Another buzz question?

Wooly · #1 10-20-2019, 10:29 AM

I have an Alvarez AP70 12 fret parlor.

I am puzzled as to why only one note on this whole guitar has a bad fret buzz. That being the B flat note on the B string at the 11th fret. The note before and after are clear as are the adjacent E and G strings on that same 11th fret.

I thought for certain it would be a high 12th fret but it isn't. No rocking at all. This guitar did have a fret level about a year ago.

Relief is around .006 with action at 5/64 on the low E and 1/16 on the high E.

Any ideas?

Glen H · #2 10-20-2019, 10:42 AM

I would first check for loose 11th fret. Then I’d capo on the 11th and put my hand on the strings behind the 11th while checking for buzz to eliminate back resonance. And check for enough height at the saddle on the b. Make sure the truss rod has tension; they can buzz too

Wooly · #3 10-20-2019, 10:52 AM

Well I just tried those. No difference. I tried giving it a little more relief but that didn't help either.

packocrayons · #4 10-21-2019, 06:44 AM

Are the buttons on the tuners loose? I've had that before, where it's not a specific fret, but a specific note will cause resonance in one of the tuner buttons and give a rattle. It sounds a little different than a string buzz, but close enough to chase it for a while.

It gets confusing when an open A will do it, but fretting the E at the 5th or the G at the second all give the exact same buzz. You can put a hand on the tuner button and the buzz should go away.

Alan Carruth · #5 10-21-2019, 11:05 AM

Tune the string up or down by a semitone, and see if the problem note moves up or down a fret. If it does; and the problem is pitch related rather than position related, then you may be looking at a 'wolf' note.

redir · #6 10-21-2019, 01:42 PM

At the 11th fret you are getting close to the notorious neck hump too. So if you have super low action on the treble strings then the buzz might not be coming from a high 12th but rather a 14th.

Wooly · #7 10-21-2019, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redir

At the 11th fret you are getting close to the notorious neck hump too. So if you have super low action on the treble strings then the buzz might not be coming from a high 12th but rather a 14th.

I'm thinking this is whats happening. It's defiantly fret buzz. I think maybe weather and humidity change took place because it didn't do it a short time ago. Kind of came on sudden. Maybe time to see a guitar tech.