Guitar Tech says Teles always buzz. Is he right?

Many of the strings on my cheapo Saga Tele kit guitar buzz--some when open, some when fretted, some in both cases. This occurs even with very high saddles and an absurd amount of neck relief. I'm playing with .10s and a medium touch. I suspect the buzzing is due to uneven frets, but I don't want to pay to have the frets fixed on an instrument that only cost $75.

My guitar tech says that's normal for Teles, and that unless the buzz comes through the amp (it doesn't) or dampens sustain (it doesn't seem to), I should ignore it. Which I'm doing. But it is annoying when I practice at low volumes or not plugged in.

So I'm curious: is he right that Teles all buzz to some extent? When I've noodled on Fender or G&L Teles in stores, I don't seem to recall them buzzing at all.

no.

Mine don't buzz after I set it up.

Absolutely false, after a good tune a good neck don't buzz !!!

Regards, Infrapista

Fire your tech and get a REAL one...

No.

Any guitar might benefit from / need a degree of fret dressing from the factory, but I agree with the above posts, it's certainly not a 'Tele' thing.

I'm with Nick Fanis on this one, get a new tech.


F.F.

Had a similar post on another place where a guitar tech had told someone that all 'brand X' guitars buzz. :shock:


Funny enough, as others here have said my Teles or 'brand X' guitars don't buzz. Perhaps the calibre of guitar techs is buzzing a bit

Of course your guitar tech is correct - a Tele is impossible to setup and will always have some sort of string buzz or rattle.

I know this to be true since I normally always have a buzz going on in my head, too.

YMMV. :roll:

Wow, this may be the first time I've seen a completely unanimous response on TDPRI! Thanks, all.

I'll be moving on to a new guitar tech, then...

HUH?

I thought buzzing only had to do with how well you set it up... maybe he doesn't realize that sometimes, the adjust for the truss rod is on the other side of the neck...

Ate you sure you went to a guitar tech or the Dentist?

What a fun thread - what a silly guitar "tech".

Okay, I'll be the first to say maybe your tech is giving good advice. None of us were present during the conversation. Are you sure he didn't say something like "I can fix this with a fret level and dressing but it is a 75 dollar guitar and if the buzz isn't happening when amplified, I wouldn't worry about it". Maybe something on those lines. Lets not hang the tech without a proper trial.

Dan

Well I dont agree most people here necessarily...

It depends on how low you want the action, how light your strings are, and how hard you pick. With low action and light strings, I couldnt imagine there wouldn't be at least a little buzz if you hit it hard enough.

I use 9s... In 30 years of playing I've never played a Fender that didn't buzz a little with 9s on it if I was playing aggressively. Leo Fender always refused to have Fender market a light guage of strings, becuase it would cause the strings to buzz. Personally, I dont mind a little string buzz.

If you already have the action set high and are STILL buzzing I'd suggest checking the adjustment of the trussrod. Once that is set with the proper amount of relief, take a look at the frets.
It may be necessary to do a complete grind/recrown/polish.

This is really not that hard to do and the only special tool you need is a fret crowning file (stewart-mcdonald and other suppliers).

A $75 guitar would be a great place to get your first lesson in fret work (I'm assuming you've never done it before) so even if it doesn't come out perfectly it doesn't sound like it would be any worse.

Oh yeah, sometimes a poorly slotted nut can contribute to buzzing.
Again, not that hard to do but yet more special files required.

To eliminate tele buzzing, the first thing I do whenever I buy a new tele is to take off the pickguard and bridge and fill the cavities with a can of spray foam and then put everything back together. Be aware that the foam expands as it dries, so you'll have to cut away any excess that seeps out with a razor knife. You usually have to do this yourself unless you buy a higher end tele like a Shur, Crook, Valley Arts ect. where they come from the factory with this modification done already. If you're not comfortable doing this kind of work yourself.....ask you tech to do it for you. :mrgreen:

I think that tech should be pulled over by the stupid police.

http://www.geargeek.net/images/supertrooperspic.jpg (http://www.geargeek.net/images/supertrooperspic.jpg)
A guitar with a proper fret level and a proper setup should only buzz if you're beating the snot out of it because you have Popeye arms and no control. :mrgreen:

I think that tech should be pulled over by the stupid police.

http://www.geargeek.net/images/supertrooperspic.jpg (http://www.geargeek.net/images/supertrooperspic.jpg)
A guitar with a proper fret level and a proper setup should only buzz if you're beating the snot out of it because you have Popeye arms and no control. :mrgreen:



Meow listen here. A tele shouldn't buzz with a real setup. I have a Saga strat, that right after putting it together, it did buzz a bit meow than I was used to. After I took it in to get a set up, it played meow like a real guitar. He said he did a fret dressing and all the other fixin's.


hmm, could only work in 3 meows, oh well

I based my opinion on what the topic poster typed ...

"My guitar tech says that's normal [the string/fret buzzing] for Teles ..."

If that's a verbatim statement, he's way wrong and he really isn't a worthy guitar tech.

If that's a verbatim statement, he's way wrong and he really isn't a worthy guitar tech.

Egg-Zack-Ter-Lee :mrgreen:

My guitar tech says that's normal for Teles,

...Weigh tew many psudo-techs in this and udder countrys!!

...cheapo Saga Tele kit guitar

...Sumtimes the beginnin of a story tells the hoe story.

...I'm jes sayin----------------




0le FUZZY

Okay, I'll be the first to say maybe your tech is giving good advice. None of us were present during the conversation. Are you sure he didn't say something like "I can fix this with a fret level and dressing but it is a 75 dollar guitar and if the buzz isn't happening when amplified, I wouldn't worry about it". Maybe something on those lines. Lets not hang the tech without a proper trial.

Dan

I say we hang 'im, then we kill 'im!

Is this your tech? :
http://www.prism.gatech.edu/%7Egtg224q/project/butcher_boy.jpg (http://www.prism.gatech.edu/%7Egtg224q/project/butcher_boy.jpg)

I think that tech should be pulled over by the stupid police.

http://www.geargeek.net/images/supertrooperspic.jpg (http://www.geargeek.net/images/supertrooperspic.jpg)
:mrgreen:

The stupid gear police should go and pick him up for taking money to work on a Saga. It is a Saga, and as far as I know they buzz not because Teles are supposed to buzz but because.........

The Saga is...........

Well, you know what it is.

The next guitar tech will throw you out on the street for wasting his time.


Bubbanov

I say we hang 'im, then we kill 'im!
I say we stomp him, then we tattoo him, then we hang him, then we kill him.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m1/Ankhafnakhonsu/Rollingonthefloor.gif

Really guys? No fret buzz at all? I don't know if I have my Baja set up too low, but after a little truss rod adjustment the buzzing went down but it's still there. The guy at guitar center said that he couldn't really take out that last little bit of buzz and that it was "normal" as well.. I don't really want to go spend an extra $60+ setting it up somewhere else because of that either... Hmm...

Could be a bridge,fret,nut or your playing tecnique. Joe Walsh likes em to buzz. My Tele's dont buzz at all, infact, they are pretty much noise free. Its not inherent to the instrument to make unwanted noise

"normal for Teles, and that unless the buzz comes through the amp (it doesn't) or dampens sustain (it doesn't seem to), I should ignore it."

Not having heard the verbatim exchange, I have to go with Daddydex on this. Your tech MAY have been trying to indicate that it would cost you more to have the frets levelled/crowned than you paid for the guitar. I have no clue what the "going rate" for this is in your area, but I know that I recently paid my tech considerably more than $75 to do the same job.

What is baffling me about this post is:

How in the world can you afford a guitar tech but can only muster up $75 for a guitar?




For what it's worth, maybe the guitar tech only gets messed-up-guitars to fix... thus the statement "they all buzz". Perhaps all the guitars he works with does buzz. hahaha... sucks for him.

My advice is throw out the guitar before the tech.

What is baffling me about this post is:

How in the world can you afford a guitar tech but can only muster up $75 for a guitar?

For what it's worth, maybe the guitar tech only gets messed-up-guitars to fix... thus the statement "they all buzz". Perhaps all the guitars he works with does buzz. hahaha... sucks for him.

My advice is throw out the guitar before the tech.

I think this is the best answer so far, no doubt. This is what I was trying to say, just way better said, plus a little more. Thanks,


Bubbanov

I think this is the best answer so far, no doubt. This is what I was trying to say, just way better said, plus a little more. Thanks,


Bubbanov

With all the assembling and modding that goes on here I don't see how it can be baffling that someone is putting together a Saga kit or working on 25 dollar guitar for that matter. It is the heart and soul of this forum. It is also a learning process and should be encouraged. We all want even our cheapest guitars to play their best.

If it were me I would be looking for a cheap way to do a level and dress myself. Unfortunately the tools designed for this are cost prohibitive so some of must turn to "techs". Sometimes these guys give some bad advice but I have been around long enough to know that some people only hear what they want to here. I am not saying that this is necessarily the case here but it makes no sense to bash someone when we don't have both sides of the story. What we should be doing is helping this guy solve his problem in some way in which he could save a couple bucks and maybe learn something.

Dan

EDIT: I meant to quote this from a previous post:

What is baffling me about this post is:

How in the world can you afford a guitar tech but can only muster up $75 for a guitar?

With all the assembling and modding that goes on here I don't see how it can be baffling that someone is putting together a Saga kit or working on 25 dollar guitar for that matter. It is the heart and soul of this forum. It is also a learning process and should be encouraged. We all want even our cheapest guitars to play their best.

If it were me I would be looking for a cheap way to do a level and dress myself. Unfortunately the tools designed for this are cost prohibitive so some of must turn to "techs". Sometimes these guys give some bad advice but I have been around long enough to know that some people only hear what they want to here. I am not saying that this is necessarily the case here but it makes no sense to bash someone when we don't have both sides of the story. What we should be doing is helping this guy solve his problem in some way in which he could save a couple bucks and maybe learn something.

Dan

EDIT: I meant to quote this from a previous post:

What is baffling me about this post is:

How in the world can you afford a guitar tech but can only muster up $75 for a guitar?

I understand where you're coming from... but I'm just going by the original post... I just think that it's odd to get a $75 kit guitar and hire a guitar tech to "fix" it? Aren't Squier teles about $150 or so? I'm not bashing... it's the nature of internet communication. Reread my post but from a really confused perspective. Perhaps with this icon:confused: That's how I felt posting... not bashing. Sorry for the confusion.

I think he is confusing "jangle" with buzz :lol:

The answer is "No"....

My Thinline Tele doesn't http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd171/telechaser/Buzz.jpg but it does sound a bit http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd171/telechaser/Woody3.jpg

The bottom line is, making a blanket statement that all Teles are gonna have string buzz is just plain ignorant, or stupid, or both.

Y'all know that each guitar must be evaluated on its own uniqueness, and some will allow ultra low action with nary a string rattle let alone string buzz, and some will require an ungodly high action and neck relief just to sound decent.

YMMV, but it shouldn't.

I've heard some goofy things come out of tech's mouths but this may take the prize.

He either gave up on setting yours up right and is saying this as a cover, or he's full of crap. Either way find a new tech.

In "your original post you say " I suspect the buzzing is due to uneven frets, but I don't want to pay to have the frets fixed on an instrument that only cost $75."

If you have some high frets up the neck, no amount of high action or trussrod adjustments will get rid of fret buzz from high frets.

If that's the problem (you seem not to know enough about guitars to be able to tell) then you have to fix that. If you can't do it you'll have to learn, or to pay someone to do it. If that's the case (I wasn't there, I haven't seen your guitar and I don't know what your tech actually said) you don't have a bad tech, you just have personal unwillingness to get the problem fixed.

I've heard some goofy things come out of tech's mouths but this may take the prize.



Quite possibly speaking from the other end!

Guitar Tech says Teles always buzz. Is he right?

No. Several people told me the same thing when I got my first Strat (copy) back in the 70s. It was dead wrong then, for Strats; it's dead wrong for Strats NOW. It's equally dead wrong for Teles.

But see also below.

My guitar tech says... that unless the buzz comes through the amp (it doesn't) or dampens sustain (it doesn't seem to), I should ignore it.

That strategy actually does make sense, if the buzz isn't making you crazy.

A little more info: I don't get buzz on my guitars unless I want it. The two main reasons are, I'm very patient with setting them up, and I generally play VERY LIGHTLY (so lightly that people have actually noticed and commented on it).

Lately, I've been setting some guitars up to buzz ON PURPOSE. I'm doing this by using less neck relief. For some songs and styles I play -- I WANT to be able to push a little harder, and make the guitar rattle.

Conclusion: it might be more accurate to say "all guitars CAN buzz."

FWIW, it's worth looking at other things besides frets. I bought a new bass a year or so back, and the low E buzzed like crazy. The store put a new STRING on, and the problem went away. I've had TUNERS rattle, too...

The tech has a buzz

Needs to get back to his cubicle with Chinese screwdrivers at GC

OP here. Again, thanks for all the input.

@lukeness and @boris bubbanov: I totally understand your bafflement about having a guitar tech for a $75 guitar. All I meant by "having a tech" was that I assembled the kit, heard a bunch of buzzing, adjusted the action and truss rod without getting rid of the buzzing, and took it to the owner of a local mom 'n' pop guitar shop for advice on other parts of the instrument that I could look at or adjust. His words, as closely as I can remember, were "you could try evening the frets with a file from StewMac, but in my experience most Teles and Strats buzz to some degree, and unless the buzz comes through the amp or dampens the sustain, I generally don't worry about it."

How much of his statement was influenced by the fact that this was a $75 guitar (he identified it as a Saga kit 5 secs after I walked in the door), I don't know. In any case, I think he understood (and wanted me to understand) that professional fret work would cost way more than the guitar was worth. No money changed hands, and he was a very nice guy about it.

It's definitely not a tuner buzzing, and it's not helped by changing strings. So I think the only possibility left is uneven frets.

But hey, I'm just a beginner who practices chord transitions in the attic once the kids are in bed, so I can live with some buzzing. I can't (responsibly) swing the dough for a StewMac fret file right now, so I'll just roll with what I've got and save up for a used MIM, Squier, or ASAT Tribute down the road. Thanks again.

OP here. Again, thanks for all the input.

@lukeness and @boris bubbanov: I totally understand your bafflement about having a guitar tech for a $75 guitar. All I meant by "having a tech" was that I assembled the kit, heard a bunch of buzzing, adjusted the action and truss rod without getting rid of the buzzing, and took it to the owner of a local mom 'n' pop guitar shop for advice on other parts of the instrument that I could look at or adjust. His words, as closely as I can remember, were "you could try evening the frets with a file from StewMac, but in my experience most Teles and Strats buzz to some degree, and unless the buzz comes through the amp or dampens the sustain, I generally don't worry about it."

How much of his statement was influenced by the fact that this was a $75 guitar (he identified it as a Saga kit 5 secs after I walked in the door), I don't know. In any case, I think he understood (and wanted me to understand) that professional fret work would cost way more than the guitar was worth. No money changed hands, and he was a very nice guy about it.

It's definitely not a tuner buzzing, and it's not helped by changing strings. So I think the only possibility left is uneven frets.

But hey, I'm just a beginner who practices chord transitions in the attic once the kids are in bed, so I can live with some buzzing. I can't (responsibly) swing the dough for a StewMac fret file right now, so I'll just roll with what I've got and save up for a used MIM, Squier, or ASAT Tribute down the road. Thanks again.
OK, glad you are happy but your "guitar tech man" is still a idiot, irregardless of how you may feel. Just like many Fender dissers he just hasn't a clue about these guitars or he would have said: "A lot of these inexpensive Sagas buzz a bit " and not taken your money. I have kids bring cheap amps into my shop and ask if I can " do mods" on them to make them sound better. I level with them and tell them to save up for a better amp. No charge.

I based my opinion on what the topic poster typed ...

"My guitar tech says that's normal [the string/fret buzzing] for Teles ..."

If that's a verbatim statement, he's way wrong and he really isn't a worthy guitar tech.

Its time to round up the town people-all their pitchforks and torches-and run that "tech" outa town!!:mad:

Perhaps it is one of those things where there are so many cheap Teles and cheap Tele copies that there may be a generation of Techs that have seen nothing but bad, buzzing guitars and have come to expect it.

After all the Tele is probably THE MOST COPIED guitar design so it stands to reason that you'd see a bunch of bad buzzers.

Hey it could happen.

Gary

Find another tech. This guy sounds like he doesn't know what he is doing, and using that as an excuse.

You guys are brutal. I still contend this guy gave good advice.

Dan

Maybe if by "Tele" he meant "sitar"....

Nope. I got nothin'.

You guys are brutal. I still contend this guy gave good advice.

DanMe too. Everyone's so quick to diss the tech. There is no facts in how good or bad the tech is, just statements that can be taken out of context. The only fact that is true is... the guitar is a $75 kit guitar and it needs a fret level (which costs probably as much as the guitar).

I'm a tech myself, and I wouldn't waste my energy on trying to tune up that guitar.

Geez, I can't imagine how anyone can turn this thread into a debate of sorts.

A blanket statement that all (state a guitar brand and model) will buzz is just not true. Period.

In any event, anyone blabbing that a Tele will always buzz should be considered more than suspect. Yeesh. :roll:

A cheap guitar will have fret buzz more often than a good guitar, because it's well, cheap. Fact of life. That has nothing to do with it being a Telecaster-style.

This reminds of the Beatles Movie Help.

The boys are in the studio "recording" Your Gonna Lose That Girl.

When they finish the engineer asks over the intercom, "Are any of you buzzing"?

"No thanks" says John "I brought me car".

Gary:smile:

The shape of the body prolly ain't got a lot to do with this buzzin'.

The tech might have just been silently shaking his head when looking at a Saga and tryin to save your feelings.

This guitar might be a great jumpin' off place for some self-taught lessons in guitar repair.

To eliminate tele buzzing, the first thing I do whenever I buy a new tele is to take off the pickguard and bridge and fill the cavities with a can of spray foam and then put everything back together. Be aware that the foam expands as it dries, so you'll have to cut away any excess that seeps out with a razor knife. You usually have to do this yourself unless you buy a higher end tele like a Shur, Crook, Valley Arts ect. where they come from the factory with this modification done already. If you're not comfortable doing this kind of work yourself.....ask you tech to do it for you. :mrgreen:

Are you kidding? I'd NEVER shoot spray foam in a pickup cavity. :confused: :!:

Man you guys can be harsh!!!

Here are my thoughts.

Firstly, refering to the tech as an "idiot" and so forth just seems well... uncalled for.

Secondly, dibber124 states the tech "should not have taken your money"OK, glad you are happy but your "guitar tech man" is still a idiot, irregardless of how you may feel. Just like many Fender dissers he just hasn't a clue about these guitars or he would have said: "A lot of these inexpensive Sagas buzz a bit " and not taken your money. I have kids bring cheap amps into my shop and ask if I can " do mods" on them to make them sound better. I level with them and tell them to save up for a better amp. No charge.

The OP actually states very clearly, No money changed hands, and he was a very nice guy about it.

"and he was a very nice guy about it".!!!

Gee, and this coming from the guy who ACTUALLY HAD THE EXPERIENCE unlike the rest of us who are just reading about it and weren't even involved. Maybe the OP just needs more of our help with how to recognize an "idiot". With enough of our help we could get him to feel really bad about his experience. That seems useful.


Thirdly
Geez, I can't imagine how anyone can turn this thread into a debate of sorts.

A blanket statement that all (state a guitar brand and model) will buzz is just not true. Period.

In any event, anyone blabbing that a Tele will always buzz should be considered more than suspect. Yeesh. :roll:


Once again if you read the OP's quote of what the tech said it was hardly a blanket statement.


... but in my experience most Teles and Strats buzz to some degree, ....

It seems to me that prefacing a statement with the words "in my experience" hardly constitutes a blanket statement. "In my experience" is the same as saying 'this is what I've found to be true for me. It may not be true for you or anyone else in the world'. A blanket statement would have excluded the words "in my experience".

At least that's how my ears here it.

If this is what the tech actually said then I would say for an "idiot" he has better than average communication skills. It is my experience that most people don't bother prefacing any statements with that important disclaimer.

As well, according to the OP the tech did not say "all" teles but said 'most'. Again, not the language of "blanket statements"

It seems a whole pile of us here could not stand another second on this planet without feeling enraged, insulted and irate about an experience we didn't even experience.

This whole thread just kinda shocks me in it's tone and attitude.

I'm no Mahatma Ghandi myself but this just seems out of line to me guys.


OP here. Again, thanks for all the input.

@lukeness and @boris bubbanov: I totally understand your bafflement about having a guitar tech for a $75 guitar. All I meant by "having a tech" was that I assembled the kit, heard a bunch of buzzing, adjusted the action and truss rod without getting rid of the buzzing, and took it to the owner of a local mom 'n' pop guitar shop for advice on other parts of the instrument that I could look at or adjust. His words, as closely as I can remember, were "you could try evening the frets with a file from StewMac, but in my experience most Teles and Strats buzz to some degree, and unless the buzz comes through the amp or dampens the sustain, I generally don't worry about it."

How much of his statement was influenced by the fact that this was a $75 guitar (he identified it as a Saga kit 5 secs after I walked in the door), I don't know. In any case, I think he understood (and wanted me to understand) that professional fret work would cost way more than the guitar was worth. No money changed hands, and he was a very nice guy about it.

It's definitely not a tuner buzzing, and it's not helped by changing strings. So I think the only possibility left is uneven frets.

But hey, I'm just a beginner who practices chord transitions in the attic once the kids are in bed, so I can live with some buzzing. I can't (responsibly) swing the dough for a StewMac fret file right now, so I'll just roll with what I've got and save up for a used MIM, Squier, or ASAT Tribute down the road. Thanks again.

A fellow TDPRI member has a great sig line on another forum:
"No Hack Butchers". Think it applies to anyone that can say:" All telecasters buzz" or something to that effect. I love Fender guitars but still like the sound of a good Les Paul. Would not say" All Les Pauls sound muddy" or some such garbage. If the "wonder tech" claims to be a professional and makes a statement like he did he Is an idiot and a fraud.and deserves to be named as such. IF someone does not have the skill to set up a guitar he should say so, not diss off on something he is obviously clueless about.

A fellow TDPRI member has a great sig line on another forum:
"No Hack Butchers". Think it applies to anyone that can say:" All telecasters buzz" or something to that effect. I love Fender guitars but still like the sound of a good Les Paul. Would not say" All Les Pauls sound muddy" or some such garbage. If the "wonder tech" claims to be a professional and makes a statement like he did he Is an idiot and a fraud.and deserves to be named as such. IF someone does not have the skill to set up a guitar he should say so, not diss off on something he is obviously clueless about.

Hey if you want to go ahead and divide up the world into two types of people, idiots and people who think like you, go ahead.

Couldn't have said it better boneyguy (about the dissection of the tech's answer).

Hey, maybe he has super sensitive ears and can hear buzz where you guys can't huh ! :eek:

Francis.

Maybe the tech said all Teles and Strats buzz cause after he gets done with them they do! LOL

The price of the guitar has nothing to do with fret buzz Ive heard $75 ones buzz and $5000 ones buzz.

If the nut is cut correctly and all the frets are the same height and the neck has the proper amount of relief and the saddles are set correctly it wont buzz its that simple. THe only real thing that can make a guitar thats setup correctly buzz is if the neck is not stable. So you might play it one day and its fine 3 days later after it rained or got real hot it might buzz cause the neck has moved and its not in perfect adjustment anylonger so you get buzz.

Here is an example we have all experienced before.

Lets say your front door on your house opens and closes perfect with no noise or extra pressure needed to open or close it. Then it rains for a couple daus and the wood swells up and now your front door is sticky hard to open and makes a big squeak or noise when you open or close it.

Wood moves around according to the enviroment its in.

If your neck is stable and your frets are level and the guitar is adjusted correctly it wont buzz.