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Going to a lighter gauge on a semi-hollow, I'm now getting a lot of fret buzz just around the 9th through 13th frets. I've always been hesitant to mess with truss rods, but is this telling me there's too much relief, & a bit of loosening (counterclockwise) is needed?
Scott Fraser
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Generally, string buzz is the result of too little relief, even a possible back-bow.

 

First question I have to ask is how much of a change in string gauges? Next up, have the strings, and the neck, had a day or so to adjust? Finally, what kind of bridge, fixed T.O.M. or floating?

 

Do the 1st fret capo trick to check the relief, then consider raising the bridge slightly, if the relief looks more or less okay. One issue I used to see often was a nut cut for a wrapped "G" string, with a string set using a plain string; lots of buzzing.

 

IME, I don't generally have to adjust the truss rod, if I'm just moving up or down one string set, and rarely after a change in seasons (we do get at least three seasons here, sometimes four).

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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Going to lighter string will put less counter tension on the back bow. You can eyeball the neck using the strings as a straight edge. See if you see any back bow. Try no more the quarter turn counter clockwise adjustments at a time then check to see if it's getting better or worse. Being in California if all you did was increase gauge and it's not an arch top I think the truss adjustment will fix it. What gets us here where I live is crazy temperature and weather changes. Trucks and trailers are brutal on guitars. You can use a capo to take the nut out of the equation.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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Generally, string buzz is the result of too little relief, even a possible back-bow.

 

And, due to time constraints in my life, the string changing stretched to several days, so the guitar was without string tension for 3 or so days.

 

First question I have to ask is how much of a change in string gauges?

 

From D'addario Half Round 10-52, to DR Pure Blues 10-46. Not huge.

 

Next up, have the strings, and the neck, had a day or so to adjust?

 

A bit less than a full day. It's a bit better today than last night, really just a problem now at the 9th & 10th frets, on the D, G, & B strings.

 

Finally, what kind of bridge, fixed T.O.M. or floating?

 

A T.O.M.

 

Do the 1st fret capo trick to check the relief, then consider raising the bridge slightly, if the relief looks more or less okay.

 

I know I should have a full capo for exactly this reason. Yet . . . . I'll get back to this after a trip to GC.

 

One issue I used to see often was a nut cut for a wrapped "G" string, with a string set using a plain string; lots of buzzing.

 

This is a pre-owned Ibanez AS153, so I don't know what the previous owner may have modified. I don't remember there being a wound G on it when I got it, but there are a lot of things I don't remember anymore. Didn't really have an issue with the D'addario non-wound G.

 

IME, I don't generally have to adjust the truss rod, if I'm just moving up or down one string set, and rarely after a change in seasons (we do get at least three seasons here, sometimes four).

 

I'm going to give it a couple days. I slapped the new strings on in my girlfriend's air conditioned living room. At my place the guitars are never exposed to much AC at all.

Thanks mucho, Mr pS.

Scott Fraser
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@ Scott, just a few thoughts/comments...+1 if you get fret buzz it's usually due to not enough relief. I doubt changing the gauge from 10-52 to 10-46 (or the wound 3rd) would cause that big of a truss rod adjustment issue, if any. Since you had the guitar at a different location, temp, humidity, etc., with the strings off, I would give it a couple of overnights to settle before making any adjustments. If you do give it a quarter turn counter clockwise give it another over night before doing it again. I wouldn't do any adjustments for a couple of days now that you have the strings back on. Then without using a capo hold down the low E string with your index finger at the 1st fret and at the 15th fret hold it down with your thumb (using the string as a straight edge, you can eyeball it). Then touch the string with your other index finger at the 8th or 9th fret while holding the string down at the 1st and 15th fret. You can feel and see if you have any relief. If there is no relief, you may experiance a little fret buzz and you can raise the bridge a little and sometimes it goes away. You can check the high E string the same way and feel for just a little relief. I usually lower my TOM (if needed) until I get a little buzz on the 1st and 6th strings, and then raise it a little till it goes away. Then check your intonation on each string. I think letting it settle with the room temp around 70 to 75 degrees with the humidity between 35 and 55 will probably help out the most...I like the TRAIN acronym we learned on another thread Tune up first, check for Relief, Adjust bridge height action, set the Intonation, and then Noodle LOL! Do it again if needed. Best wishes and good luck! :cool:
Take care, Larryz
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Going to lighter string will put less counter tension on the back bow. You can eyeball the neck using the strings as a straight edge. See if you see any back bow. Try no more the quarter turn counter clockwise adjustments at a time then check to see if it's getting better or worse. Being in California if all you did was increase gauge and it's not an arch top I think the truss adjustment will fix it. What gets us here where I live is crazy temperature and weather changes. Trucks and trailers are brutal on guitars. You can use a capo to take the nut out of the equation.

+ one on the above.

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I wonder, also, if the top and/or bridge-assembly of your semi-hollow bodied guitar might have shifted subtly during that period of being without string tension for 3 or so days, but enough that the action might have lowered just enough for this string-to-fret buzzing... ? And/or that the neck somewhat shifted and resettled, causing a little rise in that area of the neck and fretboard... ?

 

Whatever has occurred, a full set-up examination and adjustment of relief, action, and intonation will reveal and evict the gremlins.

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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I wonder, also, if the top and/or bridge-assembly of your semi-hollow bodied guitar might have shifted subtly during that period of being without string tension for 3 or so days, but enough that the action might have lowered just enough for this string-to-fret buzzing... ? And/or that the neck somewhat shifted and resettled, causing a little rise in that area of the neck and fretboard... ?

 

Whatever has occurred, a full set-up examination and adjustment of relief, action, and intonation will reveal and evict the gremlins.

 

@Caevan - part of why I asked what kind of bridge. Some arch tops still have traditional floating, wood bridges; highly subject to humidity, stress, and even subtle shifting when you tune or restring. Fixed T.O.M.-style bridges are more stable.

 

Slightly later thought - I keep an 18-inch metal rule for checking neck relief, among other things. If you don't have a capo, and you're unsure of the string test, lay the edge of the rule along the frets. You should see a tiny gap between the rule and the frets between, say, the 4th and 7th frets, if you have normal relief. If the rule rocks back and forth like a fulcrum at some point, you have a back-bow or a high fret.

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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@Caevan - part of why I asked what kind of bridge. Some arch tops still have traditional floating, wood bridges; highly subject to humidity, stress, and even subtle shifting when you tune or restring. Fixed T.O.M.-style bridges are more stable.

 

 

+1 Winston, I have a floating bridge with a TOM on top that can move up and down (not forward and back) if I'm playing too hard or if there is heat and/or humidity. My other archtop has a pinned bridge and does not move (which is the best way to go if you have a TOM on top as opposed to a carved solid wood bridge on top.) I have 3 options recommended to keep it from moving...1). double edged tape under the bridge or 2). 1500 grit sand paper glued under the bridge or 3). take it to my luthier and have it pinned...I think I'm going with # 3). as it will keep wood to wood contact with the body and bridge and keep it from moving...since it doesn't move forward and back, it does not affect the intonation that much. :cool:

 

 

 

Take care, Larryz
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So, Scott, how's that going?

 

I wonder, also, if the top and/or bridge-assembly of your semi-hollow bodied guitar might have shifted subtly during that period of being without string tension for 3 or so days, but enough that the action might have lowered just enough for this string-to-fret buzzing... ? And/or that the neck somewhat shifted and resettled, causing a little rise in that area of the neck and fretboard... ?

 

Whatever has occurred, a full set-up examination and adjustment of relief, action, and intonation will reveal and evict the gremlins.

 

@Caevan - part of why I asked what kind of bridge. Some arch tops still have traditional floating, wood bridges; highly subject to humidity, stress, and even subtle shifting when you tune or restring. Fixed T.O.M.-style bridges are more stable.

Yeah... That was never quite fully answered above about the guitar in question; it may well be a T-o-M on a floating wooden base, or it may be on posts anchored in solid wood beneath the arched-top.

 

As Larryz mentioned, some of the former type can noticeably compress and shift downward, detrimentally- if temporarily- lowering the action and potentially causing a little string-to-fret buzz as that happens mid-performance. These semi-hollow and semi-solid beasts of yore are funny beasts at times! :crazy: Gawd, I've gotta listen to some Steve Howe/Yes and some Wes Montgomery now, I think... ! (I know, I know, Wes' L5 was a fully hollow beauty! :laugh::cool: ) :rawk:

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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Several days later, acclimating & settling in, the buzz is less, & really centered around the 9th fret on the D, G, & B strings. I've now loosened the truss rod about a quarter turn. Better, but still not buzz-free. I like low action, but I'm going to raise the bridge a bit now. I'm also awaiting a straight edge, as I suspect the 10th fret is a bit high.

It's a tune-o-matic anchored in the center block of Ibanez's version of an ES335. BTW, this is a gorgeously crafted, made in China, highly flamed piece of sunburst beauty. I'm hoping it will scratch my itch to have a dual humbucker with some of the acoustic warmth & resonance of my hollow archtops, but the sustain of a solid body. I just need to get this fingerboard in shape.

Scott Fraser
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@Scott - a 6-inch straight edge will help to find a high fret, just center the rule on the suspect fret, see what happens. If it rocks like a see-saw, there's your culprit. However, before you adjust anything else . . .

 

There's another possibility, which is that the bridge itself has "flattened" out. Some import T.O.M.'s suffer from metal fatigue and start to sag in the middle, under the pressure of the strings over time. It's even happened with U.S.-made hardware that's old enough.

 

The flip side is that a previous owner might have replaced the original bridge with the one you have now, and it may have a slightly flatter radius than the neck?

 

Side note and intentional plug: Everyone in this Forum really should have a copy of Dan Erlewine's Guitar Player Repair Guide. Indispensable, period. Even if you (the collective you) were never going to take a tool to your Guitar, ever, you will gain a better understanding of your Guitar with this book on hand.

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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Side note and intentional plug: Everyone in this Forum really should have a copy of Dan Erlewine's Guitar Player Repair Guide. Indispensable, period. Even if you (the collective you) were never going to take a tool to your Guitar, ever, you will gain a better understanding of your Guitar with this book on hand.

 

That, and also Dan Erlewine's HOW TO MAKE YOUR ELECTRIC GUITAR PLAY GREAT!, which even comes with a set of plastic radius-gauges, both under and over string (and fret) design. These can be PERFECT for diagnosing the kind of bridge and fretboard radius relations that Winston speaks of.

 

Both books are HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended!! Order directly from Stewart-MacDonald.

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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There's another possibility, which is that the bridge itself has "flattened" out. Some import T.O.M.'s suffer from metal fatigue and start to sag in the middle, under the pressure of the strings over time. It's even happened with U.S.-made hardware that's old enough.

 

Following this line of inquiry, I got out my fretboard radius scales. Ibanez states this to be a 12" radius fretboard. The ToM is WAY flatter than 12", like closer to 20". Unlike a Strat bridge, individual saddles are not height adjustable. And it's just the D, G, & B which are bottoming out, so this all makes sense. So, gotta see about this.

 

Scott Fraser
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There's another possibility, which is that the bridge itself has "flattened" out. Some import T.O.M.'s suffer from metal fatigue and start to sag in the middle, under the pressure of the strings over time. It's even happened with U.S.-made hardware that's old enough.

 

Following this line of inquiry, I got out my fretboard radius scales. Ibanez states this to be a 12" radius fretboard. The ToM is WAY flatter than 12", like closer to 20". Unlike a Strat bridge, individual saddles are not height adjustable. And it's just the D, G, & B which are bottoming out, so this all makes sense. So, gotta see about this.

 

The big clue for me was that it was happening in those more-or-less middle strings, where a flatter radius on the bridge would make a difference. 20" vs. 12" is a substantial difference!!! Even some of the Super-Strat designs I've seen only had a 17" radius.

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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@Caevan - part of why I asked what kind of bridge. Some arch tops still have traditional floating, wood bridges; highly subject to humidity, stress, and even subtle shifting when you tune or restring. Fixed T.O.M.-style bridges are more stable.

+1 Winston, I have a floating bridge with a TOM on top that can move up and down (not forward and back) if I'm playing too hard or if there is heat and/or humidity. My other archtop has a pinned bridge and does not move (which is the best way to go if you have a TOM on top as opposed to a carved solid wood bridge on top.) I have 3 options recommended to keep it from moving...1). double edged tape under the bridge or 2). 1500 grit sand paper glued under the bridge or 3). take it to my luthier and have it pinned...I think I'm going with # 3). as it will keep wood to wood contact with the body and bridge and keep it from moving...since it doesn't move forward and back, it does not affect the intonation that much. :cool:

 

I dropped off my newest and favorite archtop guitar today. I'm going with option 3). My tech/luthier will pin the bridge for $50 bucks. I'm looking forward to not having it move on me anymore. I'll get her back next week and start putting her through the test! :cool:

Take care, Larryz
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Update: Picked up my archtop guitar this evening. My tech/luthier pinned the bridge and you can't tell by looking that anything was done. Perfect job. He did it using the newer strings I had on the guitar and didn't even have to use the new set I had brought just in case. He set the action and intonation, adjusted the strings over the pickup poles and along both outside edges of the fret board. It should hold up now without the bridge moving due to humidity/weather changes and my bending and heavier rhythm playing when I get carried away LOL! It plays like butter and I'm a very happy camper! :cool:
Take care, Larryz
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Update: Picked up my archtop guitar this evening. My tech/luthier pinned the bridge and you can't tell by looking that anything was done. Perfect job. He did it using the newer strings I had on the guitar and didn't even have to use the new set I had brought just in case. He set the action and intonation, adjusted the strings over the pickup poles and along both outside edges of the fret board. It should hold up now without the bridge moving due to humidity/weather changes and my bending and heavier rhythm playing when I get carried away LOL! It plays like butter and I'm a very happy camper! :cool:

Good! I'm very glad for you in that, Larry.

 

By happenstance, I broke out the hollow-body Ibanez "Artcore (Expressionist?)" AG95-DBS that I'd bought quite a while ago; it's been sitting in its case for quite some time for a few reasons. Besides needing a truss-rod adjustment after all this time (no surprise!)- too much relief, yielding effectively rather HIGH action- I also need to eliminate some weird sympathetic rattle and buzz noises- purely acoustic- that I hope are simply due to the stock T-o-M copy bridge on it. Keep your fingers crossed for me- when you're not playing... ! I might swap its stock T-o-M style for a better quality one, or I might even go to a solid wooden bridge. Time and trial-and-error will tell.

 

I'm also going to decide just what strings I want to set 'er up for, soon comparing DR Pure Blues PHR12's (w/3rd), Thomastik-Infeld BeBop "Jazz-Wound" BB112's (round-wounds with thicker, round-cores and thinner wraps), and Thomastik-Infeld JS-112's (flat-wounds). I'm anticipating liking the T-I BeBops better on this particular axe, and the T-I Swings best. (Though DR Pure Blues .011" - .050" sets ARE my favorites on my Les Paul and most other electric guitars.)

 

My intention is for this to be an axe for Jazz and R&B duties. By the way, my Fulltone 2B pedal works well to smooth it out and fatten and warm it up in a sort of quasi-compressor kinda way while remaining natural and clear sounding. Nice... :cool:

 

Once I've settled on the bridge and exact strings and gauges that I want to keep this guitar strung with and set-up for, I'll likely also have its bridge similarly pinned in place.

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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Thanks Caevan! Yeah, I would buy a new TOM bridge from Allparts.com. I like the sound of the TOM over the carved wood. Many jazzers like the carved wood and flat wounds and make beautiful music with them. But they dull things up too much for my taste. Probably because I'm not really a jazz player LOL! I would keep and throw the stock bridge back in the case. If you like 11-50's pure nickel, try a set of GHS 1315 Nickel Rockers "Rollerwound" strings. They come with an 18 gauge wound 3rd. They are semi-flat so they loose some of the squeak of round wounds while staying bright and alive without the dull sound of flat wounds. I like 10-50's so I just order a 10 single for a buck at Juststrings.com so instead of 6.95, it cost me 7.95 to have the set I like...the 10 on the 1st string and the light wound 18 on the 3rd string makes bending easier with less tension. If you like 11's you're in business with the 11-50's.

 

 

On guitars that use a carved wood floating bridge without the tune-o-matic, they have to leave the bridge unpinned so they can adjust intonation my moving it. But, when you have the luxury of having a TOM on top of a floating bridge there is really no reason not to have it pinned IMHO. Many guitars come with the TOM on top of a floating bridge already pinned and some jazz guitars come like mine unpinned. Why? I dunnknow...I would have been happy to leave mine unpinned if it would stay in place when I get carried away bending (which I mostly just bend in half steps so that really should not have posed a problem) or when I get carried away with rhythm strokes. Most jazz players are not into bending and are more refined in their chording approach. Much more sophisticated than this old country jazz kind of bumpkin guy LOL! My solid spruce archtop probably reacts to humidity and temp which can also be a reason the floater moved on my guitar...I keep the temps below 80 and the humidity at 35 to 55 at home, but when out and about I have no control...so I pinned it! I'm positive it will resolve my issues and will only report back if it moves on me again some day LOL! :cool:

 

ps. they have the 1315's Rollerwounds at Sweetwater for a better price and shipping than Juststrings, if you like 11-50's and are not ordering single 10's...

Take care, Larryz
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You're right, Larry, those GHS Nickel Rockers Rollerwound strings are very good; I think that every type of strings that GHS puts out are excellent, a great brand. I'm definitely settled on the round-core solid, pure nickel-wrap round-wound DR Pure Blues 11's (also w/ an .018" 3rd/G) for my Les Paul, though. They just suit it perfectly, and they're my overall favorite Rock and Blues strings for most electric guitars.

 

As for this hollow-body Ibanez AG95, I'm certain that I want a set of 12's on it, and either these "Jazz-Wound" (round-wounds w/ thicker, round-cores and thinner winding-wrap) Thomastik-Infeld BeBop BB112's, or flat-wound Thomastik-Infeld JS-112's. It's definitely going to be strung and set-up as a Jazz and R&B guitar; I'll probably go with the T-I Swing flat-wounds, but it will be cool to try and compare those unique T-I BeBop "Jazz-Wound" round-wounds.

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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@ Cavaen, +1 I don't think you can go wrong with Thomastik-Infeld strings. They are great sounding strings and they are long lasting great quality sets with a reputation 2nd to none. I used to run TI flatwounds but I finally had to go with D'Addario Chromes as the T-I's just got too pricey. I can buy 3 sets of GHS for the price of one set of T-I's. If you are leaving them on the guitar and just changing strings once every other year or so, the T-I's are a great way to go. A top of the line jazz pro (who has his custom named sets made by GHS) advised me to stay around a 50 gauge or lighter on the 6th string as the heavier gauges can cause natural feed back on quality archtops due to the vibration that can be caused by their greatly designed sound boards, which were designed to increase volumes...so those BeBop 12-50's should work great. I would consider the BeBop 11-47's too...the lighter gauge with less tension might just help with your relief issue... :cool:
Take care, Larryz
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+1 on Thomastik strings. I used to used them on my Electrics, but was priced out over time.

 

For my one semi-hollowbody, my Epi DOT, I use D'Addario Chromes .010-.049. Not really playing Jazz, as such, just going for a very different tone than my SG's. They last well enough, and I can find them pretty much anywhere. I've also used them on my Godin Synth Access Guitar, to reduce string noise. On the Godin, I really don't lose anything in the way of tone, because the stock PU's aren't particularly exciting, and the sound is so heavily processed.

 

As far as replacement bridges, I've swapped out all of my Gibson T.O.M.'s for the Schaller Roller bridge. The radius on the Schaller is 14", as opposed to Gibson/Epiphone's 12" radius, but I've never had an issue with them. I first encountered the Schaller bridge on The Heritage Guitars, and was very impressed with the design; the price is more than reasonable, too. Recently, they've included a set of posts that will mount into an Epiphone; I would expect that they'd also work on many of the Ibanez models, but I haven't had experience trying that swap. If the post-to-post measurements are the same as Gibson/Epiphone, then you should be good.

 

Just in case - Schaller roller bridge at Stew-Mac

 

 

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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So, Scott and Winston- How's the set-up situation going with your Ibanez AS153, Scott?

 

That looks like a Metric replacement bridge with a 12" radius that'd fit a Metric Gibson "Nashville" style bridge would work and work well there; check out the Hipshot 'Tone-A-Matic Guitar Bridge - Metric' 12" radius bridge and tailpiece combo, or just the bridge; nickel, chrome, gold, or black. High quality materials and machining, for sure.

 

 

Re: My Ibanez RG95 hollow-body- I've got the relief tightened-up (and may loosen it just a little again, time 'll tell), and while the DR Pure Blues 12's were good, the Thomastik-Infeld BeBop BB112 "Jazz Round-Wound" set is much better for this particular guitar. (I'm sure that I'll stay with the Pure Blues 11's on my Les Paul, though.) The T-I BeBops are smoother in tone (and feel), warmer, better balanced, darker, 'Jazzier', closer to flat-wounds in a very good way. They almost make this guitar sound like I upgraded the pickups! I highly recommend them! I very well may wind up going to flat-wound strings on this axe, though- most likely the Thomastik-Infeld JS-112 set, if I do.

 

I was surprised that, by ear, the new T-I BeBop set also sounded like the intonation was fine, with everything left as it was with the DR Pure Blues. They do NOT have all the same gauges, but for now, it's amazingly good as-is. I will check out the intonation with a tuner set for "Equal Temperament" tomorrow and adjust it as needed, if needed.

 

The plain-treble strings in the T-I BeBops came as what appears to be brass-plated plain strings; they feel exceptionally smooth and sound smoother, warmer and rounder. I may have to switch to T-I's brass-plated plain-strings for my Les Paul!

 

These Thomastik-Infeld BeBop BB112's come with a plain 3rd/G; I may also switch to a wound-3rd/G for this Ibanez by one mean or another.

 

The sympathetic bridge rattle and buzz issues are still there, but not quite as badly; certainly less noticeable through an amp and speakers. In time I'll be sure to address THAT.

 

 

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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@Caevan - No update from Scott, as yet.

 

I'm getting ready to drop that Schaller bridge into my Epi DOT, so I'll have an update on that sometime this coming week. Bear in mind, I'm also going to see King Crimson* mid-week, so I may be distracted, to say the least.

 

It's time for the Seasonal Set-up for all my Guitars. The change in temp & humidity is enough that I like to give all of them a string change, cleaning and set-up, even the ones I don't use as often. We've gone from daytime highs of right around 100 degrees, down to nighttime lows in the 50's and 60's, within just a couple of weeks, and the humidity has dropped to where you can breathe without a straw. Big changes . . .

 

 

*It's the 50th Anniversary Tour of Court of the Crimson King: as a true 21st Century schizoid man, I have to attend, of course.

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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@Caevan - No update from Scott, as yet.

 

Bear in mind, I'm also going to see King Crimson* mid-week, so I may be distracted, to say the least.

 

 

*It's the 50th Anniversary Tour of Court of the Crimson King: as a true 21st Century schizoid man, I have to attend, of course.

 

Enjoy! and report back! :thu:

 

For our upcoming January birthday celebration, I'm going to see Los Lobos! :cool:

 

Take care, Larryz
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I"ve been going through setup issues on my Martin. Do I lower the saddle

And risk buzz and having to start over and cut a new saddle?

Will it change the awesome sound? etc...

 

The Martin played low positions like butter but got sort of difficult around 9th position. What was gnawing at me was the guitar sounds so good. At first I was fighting through it because when it comes to acoustics I"m a nylon guy. I just thought my hands needed to get stronger but at my age I don"t seem to get stronger with more reps just more wore down. I play the Martin every day.

 

Well my luthier lowered the bridge and did further setup work and the thing is great now. This Martin and Córdoba are my retirement guitars. They are basically all I play around the house. Mostly the Martin. Anyone else ever set the intonation on a acoustic by compensating the saddle with files? I love to watch guys that know their craft work on guitars. Probably why I hangout at the shop so much. People bring in disasters some times and my guy resurrects some amazing instruments. Things like guitars that were ran over by trucks and stuff. That"s one f* up I have yet to mine... knock on wood. I probably just jinxed myself.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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I've been out on tour, or back from tour but preparing for the next one, so I'm still where I was a couple weeks ago. I loosened the rod about a quarter turn, & it's better, but still buzzing the middle strings at the 9th fret. I'll look into getting a Schaller bridge when I get back, since the radius is pretty far off the fingerboard radius. I'm thinking the previous owner did some saddle filing & screwed it up. I'll check back in 2 weeks.
Scott Fraser
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  • 4 weeks later...

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