Question...Buzzing started on the Tele...

Today when I picked up the Tele noticed some buzzing on the bottom 3 strings...I think my strings are very old and loosening...(I noticed this gradually over the last few days)....Could this be the problem? Any other theories why the sudden buzzing....????? :?

did the weather change ? Suddenly get warmer and/or more humid ?

I'm assuming you made sure it was in tune.

The air is getting dryer. Time to make small adjustments before the winter.

If the strings are old and rusty, get new strings.

Capo the 1st fret and using a feeler gauge, measure the relief at the 8th fret. It should be around 0.08 - 0.012", if you've never messed with the relief from the original factory spec. Move the truss rod accordingly.
If you still have the problem, you'd need a new set up.
Go here,

http://www.mrgearhead.com/faq/telesetup.html

You can do it yourself. It requires time and patience, but you'd enjoy it.

I live in Windsor Ont...right across from Detroit MI. Violently humid in summer but the air presently is hovering around 50% humidity. Typically we don't get spring or autumn. Just a realy quick leap from summer to Winter. Bone ass dry in the Winter. I've not experienced this in the past but it's not surprising. My Ricky and Tele need truss rod adjustments...I can tell by the way they both play ...and look!!!....Is this a hard thing to do??? Ive never attempted however I am tentative... Thanks to all for any advice! :?

Is this a hard thing to do??? Ive never attempted however I am tentative... Thanks to all for any advice! :?

No if you're careful, patience, and use the right tool.
Identify whether the adjustment is at the headstock or at the heel. Vintage guitars and their reissues are usually adjusted at the heel; so, it's likely that yours is at the headstock. One important thing, GET THE RIGHT TOOL, like the correct Allen wrench. Don't use a short one because you may damage the wood around the hole. Put the guitar on flat surface and face the guitar in playing position.

You'd be fine.

Since you probably would have to increase relief, there no risk of damaging the truss rod. When decreasing relief though (next year at the end of spring), stop if the truss rod is giving you too much resistance and take the guitar to a tech.
You'd be fine and there's nothing like the satisfaction of doing things by yourself. Besides, a tech would charge you 60 bucks for a 5 min job!

One last advice. After getting the right relief (0.08 - 0.010"), don't play the guitar for at least 12 hours. The wood needs some time to adjust to its new conditions. In addition, go to a Walmart or other store and get yourself a 2 gallon humidifier and a cheap hydrometer. The total cost is going to be between 15 and 20 bucks and that's the cheapest and most effective way to keep the room where you have your guitar in the adequate condition during the winter. Don't let the humidity fall below 45%. Remember, it's better to spend 20 bucks now than hundreds in repairs due to wood cracking.

Good luck

Go to the link I posted previously and read through all the steps. Here's the part about the Truss-rod

Truss-Rod

There are two different styles of truss rods found on Fender guitars and basses; the "Standard" truss rod and the "Bi-flex" truss-rod. Most Fender guitars and basses are equipped with a "Standard" truss rod (there are two types of "Standard" truss rod; one which adjusts at the heel of the neck and one which adjusts at the headstock, but both operate on the same principle). The "Standard" truss rod can counteract concave curvature, for example: in a neck that has too much relief, by generating a force in the neck opposite to that caused by excessive string tension.

Fender also uses a unique "Bi-Flex" truss rod system on some instruments. Unlike the "Standard" truss rods, which can only correct a neck that is too concave (under-bowed), the "Bi-Flex" truss rod can compensate for either concave (under-bowed), or convex (over-bowed) curvature, by generating a force in either direction as needed for the correction.

Check your tuning. Install a capo at the 1st fret, depress the 6th string at the last fret.

With a feeler gauge, check the gap between the bottom of the string and the top of the 8th fret -- see the specification chart below for the proper gap.

Adjustment at headstock (Allen wrench): If neck is too concave, (the guitar in playing position, looking up the neck towards the keys) turn truss-rod nut counter clock-wise. Too convex-- clockwise.

Adjustment at neck joint (Phillips screwdriver): If neck is too concave, turn truss-rod nut clock-wise. Too convex--Counter clockwise.

Check your tuning, then check the gap again with the feeler gauge. In either case, if you meet excessive resistance or need for adjustment, or you're not comfortable with this adjustment, take your guitar to your authorized Fender Service Center.

:)

I brought the Tele into my guitar shop. I was going to try to fix 'er up myself but erred on the side of caution. Was probably a good thing as my repair guy said that he almost had the truss rod taken out! I think I may have screwed it up if I had done the job. Cost was only $20 CAD and I busted out the Ricky for a few days. Turns out that the Ricky's neck is fine, likely the result of keeping in the case most of the time.

Cost was only $20 CAD.

That's dirty cheap!!!!! Around here they charge like 50 bucks just "to take a look at"...plus the repair itself...

I'm glad the guitar is working fine. I don't know your guy and I don't mean to imply anything; but to me is kinda hard to believe that "he almost had the truss rod taken out!"...I don't know. The way you described the problem is a text book case of buzzing because of air moisture change due to the beginning of the fall. A 1/4 turn should've taken care of the problem.

Again, I don't know the exact details of your particular situation and I don't know your guitar history (for example, I don't know if you got it second hand and the previous owner did something wrong...) but I encourage you to learn to fix these kind of things yourself.

To practice, get a cheap affinity squire or a garage sale /pawn shop special. I got a cheap battered early MIM that I’ve put through all kind of torture just in the name of Tele science….