Low E String Fret Buzz - RESOLVED!

[02R96]

So tonight I finally go a chance to work on my Tele to fix the low E fret buzz. After reviewing all of the suggestions I figured I'd try the easiest first. That would be installing 11-52 strings which it was originally setup with.

 

IT WORKED! The buzz is completely gone. It must have been vibrating in the nut slot. All it needs now is a bit of touch up (intonation) and she will be ready to go. The heavier strings are actually what I like for rhythm playing and it's now closer to my acoustic.

 

Thanks to everyone who offered their help. This problem has been bugging me for a long time and now it's fixed.

 

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

So tonight I finally go a chance to work on my Tele to fix the low E fret buzz. After reviewing all of the suggestions I figured I'd try the easiest first. That would be installing 11-52 strings which it was originally setup with.

 

IT WORKED! The buzz is completely gone. It must have been vibrating in the nut slot. All it needs now is a bit of touch up (intonation) and she will be ready to go. The heavier strings are actually what I like for rhythm playing and it's now closer to my acoustic.

 

Thanks to everyone who offered their help. This problem has been bugging me for a long time and now it's fixed.

 

 

Firstly, I'm glad!

 

 

Did you adjust the truss-rod, the neck's relief, as part of changing back to the 11 - 52's?

 

If not, I suspect that some of the string-buzz was caused by too little relief, caused by less string-tension pulling forward on the neck when you had the 10's on it; and that some of it was due to the lighter strings responding to your picking-hand touch (previously used to heavier strings) with a wider vibrating excursion, and buzzing against the frets.

 

I myself prefer 11's, particularly on my Les Paul or similarly scaled Gibson-style axes.

 

 

If you did adjust the relief, then maybe it was the nut slot, but I have my doubts.

[Winston Psmith]

Glad you worked that out! Keep in mind, if you ever want to lighten up on string gauges for that Tele, you'll need a new nut cut for that string set, or you'll run into the same buzzing issue.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Glad you worked that out! Keep in mind, if you ever want to lighten up on string gauges for that Tele, you'll need a new nut cut for that string set, or you'll run into the same buzzing issue.

 

Do you think it was the nut-slot, WP?

 

Did the buzz occur along much of the length of the fretboard, Dan, or only at the 1st-Fret? If the latter, if it would 'go away' if a capo was used or the 6th/Low-E string was fretted at the 1st or higher frets, it probably is the nut slot- being worn a bit low- but if it happened at many of the frets, it was likely a matter of too little relief and picking-attack.

[Larryz]

Glad you got her working...

[02R96]

Caevan, both the A and low E were buzzing at nearly all points on the neck. I had tried adjusting the truss rod, but that just made it worse. once the 11-52's went on the fret buzz all but disappeared. I noticed the strings fit perfectly into the slots in the nut. All I had to do was make a slight height adjustment on the low E and now it's nice and quiet. I wonder if the increased pull of the 11-52's is adding just the right amount of relief...

 

On another note, I forgot how good heavy strings sound on a Telecaster.

[Winston Psmith]

Glad you worked that out! Keep in mind, if you ever want to lighten up on string gauges for that Tele, you'll need a new nut cut for that string set, or you'll run into the same buzzing issue.

 

Do you think it was the nut-slot, WP?

 

Did the buzz occur along much of the length of the fretboard, Dan, or only at the 1st-Fret? If the latter, if it would 'go away' if a capo was used or the 6th/Low-E string was fretted at the 1st or higher frets, it probably is the nut slot- being worn a bit low- but if it happened at many of the frets, it was likely a matter of too little relief and picking-attack.

 

Caevan, I often find that moving to a lighter gauge string set can create a series of issues, related to both the wider nut slots, and the lower tension on the neck. Going from a .011-.052 down to a standard .010-.046 set could account for much of the problem described in the OP.

[Larryz]

I always throw in a pack of new strings for the gauge I'll be using whenever I take my guitars in for a setup.

[CEB]

For what it is worth if you want lighter gauges on the high strings you could go with 10-52 sets.

 

I switched to string brands this year. I like them a lot. I always been a SIT and D'Addario guy except when I was a kid and chewed up my frets with GHS Boomers. I had a string deal with SITs in the 80s and 90s. SITs were good but I liked the feel of D'Addario a little better.

 

Typically when I put new strings on a Tele they feel stiff until they break in a little. These new strings feel broken in to me brand new straight out of the package and they have held up well to this summers awlful weather we have been dealing with. I use the 10-52 on one of my of my Teles and 9-42 on the other 2 Teles I carry.

 

I buy these new sets in bulk. Here is the link if you are interested. Less than $3.00 a set.

http://www.webstrings.com/electric_guitar_strings.html

[02R96]

Thanks for the link. Every so often I go thru a "string audition" phase where I tryout brands and types I never used before. So I'll definitely check them out.

 

I just ordered a couple packs of Dean Markley Helix Strings. Usually I prefer Ernie Ball or RotoSound. So I'm very curious about the DM's as I've heard good things about them.

[Caevan O’Shite]

OK, I see.

 

Whenever I play someone's guitar that has lighter gauge strings than what I typically use myself- ESPECIALLY if the action and relief are lower and less than I usually like- I really have to adjust my picking attack and "touch" so that I don't have terribly glaring string-buzz on the low-strings, too. Bending feels weird then, as well.