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 Post subject: crazy buzz at bridge
PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:27 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:52 am
Posts: 140
Location: B.C. Canada
I have a buzz, rattle sound at the bridge.most evident on the high e string.
here's what I've done so far;
checked saddle and nut to be sure string is exiting clean,
checked ball end of string to be sure it is tight to the bridge plate.
changed said e string.
tapped on all of the bridge pins and heard the rattle on all points.
removed all strings and saddle, still when I tap on the bridge and the immediate surrounding area the same rattle is evident.
inspection with a mirror appears all is well inside, I don't see any loose braces.
I've tried grasping said braces and tapping, no luck there either.
I've tried to apply upward pressure on the bridge plate and tapping on the bridge, no success there either.
I am at my witts end, I hoping someone may have other suggestions.

Peter


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 Post subject: Re: crazy buzz at bridge
PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:49 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 1:05 pm
Posts: 3350
Location: Bakersville, NC
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Check your nut. Most of the times the buzz is at the nut but you hear the buzz at the bridge. The slot may be too wide or the string may be vibrating right behind the nut as it angles towards the headstock.

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Cornerstone Guitars
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 Post subject: Re: crazy buzz at bridge
PostPosted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:54 am 
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Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 13631
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
What Peter said - it is amazing that nut issues can cause a bridge buzz but they can.

In addition, you didn't say if this is a newly built guitar or not. If it is a common mistake that new builders make (I did this too) is to not cut the nut slots angling back at half the head stock angle. Typical head stock angles are about 15 degrees so your nut slots should be cut at 7 - 9 degrees back. Also make sure that the front ledge of the slot, where the nut face is, is the highest part of the slot.


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 Post subject: Re: crazy buzz at bridge
PostPosted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:03 am 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:52 am
Posts: 140
Location: B.C. Canada
I'm having some difficulty understanding how the nut can have an influence when there are no
strings on the guitar.
Without any strings on the guitar, when the bridge is tapped there is a buzz/ rattle.
Peter


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 Post subject: Re: crazy buzz at bridge
PostPosted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:59 am 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:06 pm
Posts: 163
Peter;

I had this happen to me once before, a buzzing or audible vibration somewhere .
I checked with mirrors and thought everything was ok, turned out , after string tension was applied there was a slight seperation in the glue joint on one wing brace on the treble side. I reglued it from inside and clamped it with a jack brace and it was gone all together.
i couldn't tell just by looking, so i watched insided while deflecting the top. clear as day and a very small amount of movement was all it took to cause a buzz.

I find too, as Hesh and Peter pointed out, string slots in a nut are so critical, keeping them relative to the string gauge and proper break angle
is very important. Especially on shorter scales, nylon strung and Ukes.
Where tension is lower.
Hope this helps--Nehemiah

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Nehemiah Covey
www.coveysacoustics.com


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 Post subject: Re: crazy buzz at bridge
PostPosted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:03 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:16 am
Posts: 2692
Possibly a loose brace. They have a characteristic sound when the top is tapped. But I can't tell from your description.

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Howard Klepper
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 Post subject: Re: crazy buzz at bridge
PostPosted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:47 am 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 3:45 pm
Posts: 4337
Location: United States
Here's a shot in the dark: we once cured a perturbing buzz by fixing a tuner! It was a keystone-type, plastic button tuner where the button was "glued" to the shaft. Only the glue joint wasn't sound. (Forgive the unintentional pun.) Once a drop of superglue stabilized the offending button/shaft, all buzzing in the guitar ceased.
This story just to further illustrate that these odd noises can come from unexpected places.

Good luck in your hunt.

Steve

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 Post subject: Re: crazy buzz at bridge
PostPosted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 12:05 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 5:52 am
Posts: 334
Location: United States
If there's a truss rod try putting some tension on it. Truss rods can cause rattles that make your teeth fall out!
Craig S.


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 Post subject: Re: crazy buzz at bridge
PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:36 am 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:52 am
Posts: 140
Location: B.C. Canada
Found it :)
Thanks Nehemiah [:Y:] I have a loose brace, couldn't see it till I strung it up and did a little deflection.
Yahoooo!! time to get back to work.
Thank you all for responding.
Peter


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