Recording tommorow, fret buzz issues + DI clips inside!

[Jaymz]

Ive got 2 Hellraisers here, both of which have slight fret buzz *well one is worse than the other* and im due to be tracking DI's tommorow. I know most guitars have buzz but how much can you get away with?

Since ive got minimal experience with re-amping since ive just got my box, I thought id ask the experienced.

2 clips, one is a C1 Hellraiser of which ive pretty much wrote off for recording because the buzz is immense, although the DI's don't sound as bad as I thought.

Other clip is a C7, this I think I might be able to get away with but ill leave that up to you guys.

Just random notes, I tried to accentuate the worst parts. Mainly the A/D/G strings.

Ive tried raising the action and let a tech look at both guitars to which he told me everything was fine....anyway!

http://files.getdropbox.com/u/451140/C1.mp3

http://files.getdropbox.com/u/451140/C7.mp3

 

[MetalJonesy]

think u'll be ok ted, unless its a totally dead fret then it wont usually make too much of a difference, unless you start hearing affecting the song when your playing/tracking through the amp. hell half of my guitars are about 9 years+ old, and have loads of fret buzz, should really get em dressed but cant be arsed but they still work ok enough for recording!

 

[Jaymz]

Yeah ive just had the C7 fret dressed and its still having its way with certain strings! I hate fret buzz so much, because it actually feels shitty to play. There is no actual "dead" frets but with the C1 even the open G feels a bit like its catching the 1/2nd frets. Hope it dosen't need a new nut or whatever.

I just don't want to record everything than later on find it was a total waste of time as some notes have little clarity in a mix.

I guess I should mention ill be quad-tracking with these guitars.

 

[Jaymz]

Anybody else?

 

[Suicide_As_Alibi]

Fret buzz normally means either your action is too low or your neck is bowed to much one way or the other (depending on where the buzz is). If you've raised the action and it's still not sorted, it's probably down to the truss rod. If you're worried about it for the recording, personally I'd just raise the action a little bit more and re-adjust the intonation again - but saying that, my guitar gets pretty buzzy in a few places and it's never been an issue when I record with it, even in clean parts.

Steve

 

[Jaymz]

Yeah ive raised the action to the point of sillyness and its hardly any better....yet the tech said the truss rod needs no adjusting so im confused. Ive been using him for years aswell, hes a good guy but I must admit I think hes slipped up on this one.

On the C1 the G especially rattles like mad off the 1st fret, I guess I can't raise the action down there without replacing the nut :|

I guess im just worried incase all the DI tracks are worthless at the end of the day.

Ive never touched a truss rod myself so I have no clue how to tweak it to perfection!

 

[Toni S.]

Maybe filing down the slots on the nut might do the trick?

 

[Nebulous]

Wouldn't that make it worse?

 

[Nebulous]

Had a listen to the clips James. I've not reamped before, but it does sound like there are afew dead notes in there. Reading between the lines in your post, it sounds to me like you're planning on doing it, but there's no rush?

Why not quad track a part of a song where you feel it's quite noticable, then reamp for a test? Saves you wasting a whole day on tracking something that may not be usable.

 

[motomoto]

Hmmmmhmhmhmhmhm.....talking about some buzzzzzzzzzzzz here.
Just to check it your self and locate the problem...
Get a ruler or something like that perfectly straight(and big enough to cover most of the fret board).Place the thin side on the fret board and check if you have a gap between the frets and the ruler.If the gap is at the centre of the neck then you got relief which is a good thing(if not too big, lets say <2mm).
If you have gaps at the top and bottom of the neck then the neck is bent the opposite way and that causes buzz and dead spots.If the neck is straight then either you r fine or you have to tight the truss rod to give some relief and stop the buzz.
For the action: get a metal ruler like this[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stainless-engraved-metric-imperial-length/dp/B000UDMNJ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1248948585&sr=8-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stainless-engraved-metric-imperial-length/dp/B000UDMNJ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1248948585&sr=8-1[/ame]

It'll cover the neck part and you can measure the action.A nice low action is for me about 1,2-1,3 mm at the 17 fret for both E strings.You measure always from the top of the metal fret to the bottom of the string.

Dunno if your axes have the TOM bridge or the FR.
If you have the FR and you want to lift the nut then you need to get it off and place a thin sim under it.
If you have the TOM then u need a new nut(or another technique that is too much pain in the arse to do).Again if you have the plastic nut check the strings right at the slots.They shouldnt be too deep in the nut.Ideal is the top of the string leveled with the top of the nut or slightly above.

 

[motomoto]

I assume that the strings radius is fine.The should have the same radius with the fretboard.You can check it with something like this:http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Measuring_tools/Understring_Radius_Gauges.html

Your tech will probably have these.

Other than that, then we r talking about fret dressing and shit like that.
You can allways take the guitars to another tech and get a second oppinion

GL

 

[motomoto]

Wouldn't that make it worse?

It would for sure

 

[Jaymz]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Well today I chose to record another track using a different guitar but ill still need to get that C1 sorted for anotherday. Good tips Moto! I have a sneaky feeling the truss rod needs giving a bit of slack.

Its really only in the middle of the board I get the buzz, like the D and G strings mainly. Same goes with the C7 *although not quite as bad*.

Ill have a small tweak of the truss rod tommorow morning see it that helps, oh btw if I want to slack the the truss rod off is it anti-clockwise or clockwise I need to be turning?

Just to make sure I don't make a cunt flap of the whole situation.

 

[motomoto]

In your case(buzz in the midle) you have to give some relief to the neck.So turn it anti-clockwise to give it some slack.
Not too much though.You will see/feel/listen when you are at the right spot.
Either put a ruler and check the relief or look from the tip of the headstock,down the neck and check the bending.
When you find the right spot check the action again ,just in case you have to lower it a bit.

 

[Jaymz]

Yeah, I had a browse on the net and I assume a half turn should be about enough?

 

[motomoto]

Yeah,try half a turn for now and see how it goes.There is no rule for stuff like that.

 

[Jaymz]

Oh by the way, which perspective would be anti clockwise, looking down the headstock to the body end or looking with the body touching the floor?

 

[BrettT]

In your case(buzz in the midle) you have to give some relief to the neck.So turn it anti-clockwise to give it some slack.
Not too much though.You will see/feel/listen when you are at the right spot.
Either put a ruler and check the relief or look from the tip of the headstock,down the neck and check the bending.
When you find the right spot check the action again ,just in case you have to lower it a bit.

Another way to check this is to fret the top string at the 1st and last frets. You should have just enough space (maybe a hair more) to slide a playing card between the string and fret at the 7th fret.

 

[BrettT]

Oh by the way, which perspective would be anti clockwise, looking down the headstock to the body end or looking with the body touching the floor?

If you're hold your guitar in a normal playing position, you would want to turn the truss tod towards the floor.

 

[Jaymz]

Right ive done it and its really helped on the A string and a little on the D however the G is still pretty buzzy. I think the issue lies in the fact the action is fairly high from the 24th fret up to arounf the 7th then it dramtically gets lower until the 2nd and 1st frets pretty much cause the opens to buzz. I think its still best of me taking it to another tech, I happen to have found another in the area so ill get a second opinion.