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Old 04-01-2015, 12:50 AM
Required Field Required Field is offline
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Default Will a K&K Pure mini solve this?

Hi - My first post here!

I have a Seagull Peppino CW QII which has an internal buzz that triggers around the 5th fret 6th string A. I have had two separate luthiers look at it and they can't work it out, one describing it as some sort of internal 'resonance', rather than a fret buzz or such like. It sounds like a metallic "vvvzzz" coming from inside, but I've had all the electronics removed and we've ruled out the string fixings under the pegs. It's not a dramatic noise, but noticeable to the player, once you know it's there. They couldn't find a loose strut.

Anyhow...

The internal mic (when turned up) captures this noise rather strongly, while the under-saddle transducer does not. The transducer is however not the type of sound I want. I wonder if a K&K Pure Mini (which I like on other guitars) would be likely to capture a bit more of the ambience, without transmitting so much of that internal resonance.

I know it's a guess, but I'd be grateful if there's a K&K user out there who can take a guess from their own experience, before I lay out cash. I won't blame anyone if it turned out not to work!
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Old 04-01-2015, 06:30 AM
Jim.S Jim.S is offline
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Have you checked the truss rod, they can do some oddball buzzing.
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Old 04-01-2015, 07:25 AM
Ben-Had Ben-Had is offline
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Sounds to me as if you have a wolf note. Get some Blu Tack and place it in different places on the top. You have to change the resonant frequency that is causing the note and adding the weight of the Blu tack to the right spot on the top can do that. I love the K&K mini but can say whether it will help the problem but I sure don't think it hinder your plugged in sound.
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Old 04-01-2015, 07:31 AM
pops pops is offline
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Sounds like the truss rod, you can remove a fretmarker and drill and inject silicone into the truss rod cavity in the center around the 6th or 7th fret and that should solve it. You may of course first tighten it up slightly and see if that helps. I have seen this a couple of times.
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Old 04-01-2015, 09:20 AM
Ned Milburn Ned Milburn is offline
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A wolf note won't create an extra vibration - just a note that jumps out louder than the rest.

Do you have a heel strap button? Ensure it is tight.

Sometimes, the nuts holding tuners tight can come loose and vibrate only on certain notes. Rare that a pickup would "hear" this, but for mystery buzzes ALL potentials should be checked.

Truss was mentioned by others.

Mystery buzzes can be confounding. Check stem to stern, even "unlikely" options to be checked to rule them out, if nothing more.
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Old 04-02-2015, 03:07 AM
Required Field Required Field is offline
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Thank you for the replies.

Truss rod - this has been adjusted in the course of separate work in adjusting the action. The vibration noise does not seem to have altered along the way, but I won't rule it out. If you see the fret markers on the Peppino model, removing a dot and pumping in silicone is probably not an option! The strap pin is tight.

It's really frustrating. Having had two respected luthiers unable to get to the cause of it, I have just hung the guitar up over the last year, wondering whether a decent transducer like the Pure Mini was the only option, though I'd obviously rather solve it acoustically. With the electronics out and some temporary shims still in place (it was there before them btw), I'm reaching the stage where I just want it back in one piece!

Maybe I should show it to one more technician, if I still can't work it out...

EDIT - by the way, the noise triggers from around the G up to the B on the 6th string, not solely on one note.

Last edited by Required Field; 04-02-2015 at 03:10 AM. Reason: More info added
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Old 04-02-2015, 04:05 AM
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M19 M19 is offline
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1) Mute the string between the nut and your finger. Sound still there?
2) Mute the strings between the nut and tuner posts. Sound still there?
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Old 04-05-2015, 10:22 PM
pops pops is offline
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A buzz is a hard thing to diagnose as the sound can travel up the string and sound like it is somewhere else. A truss rod vibration is also hard to diagnose. If you have to you can drill the fingerboard, inject and refill the hole so as to make it not too visible or add an inlay. I have had a couple of truss rod vibrations come in and they are weird and hard to find.
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Old 04-07-2015, 01:23 AM
Required Field Required Field is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M19 View Post
1) Mute the string between the nut and your finger. Sound still there?
2) Mute the strings between the nut and tuner posts. Sound still there?
Yes and yes, but thanks. I've had a back buzz on another guitar before.
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