String buzz

[Brazos Pirate]

I just finished building my first tele and noticed that I get string buzz. I have raised the saddles and nut, adjusted the truss rod, and level sanded and lowered my frets. The buzz seems to be coming from the bottom of the neck. the only thing I can think to do is make the neck pocket deeper or sand a little off the heel of the neck. Any suggestions?

[Bolide]

Might be ski jump: The neck in the area of the heel is suddenly stiffer, so it has less curvature resulting in the frets being as if they were higher closere to the body.

I hope someone has a better cure than hand work these frets.

Welcome, closer to Waco, or College Station? (if that's not a political question)

[KokoTele]

What do you mean by the "bottom" of the neck? Do you mean the highest registers?

When do you get this buzzing? Does it happen when you fret anywhere on the neck, or only in certain areas?

[Brazos Pirate]

between between Waco and Dallas.

[Brazos Pirate]

Originally Posted by KokoTele

What do you mean by the "bottom" of the neck? Do you mean the highest registers?

When do you get this buzzing? Does it happen when you fret anywhere on the neck, or only in certain areas?

Yes the higher registers. It happens with the low E string when not fretted and with all the strings in the higher registers.

[Bolide]

Okay, never mind the ski jump thing.
That should teach me to assume, but it won't.

[KokoTele]

Let's treat it as separate problems to solve one at a time, and start with the low E.

What is the action at the 12th fret?
What is the relief?
What is the action at the nut?

[Brazos Pirate]

Originally Posted by KokoTele

Let's treat it as separate problems to solve one at a time, and start with the low E.

What is the action at the 12th fret?
What is the relief?
What is the action at the nut?

What is the "relief"? this is my first build and don't know all the terminology yet. I have to measure the action at the both the nut and 12th fret. I do know that I am at max height on the saddles in the bridge.

[KokoTele]

Originally Posted by Brazos Pirate

What is the "relief"?

Relief is the amount of bend in the neck. You measure by fretting the first and last frets and measuring the gap between the string and the 8th fret. Since you're new at this and probably don't have a feel for what it should look like, use a set of feeler gauges. You're shooting for between .005 and .010". Too much gap, tighten the truss rod 1/4 turn. Too little, loosen it. (I'm guessing that you have a little bit of back bow, so you'll need to loosen it.)

Originally Posted by Brazos Pirate

I do know that I am at max height on the saddles in the bridge.

That's not really a relevant measurement. Depending on lots of things, your action could still be too low. Measure the gap between the bottom of the string and the 12th fret. 4/64" is low action, 6/64" is getting to be really high.

Use this link for info on how to check if your nut slots are too low (or too high): http://frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician...nutaction.html

[Brazos Pirate]

thanks. I'll get on it.