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#1
03-05-2011, 09:45 PM
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New Guitar - Issues
I bought an Epiphone DR550ME on ebay. The action is too high around the 12th fret and there is buzzing on some of the strings at the first fret.
 It appears the neck has a back bow. Adjusting the truss rod (less relief) causes the buzzing to get worse. I took it to a guitar shop and the tech thought the nut looked like it was slotted a bit deep. Would a set-up cure this problem or would it be better to return the guitar and get a refund?Thanks for your advise 
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#3
03-06-2011, 07:02 AM
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buzzing on 1st fret sounds like the nut is too low.
a nut blank is about $3 inc post, so you could make a new one. or, shim the old one to see. a tap sideways will release any glue and then slip a business card thickness shim under it and restring. if the buzzing is gone, then you WILL need a new nut. it's your call, but I reckon the cost of return shipping would be better spent on the setup!
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#4
03-06-2011, 09:21 AM
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Keep in mind. The moment you mess with it the seller is out of responsibility.
If you are a do it yourselfer..... Got any dried out Cow bones around? Ask your dog or the neighbors dog. Sand some clean bone dust. Mix it with Superglue and you can fill deep slots. Then re-groove. Have you taken a straight edge to the fretboard? How bad a bow? I'd send it back unless you got a great deal.
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#6
03-07-2011, 10:53 AM
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Update - Epiphone DR500ME
Okay,
I was able to tighten the truss rod and straighten the neck and got the relief lower at the 6th fret. The action is now about 3/32 or a little higher at the 12th fret. The low E still buzzes a little when played open. I think it buzzes against the 1st fret. I laid an 18" straight edge over the frets and slid it to the top of the bridge. There is a little clearance (about 1/32") between the bottom of the straight edge an the top of the wood on the bridge. The height between the top of the guitar and the bottom of the low E just in front of the bridge is 5/8" So it would seem if I have done this correctly that the neck angle is OK? The nut does seem to be slotted too deeply as most of the strings are sitting below the top of the nut surface. This is likely the source of the buzz. I will probably keep this guit and just have the nut addressed and hope that will allow a little more lowering at the saddle. Thoughts, comments? Thanks!
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#7
03-07-2011, 02:32 PM
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Have you checked that all the frets are completely seated and level? A loose fret or one slightly taller than the others can also cause a string buzz. The strings being below the top of the nut doesn't neccessarily mean they are slotted too low. Whoever slotted the nut may have have not wanted to bring down the top of the nut for some reason. Check this out about nut action, http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musi...nutaction.html
Regard, Ed
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#8
03-08-2011, 08:27 PM
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A good way to check if the nut is too low is to put a capo on the first or 2nd fret. If it still buzzes, the nut is not the problem.
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McCawber “We are all bozos on this bus." 1967 D-28 (still on warranty) / 1969 homemade Mastertone / 1977 OME Juggernaught / 2003 D-42 / 2006 HD-28V burst / 2010 Little Martin / 2012 Custom Shop HD-28V / 2014 Taylor 356ce 12 / 2016 Martin D-28 Authentic
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