Need to set up a new guitar?

[KevinH]

I bought a new Taylor 324ce V Class about two weeks ago. Absolutely love the guitar, but I've noticed a buzzing (thin) E string over the past few days. This is my first over-a-few-hundred-$ guitar and I'm wondering if its normal to have to have a new guitar like this set up. I've never had this happen on my earlier guitars, but they've been less expensive models, often with higher action, so they were probably less sensitive to humidity changes and all that.

The guitar is pretty much a home body - I don't take it out gigging or anything. And I'm not hammering on it hard, just normal sort of finger picking.

So, my question is, in your experience when buying a new guitar, do you usually find it needs adjustments so soon, and is this something you need to do regularly?

[rmp]

Originally Posted by KevinH

I bought a new Taylor 324ce V Class about two weeks ago. Absolutely love the guitar, but I've noticed a buzzing (thin) E string over the past few days. This is my first over-a-few-hundred-$ guitar and I'm wondering if its normal to have to have a new guitar like this set up. I've never had this happen on my earlier guitars, but they've been less expensive models, often with higher action, so they were probably less sensitive to humidity changes and all that.

The guitar is pretty much a home body - I don't take it out gigging or anything. And I'm not hammering on it hard, just normal sort of finger picking.

So, my question is, in your experience when buying a new guitar, do you usually find it needs adjustments so soon, and is this something you need to do regularly?

yes, a setup is almost always a needed item with any purchase. The factory specs for taylor are pretty good out of the box, but all things are never perfect.

Taylors are as any other guitar in the mid to upper ranges, sensity to climate. they like 50% RH, so you can keep that in mind, if you have a hydrometer, that helps to know where you're at (get em off amazon if you feel you want one. I keep one around, it's a handy thing to have. too dry,too humid, keep it in the case, in the winter, if you are in a cold weather climate, invest in something to humidify the guitar and keep it cased.)

The buzzing can be any one of a number of things. neck relief, a high fret, too dry, too wet, etc..

it's always good to have someone (qualified to do so) inspect and setup the guitar for you. They will ask questions, may ask you to play a few things so they can see how you're playing --- they're not trying to see how good you are, they're trying to determine what the best approach for a setup is for you and THAT guitar.

Make some calls, talk to some techs, find one who's reputable and ... KNOWS how to SETUP Taylors.. (They are not the same as others makes) the necks are not "set" with glue, so there's more options to obtain the correct setup, and maintain it..

[acoustigoat]

Yep, this is typical. When I bought my Martin I saw it unboxed, straight from the factory. The owner immediately filed the nut slots to dial them in. He told me bring in about about a week later once it had settled in. Sure enough, a few days after I brought it home I started hearing a buzz on the low E. I took it back in for a few adjustments and it's played great ever since.

[rabbuhl]

Put a capo on the 1st fret. Then push down the low E on the 15th fret. If there not a slight amount of distance between the low E and the 12th fret then the truss rod needs to be adjusted for more relief. Use can use your index finger to press on the 12th fret while your thumb is on the 15th fret. If you do not have a capo then use your left hand to hold down the low E on the 1st fret as well.

[backdoc]

Most of the guitars that I have purchased did need some level of setup. Some were a simple truss rod tweak or lowering the saddle a touch. A few exceeded my minimal setup skills and went to an excellent (but expensive!) tech who literally turned a dud into a star. Sadly, my Martin purchases were some of the most expensive and needed the most work. I just bought a new Gibson J-45 studio that is absolutely perfect out of the box. Only thing I might change is strings.

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by rabbuhl

Put a capo on the 1st fret. Then push down the low E on the 15th fret. If there not a slight amount of distance between the low E and the 12th fret then the truss rod needs to be adjusted for more relief. Use can use your index finger to press on the 12th fret while your thumb is on the 15th fret. If you do not have a capo then use your left hand to hold down the low E on the 1st fret as well.

Relief is checked by capoing the guitar at the 1st fret, holding down the low E between the 14th and 15th fret, and measuring the gap between the bottom of the string and the top of the 6th fret (i.e. at the centre-point along the free length of string) using feeler gauges. The gap which is generally understood to be ‘acceptable’ is between 0.005” and 0.010”.

Guys who frequently check and adjust neck-relief are often able, by their experience, to ‘eyeball’ the gap, but normal humans use feelers!

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[guitargabor]

First thing is to change the strings, particularly if the guitar has been on a showroom floor for a while.It may just be the high E string that is faulty.

In my experience Taylors are much more playable "out of the box" than Martins.

Just about every Martin I have purchased(all new) had quite high action.Most needed the nut slots filed down as well as the saddle to get them to a low/medium action...

[mercy]

The big E string needs a little more space under it than the other strings and that is best fixed by refilling that nut slot. Increasing the relief can hide it but makes the other string higher than they should/could be.

[vintage40s]

Originally Posted by KevinH

I bought a new Taylor 324ce V Class... noticed a buzzing (thin) E string... when buying a new guitar, do you usually find it needs adjustments so soon, and is this something you need to do regularly?

I have the opposite problem. I just paid hundreds to luthiers on my new Yamaha and old Martin to have their actions lowered at saddle and nut to the minimum.
But in your case, if Taylor provided you with a truss rod allen key, just loosen the truss rod a quarter turn or more toward you (counterclockwise) to raise the action and see if it stops the high E buzz.
If that also raises the rest of the strings too high, you need a set up by a luthier.

[PorkPieGuy]

Yes. There used to be quite a bit of buzz surrounding Taylor's factory set up and playability right out of the box. While some play great straight out of the box, many don't and need to be set up. I paid almost $2k for my Taylor, and it needed a set up. Afterwards, it was (and still is) a fantastic player.

[KevinH]

Thanks for all the responses. First time here on the forum and its nice to see such a supportive community!

[mawmow]

A brand new Taylor sold by a Taylor approved retailer should be perfect when it leaves the store : If not, bring it back.
I have even been told that Bob Taylor would not accept sub standard setup leaving a store.
I bought two brand new Taylors from two different retailers twelve years apart and both were just perfect.

[Ed66]

It's important to remember that we all don"t play the same way so the same setup will not work for everyone. If you buy enough guitars, occasionally you'll get lucky and one will come dialed in perfectly. I've bought more than a handful and one has come in perfect and another almost perfect - the rest needed varying degrees of setup.

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by KevinH

I bought a new Taylor 324ce V Class about two weeks ago. Absolutely love the guitar, but I've noticed a buzzing (thin) E string over the past few days. This is my first over-a-few-hundred-$ guitar and I'm wondering if its normal to have to have a new guitar like this set up.

Because there is buzzing it causes me to wonder why. Usually guitar come with action that is too high, not usually too low. If all is well it may just require a neck relief adjustment that you should learn to do yourself. It takes two minutes with the longest part just getting the truss rod cover off. You'll need to purchase a Taylor truss rod wrench and should definitely have one on hand. Your local tech could (and should) show you how to make that adjustment as depending on your climate and seasonal changes it might need to be adjusted a few times a year or if you change string sets with different tensions.

However, there are three other possibilities that cause string buzz: Too low action, unlevel frets and a nut slot cut too deeply. While it is highly unlikely that you have unlevel frets, my brand new from the factory 814ceDLX had exactly that problem and needed a fret level. Fortunately, I live minutes from an authorized repair facility and they were fixed under warranty and was done without my shipping my guitar off or having to pay for the work.

So definitely take your guitar to a good tech that can at least evaluate it for you and help you get the best setup possible.

Good luck.

[musicman1951]

I'm fortunate enough to live 25 minutes from an excellent luthier and repairman. I take every new guitar to him for a set-up and it's the best money I ever spend.