topwrapped 9's don't play like 8's, they play like like 9's with a slightly slinkier feel.

I play agressive and I use topwrapping to prevent string breakage.

 

[cristi tanasescu]

any electric guitar, no matter the price, will have string buzz. Very little, or too much.


Fretbuzz is accetable for me in electric guitars, I say live with it

 

[Sct13]

Season to taste, Throw away the ruler. (at least put it down) spin those wheels until if feels right.

Also if you adjusted the truss rod (why again?) you may need to adjust it back. if your buzzing it may be too tight and your neck is not bowed slightly. you need the relief because that just how guitars work.

the slinkier feel you have is not a tension thing, it is called String Compliance and there is no need to adjust the neck (unless it needed it) I would check the line of sight and look for the rail road tracks to see if they are going over a hill, going straight, or if there is a valley. Look at the strings shadow on the fret board while holding it similiar to a violin. there should be a slight valley, thats the relief so the strings can clear the frets.

 

[Bristol Posse]

Lighter gauge strings require less tension to come to the same pitch. As a result 0.009 vibrate differently as they are looser than .010s tuned to the same pitch.

Because of this, changing string gauges often means a change in setup including neck relief and actions height. it's a similar thing that would happen if you set up a guitar for .010 in standard E tuning and then tuned it down a whole step, everything is going to be much looser, you 'll have to adjust the neck relief and possibly raise the action a little or learn to live with fret buzz

 

[3armdave]

Ok my vote is change back to 10's. why would you want to play on 9's...?.
D

 

[sunking420]

I was getting a string buzz on my R8, with the worst being the B string at 14 fret. I tightened the truss rod with two small turns which eliminated most other spots, but 14th fret just wouldn't give it up. I did a pro set up on it that I learned from Youtube, filing the saddle with 400 grit sandpaper. Raised action a bit more and more or less returned to original truss setting. All gone!!!! I always had other people do my set ups but no more. That R8 plays like a new guitar and more similar in feel now to my R9...Try returning truss rod and see if that works. Seems a couple of days with the extra tension helped out. Hope my advise solves your problem. I play a lot without plugging into an amp, and string buzz drives me insane.....

 

[bosnialove]

Oh.. I forgot to mention that the low E and A string saddle needs replacement. The low E can't even be intonated anymore. I already have new saddles, but I was planning to change them later.

Maybe it's because of the saddles, because everything else seems to be perfect.

 

[rockinlespaul]

 

[SteveC]

For whatever the cause, the lower 2 strings are now low enough, so that when you play them the way you play with 10's - they buzz.

A little upward adjustment of the action should get you going again, man.

 

[StubbyJ]

Raise the bridge and make incremental adjustments down until you are ok with what you got.

IF YOU PUT NEW SADDLES ON SLOT THEM BEFORE ADJUSTING EVERYTHING.

 

[bosnialove]

I knew raising the bridge wasn't the real solution. I've been waiting some time after adjusting the trussrod. And yesterday I adjusted it again (loosened the trussrod) and now the buzz is pretty much gone everywhere.

The action is the same as before, I only lowered the bridge slightly after adjusting the trussrod.

If a tech told me to raise the bridge to solve this problem I would defenitaly be looking for a new tech.

I still need to replace the lower E and A saddle, because they are worn out, but I will change all saddle some other time.