Buzzing Saddle

moster78 wrote:

It was indeed the Dan Erlewine book. The neck looks pretty straight to me, and the one thing that I still haven't had the guts to do is adjust the truss rod. One day I'll conquer that fear, but it'll probably be on some secondhand guitar I pick up for $100.

That seems like the scariest thing, but it's pretty easy, especially if it's a new guitar.
If the neck is totally straight, the strings are more likely to buzz on the frets, especially if you pick or strum hard, or bend strings a lot. That's why you put a little relief in the neck, where it is bent outward slightly and gives the strings room to vibrate without hitting the frets.

Loosen the D and G strings, get your truss rod nut wrench, take a deep breath and relax,, ,,,, and loosen it by about 1/8th of a turn. Remember where you started the wrench, and where you ended it.

Let out breath.

Retune the G and D, give it a few minutes and play that sucker! If it's good,,, you've done it! If you don't like it,,, tighten it back 1/8 and it'll be back to where it was.

If the truss rod nut is stuck and doesn't move, (usually on an old guitar) don't move it! Give it to a good tech. Yours will be fine, though.

It's actually good to move the truss rod nut every once in a while so it's less likely to freeze up, and you can even put a tiny drop of oil on it evey once in a while.


I know you can do it Moster,,, do it, do it. do it!

Someone has to take over for me here someday!

If you've taken your guitar apart and out new saddles in, then you are pretty far along, and I know you can turn that nut!!!! You aren't going to hurt anything unless you start turning the nut a lot. Usually 1/8 turn increments, waiting and checking is good on a neck that's close to being right.