Luthiers not getting the saddle radius correct

[fregly]

More often than not the saddle is incorrect, and this is so basic it has become a source of frustration. Mostly it comes in excessive slope down on the high E. This is the situation with a guitar just shipped to me. Three of my last Five as well. When fretting up the neck less clearance is obvious compared to the other strings so the situation is created where setting the action lowish makes it impossible to avoid spit and buzz on the treble. You just have to play for 2 minutes and take a close look to spot the obvious. The melody strings need headroom especially, as they need pushing forward in a lot of music. If anything the unwound strings should go slightly off radius. But just getting same clearance should be square one, yes? And don't get me started on set ups either.

[redir]

I'm not 100% sure I know what you mean but are you saying that you want the string action height at the 12th fret to be the same for all strings?

It's normal to have the low E be the highest off the fret board tapering down to the high e which is the lowest action.

My typical set up is 3/32in Low E down to 2/32 High e.

But I always communicate that with anyone I either build or set up a guitar for. Generally that's considered normal though.

[fregly]

Originally Posted by redir

I'm not 100% sure I know what you mean but are you saying that you want the string action height at the 12th fret to be the same for all strings?

It's normal to have the low E be the highest off the fret board tapering down to the high e which is the lowest action.

My typical set up is 3/32in Low E down to 2/32 High e.

But I always communicate that with anyone I either build or set up a guitar for. Generally that's considered normal though.

What would be the cause though. I have three guitars at home now with the issue. Typical 12the action, frets pretty good state, relief nothing unusual, nut depth fine; yet the treble e spits and rest of the strings play clean. Eyeballing when fretting shows the E lower to frets than
B, and if visible between those two it is likely more than should be, to my mind.

[Mirosh]

That saddle may slope down a bit too much. The e string location on the saddle may be filed down too low. The string might have worn a notch that makes it worse.

[redir]

It could be that they tried to intonate the saddle too and pushing the string forward on a saddle with a u-shaped top in cross section would lower it. That's why I intonate first then polish out the top of the saddle.

Otherwise IDK.

[John Arnold]

The melody strings need headroom especially, as they need pushing forward in a lot of music.

That is telling me that your playing style requires a different setup from standard, where the action gradually gets lower from bass to treble.
Typically, the bass strings need higher action, because they vibrate in a larger envelope when they are picked with equal force. It sounds to me like you tend to play the first string harder, especially when you have three different guitars that behave the same. If anything, it is the second string that usually buzzes in a standard low setup, since it has the least tension.

[fregly]

Originally Posted by John Arnold

That is telling me that your playing style requires a different setup from standard, where the action gradually gets lower from bass to treble.
Typically, the bass strings need higher action, because they vibrate in a larger envelope when they are picked with equal force. It sounds to me like you tend to play the first string harder, especially when you have three different guitars that behave the same. If anything, it is the second string that usually buzzes in a standard low setup, since it has the least tension.

I don't feel I dig in any harder there. Could be part of it. I usually can get the rest of the strings dialed in nice from nut across the entire board, and still always the e string seems compromised.

[MThomson]

It may not be that you're picking any harder but the direction of the pick may be more perpendicular to the fretboard rather than parallel. This would give a larger deflection and increase chances of buzzing. Nothing wrong with that but may mean your set up needs to be tweaked to accommodate it

[redir]

Yeah I think John is right Fregly. GO take it to a luthier or guitar tech for a set up and tell them all about the issues and even play it for them to demonstrate. Sounds to me like you just need an adjustment at the saddle which in this case would be a new saddle. You could at least just try it on one guitar and if it works then you now know.