Eclipse fret buzzin

[egan.]

Hey guys. I've got an eclipse II on loan right now and it is a buzzer. The relief is about right, although I've tried going both ways to get this thing rocking. Essentially I can move the problem around with TR adjustments but it is always there.

The neck looks pretty damn straight (no twists). Even still the action is pretty high and it's buzzing. This is a pretty young guitar and there is zero fret ware.

I suspect a high fret but nothing looks obvious.

So, any ideas? Is the eclipse prone to this sort of thing?

Oh, yeah...this is in E standard right now so the strings aren't flapping around.

thanks,
egan

 

[Metaltastic]

Does it buzz on the open strings, or only when you fret, and if the latter, which frets? Normally if it's on the open strings or below the 7th fret then it's a truss rod issue, anything above is bridge height! (barring a high fret or other random problems, of course)

 

[egan.]

Jesus marcus. I think you responded before I finished posting. Right now it's mostly in the 7-17 range but the action is stupid high. I realize I may have a bit too much relief but it isn't by much.

 

[Metaltastic]

Haha, fastest poster in the West :Smokedev: Nah, I'm just sitting here tracking some DI's and checking the forum between each riff to keep my sanity - and if the neck has too much relief than maybe that's the reason (never really experimented) - the way I gauge it is to fret the 1st fret on the low string with my left hand and then the fret over the neck joint with my right hand (on the same string), which creates a straight line over the flex point of the neck, which is around the 7th fret - basically, there should only be the tiniest of gaps between the string and the fret wire, best way to tell is to stretch your left pinky out and push the string down cuz it's hard to eyeball it when it's all shiny metal!

 

[egan.]

Haha, fastest poster in the West :Smokedev: Nah, I'm just sitting here tracking some DI's and checking the forum between each riff to keep my sanity - and if the neck has too much relief than maybe that's the reason (never really experimented) - the way I gauge it is to fret the 1st fret on the low string with my left hand and then the fret over the neck joint with my right hand (on the same string), which creates a straight line over the flex point of the neck, which is around the 7th fret - basically, there should only be the tiniest of gaps between the string and the fret wire, best way to tell is to stretch your left pinky out and push the string down cuz it's hard to eyeball it when it's all shiny metal!

Yep. It's just slightly less than a credit card at the 7th fret.

 

[STINNETT]

First try getting the neck relief down to about .010" tops, and then go from there.

 

[egan.]

Hey Will. Thanks for responding. I don't have a micrometer but I got it down to a business card. This is working about the same. The action is approximately 3mm off the 12th fret on the bass side (granted I was using a clear ruler to gauge this). I would say that the amount of buzz I'm getting borders on acceptable but the action is too high for my taste. Maybe this is normal for these guitars. Maybe that is the real question.

 

[iekobrid]

Is it definitely string buzz, not a loose fret vibrating?

 

[egan.]

It definitely sounds and behaves like string buzz, yes. Again, it's not the worst but it seems like I should be able to get a guitar in this price range set up nicer. Granted I'm no luthier but I've been setting up my own instruments for a long time.

 

[exoslime]

i also had a time when my eclipse buzzed, it was last year in winter/spring,
it was there for a few months, then it disappeared after a slight trs adjustment,
I assume it had to do with the humidity change because of heating the house at this time.

besides that, my eclipse hadnt buzz, string heigh is like 2mm on 12th fret

we moved into a new house last september, and the temperature / humidity changes more than at the previous location we lived,so i had to resetup most of my guitars now 2times since then because of that.

maybe because the guitar is now in a different environment the wood changes a bit

 

[STINNETT]

3mm is definitely high. I'd be looking for a high fret.

You might look at the action up on the higher frets too, maybe there is a subtle rise to the neck or something....? I would take a straightedge (an aluminum framing square or something like that will work in a pinch), and lay it across the frets. Hold it up to a light and look for gaps anywhere. If you hold it on just the upper frets, just down to the 12 fret or so, you really shouldn't see any gaps. laid across the whole neck you should see your relief around the 7th-8th fret but you shouldn't see anywhere near that much gap anywhere else. And you shouldn't be able to rock it across a high fret anywhere either.

I check for high frets using a little tool called a fret rocker, which has several different length straight edges on it which are designed to span three frets. If you sit it across three frets and one is higher or lower, the thing will rock. But I don't expect most guitarists to have something like that....it's a good investment though.

Sometimes a high fret can just be hammered down, other times you actually need a leveling job done. Good luck straightening it out.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

Will is a guitar setup assassin.

 

[egan.]

Will is a guitar setup assassin.

Yes.
Will, can you come over to my house? It's only 10 hours out of your way.
Seriously though, thanks to everyone for your help. Given Will's, advice I think we've confirmed that it's time for me to take it to a pro.