Buzzing caused by several high frets...now what?

[mirwa]

Not hard to do it yourself,

Identify high spot



Mark it out with a black texta



Level with sandpaper or a file the black texta areas



Recheck it’s level, follow up shape the top back to a crown, or leave it

[Ryunker]

Did you ever get this resolved?

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Ryunker

Did you ever get this resolved?

Yes. I found the high frets by using a fret rocker and marked the trouble spots with a black sharpie. I had a luthier spot file those areas. Came out much improved.

[RP]

Originally Posted by tadol

But why are they high? Sometimes they need to be pushed down and held with a drop or two of cyanoacrylate. Sometimes they are high because the fretboard has issues, or the neck join. The plek takes measurements, it does not determine cause, or does it intelligently determine the most reasonable action to solve the problem -

If your only tool is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail -

Excellent points....

[BT55]

Originally Posted by tadol

The plek takes measurements, it does not determine cause, or does it intelligently determine the most reasonable action to solve the problem -



If your only tool is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail -

Very well said!

[Ryunker]

I ended up getting the PLEK, $250 later. Now I love this guitar. It will never leave.

[tadol]

Originally Posted by Ryunker

I ended up getting the PLEK, $250 later. Now I love this guitar. It will never leave.

And THAT’S the value of a good set-up !

[RustyAxe]

Sometimes all it takes is a little tap (careful!) to reseat the fret. They can sprout when the fretboard gets too dry and the fret slot widens.

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Ryunker

I ended up getting the PLEK, $250 later. Now I love this guitar. It will never leave.

Am I missing something ?

You "ended up " getting "the PLEK"

Now you love "this guitar" ?

What guitar are we talking about ?

[Ryunker]

214CE Deluxe Koa taylor. I purchased it new, worked with it over a year, about ready to part ways. Then decided, one last try.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Ryunker

214CE Deluxe Koa taylor. I purchased it new, worked with it over a year, about ready to part ways. Then decided, one last try.

So you had some high frets right off the bat with a new guitar?
You had some buzzing at certain spots on the neck?

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by mirwa

Not hard to do it yourself,

Identify high spot



Mark it out with a black texta



Level with sandpaper or a file the black texta areas



Recheck it’s level, follow up shape the top back to a crown, or leave it

Steve,

It looks like you checked for high spots with neck relieved (not flat), and under string tension, then leveled/checked frets without string tension. Don't you get two different results when checking level with/without string tension and relief?

I'm working up the courage to do this myself. It seems I want the strings away from the frets while strung/relieved, so better to "level" frets under those conditions, a la Stewmac's neck device that holds the neck under pressure in the playing configuration for leveling work. But - I have seen videos in which the tech removed strings, removed relief, THEN checked and leveled/crowned frets, before re-relieving/re-stringing.

What's the better way to go for this minimally equipped (skill/toolage) novice?

Thanks Steve.

[Ryunker]

Originally Posted by JackB1

So you had some high frets right off the bat with a new guitar?
You had some buzzing at certain spots on the neck?

The guitar just played icky. Extreme my high action, dead sounding no matter what I did.

I was ready to part ways. After the PLEK, the notes every where are brilliant clear and crisp. It's like playing one of my electric solid body guitars. Dude said many high frets along the way on the bass side. Nut and saddle needed attention as well. I get it that a skilled repair guy could have made vast improvements, but likely more cash out of pocket. Music Gallery in Highland park, Il I found the best of both worlds. Skilled Luthier working the computer controlled PLEK, followed up by a twenty year experienced tech. $250 out the door. Sucks the cash out of my wallet, but resulted in a guitar I will never part with.

[mirwa]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

Steve.....................
What's the better way to go for this minimally equipped (skill/toolage) novice?

Use a credit card for checking high frets with tension on, when filing the bad fret yes remove strings and plane it to the adjacent frets, if you dont feel super comfortable and time is of no issue, then sandpaper the fret down at the high spots, string it up check and repeat

Steve

[mirwa]

Originally Posted by Ryunker

$250 out the door. Sucks the cash out of my wallet, but resulted in a guitar I will never part with.

Same would have applied using a local tech that uses their hands instead of a computer, but at a cost of 60-100 dollars, you paid 2.5 times premium price to a guy who used a computer to do the setup.

Me I always encourage people to use someone that is good with their hands, for those that are not good with their hands, definetly go buy yourself a plek machine for 150,000 dollars to replicate what the rest of can do with our basic hand skills.

Steve