HD-28 has developed fret buzz

[erkus]

Hi guys!

Bought a new-to-me HD-28 (2018) in november. Virtually unplayed. I'm on my third set of strings now. It came with a set of medium phosphor bronze d'addarios and sounded great. I put a set of medium d'addario nickel bronzes on it when the first set started sounding dull. I'd never tried them before and after a couple of days i noticed a slight buzz on the D string when fretted. Last week I put a set of medium d'addario 80/20 bronze on and now virtually every fretted note gives me a buzz unless I'm past the 14th fret. If i put a capo on in any position 1st - 7th fret (capo won't fit higher) open strings also buzzes. Open D string uncapoed also buzzes. Could be that I just didn't notice until the 80/20s got put on there since when new they are pretty rattly by nature.

I've kept the guitar in the case for as long as I've had it. I didn't know that relative humidity was a thing until like a week after I got the guitar and got a Boveda kit to sort that out. A couple of weeks later I got a room humidifier and ditched the Boveda because of the hassle of taking them out and putting them back in every time I wanted to play. RH% have probably been around 40-45% since after week 1 so it having dried out is probably not the issue.

I to eyeball the action height with the extending end of a vernier caliper since I have no other tool for the job. I get really low values. Low E is around 1.9-2.0mm and the high E seems to be around 1.55-1.7mm.

How do I fix it?
It's pretty much unplayable now

[cliff_the_stiff]

Measure the neck relief- see if you have enough neck relief.
If your action measure is close to accurate, your action is very low, and variables in string tension reducing the string tension- (like going from 12’s to 11’s) will result in a probable buzz.
A 1/8th turn counter-clockwise (lefty loosey) might eliminate the buzz by increasing neck relief.
If your neck relief is good-
Check out recently posted messages from Charles Tauber, and see his link to diagnose/ setting up a guitar.

[gadgetfreak]

I am not a professional Luthier by any means, I do however own the same guitar and totally agree with Cliff's advice. With my Martin I usually keep my action at the 12th fret at around 5/64th's to 6/64ths on Low E, high E is around 4/64ths.

As Cliff stated changing string gauges can definitely cause some buzz especially going down a gauge. Do you have the long Martin truss rod tool? You really need the correct one and just give it a tiny turn counter clockwise with string tension. If you were going the other way and the truss rod was a little tight I would say loosen strings a bit but you should be good and that should do the trick.

Your action seems extremely low especially for having 13's on it when you bought it. If I even tried to get my low E to 3 or 4/64ths I have some serious lack of tone. You want to be able to play with ease but still have a little fight as I believe imo that's where the guitar really blossoms. When action is too low sometimes on some guitars the oomf just goes away and guitar sounds flat. Let us know. Oh btw I have been using 13's myself and she sounds great.

[lowrider]

If your guitar developed a fret buzz that it didn’t have in December, it’s probably low humidity. Start using the Boveda device again.

Your action does seem very low. Cut a shim from an old credit card and put under the saddle and your buzzy should disappear.q

[pickinray]

Originally Posted by erkus

Low E is around 1.9-2.0mm and the high E seems to be around 1.55-1.7mm.
(

2.0 mm on the low E is 5/64". That is a little low, but not extremely low. I prefer around 6/64" (2.4 mm) on the low E.

As others have suggested, you should check your neck relief. If you don't have enough relief, you can get buzzing. To increase neck relief, you should loosen the truss rod (i.e., turn counter-clockwise), no more than 1/4 turn at a time. If your neck relief is OK and you still get buzzing, your saddle may be too low or the nut slots may be too deep. To remedy these issues, I would take the guitar to a luthier, unless you are confident in your abilities to fit a new nut and/or saddle. This is all assuming that the guitar doesn't have any humidity issues.

FYI, here is a good video from Sweetwater on how to set up your acoustic guitar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK4K7kgSrKc

Good luck!

[rmp]

5/64th I don't think is too low.. all my steel strings are 5/64 Low E 4/64 High E

The OP has not said where the buzzing is.

if it is in the lower registers, aka.. the first few frets I'd add a little bit of relief to the to the neck (eg: loosen the truss rod 1/4 turn or so)

[gadgetfreak]

Hi folks I am the moron that said it was too low as I wasn't thinking mm, I read that he said 2mm and thought in my head 2/64ths which would be ridiculously low.

As I stated my Hd28 is at 5/64ths low E and plays amazing and not even close to a buzz. I sometimes keep it at 6/64ths just because I am learning bluegrass and my particular guitar really gets that amazing tone from just going up 1/64th.

My fault for the confusion, yeah as long as your neck is in good order you can totally play at 5/64ths without buzz.

[Mrbirdog]

take it to a qualified Luthier?

[erkus]

Hi all!

Thanks for your answers. I've tried to locate where the actual buzz is coming from and it's surprisingly hard. The buzz is at loudest by the bridge which I'm a bit concerned about. Could just be that it resonates with the body though. It still sounds like fret buzz though. Even the D string when open. I guess I'll try to get better measurements and then maybe put a shim under the saddle as suggested. I'd prefer a taller saddle instead of a shim.

Just had a thought. Maybe I flipped the saddle when changing strings? Is there a simple way to say for sure? The saddle looks like it would have pretty much the same position for string length and height no matter what the orientation is.

Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/E37ahMc

[pickinray]

Originally Posted by erkus

Hi all!

Thanks for your answers. I've tried to locate where the actual buzz is coming from and it's surprisingly hard. The buzz is at loudest by the bridge which I'm a bit concerned about. Could just be that it resonates with the body though. It still sounds like fret buzz though. Even the D string when open. I guess I'll try to get better measurements and then maybe put a shim under the saddle as suggested. I'd prefer a taller saddle instead of a shim.

Just had a thought. Maybe I flipped the saddle when changing strings? Is there a simple way to say for sure? The saddle looks like it would have pretty much the same position for string length and height no matter what the orientation is.

Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/E37ahMc

The saddle looks OK to me. You could try a shim to see if it eliminates the buzz. If it does, then I would have a new, taller saddle made. But before putting in a shim, I would make sure that the neck relief is OK as discussed above.

[rmp]

Originally Posted by erkus

Hi all!

Thanks for your answers. I've tried to locate where the actual buzz is coming from and it's surprisingly hard. The buzz is at loudest by the bridge which I'm a bit concerned about. Could just be that it resonates with the body though. It still sounds like fret buzz though. Even the D string when open. I guess I'll try to get better measurements and then maybe put a shim under the saddle as suggested. I'd prefer a taller saddle instead of a shim.

Just had a thought. Maybe I flipped the saddle when changing strings? Is there a simple way to say for sure? The saddle looks like it would have pretty much the same position for string length and height no matter what the orientation is.

Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/E37ahMc

that saddle looks right, the compensated part of the saddle is where it should be, if it was flipped it wouldn't be where it is now.

Ok.. so it's NOT fret buzz persay, but some sort of noise made with the tops vibrations when played? Does that sound more accurate?

Is there a pickup in this guitar? If YES, check the cables inside the body, if there's a sound module like an Anthem, try putting some painters tape on the control wheels. those can rattle and make noise too.


Other than this,, it's possible a bridge pin could be loose.. have you tried to reseat them?

it's also a remote chance that a brace loosened up, but, lets hope it is not that.

[erkus]

There is no pickup in the guitar. The thing is that the saddle looks as though the A string also is compensated. Also, the saddle is a little bit higher on the treble side which is what is making me think I made a mistake. I've ordered a set of feeler gauges to measure the relief. Once measured and adjusted if necessary, I'll try a shim and also flipping it to see if anything interesting happens. I'll try to seat the bridge pins firmly while doing so.

The buzz might be from the body. I guess it's time to see a luthier if that is the case. The covid situation is pretty bad here right now so I might just have to live with it for the time being . Is there any way to determine if a brace is loose that I can do myself?

[Kyle215]

Originally Posted by erkus

There is no pickup in the guitar. The thing is that the saddle looks as though the A string also is compensated. Also, the saddle is a little bit higher on the treble side which is what is making me think I made a mistake. I've ordered a set of feeler gauges to measure the relief. Once measured and adjusted if necessary, I'll try a shim and also flipping it to see if anything interesting happens. I'll try to seat the bridge pins firmly while doing so.

Hard to tell from the photo, but if you say the saddle is higher in the low e side, I would try flipping it. Martin saddles should be the other way around. Also, any chance one or more of the strings isn’t seated properly on the bridge plate? Could possibly be a separate problem from a pin being loose, if the ball end also isn’t set properly.

Edit - you did say that the action is lower on the high e side though, so that makes me think the saddle is probably correct.

[rmp]

Originally Posted by erkus

the saddle is a little bit higher on the treble side which is what is making me think I made a mistake.

The buzz might be from the body. I guess it's time to see a luthier if that is the case. The covid situation is pretty bad here right now so I might just have to live with it for the time being . Is there any way to determine if a brace is loose that I can do myself?

yea,, that was hard to tell from the angle of the photos. that would not be right if thats true.

hey,, loosen up the strings, and flip it,, what's the worse that could happen?

I wouldn't myself know how to actually locate a loose brace, but people that repair these daily, know right away. I think it involves a mirror, to get a look inside, and probably some sort of flashlight or led light that you can put inside there.

[warfrat73]

Developing a string buzz in the dead of winter in cold climates is a very common thing.

Some folks have winter and summer saddles, some add a shim. Some have to make seasonal changes to the truss rod.

From the picture you shared, I don't think you reversed the saddle, the big compensation is right under the B string where it should be.