Why does my CV hate 9s?

[oramac7891]

I have become OCD about my Classic Vibe. It played good from the factory, but I want it to be great. It had some minor(and I mean minor) fret buzz on a couple strings. It started driving me crazy, and I wanted un-notched brass saddles, so I ordered a Fender vintage style bridge with the brass saddles. I put it on wih 9 s and the guitar had fret buzz everywhere. I raised the saddles, even put in a super thin neck shim.

I could not figure out how I had made the situation so much worse. This morning I put on 10s and the fret buzz is gone, it sings and sustains, the action is now high enough that I may take the shim back out.

Could going from 9s to 10s really make all that difference? As I am writing this, I am thinking maybe it came with 10s or 11s and the tension was just so much less with 9s?

Any thoughts? I've never had this issue before and always play with 9s.

[jbmando]

The lower tension on the strings is flattening your neck enough to cause buzzing. If you want to use 9s, put them on and set the guitar up again. If you can get most of the buzz out with 10s you can do it with 9s, too.

[stnmtthw]

Originally Posted by jbmando

The lower tension on the strings is flattening your neck enough to cause buzzing. If you want to use 9s, put them on and set the guitar up again. If you can get most of the buzz out with 10s you can do it with 9s, too.

This. Loosen your truss rod and it should take care of it. Put your eye at the headstock and sight down the neck, you want it to be slightly concave at the frets.

[Rolling Estonian]

I had to adjust truss rod going from 9's to 10's, some necks will bow a bit, some won't.

M

[Seasicksailor]

But make sure you give any changes time to settle.

[stnmtthw]

Originally Posted by Seasicksailor

But make sure you give any changes time to settle.

+1.

[oramac7891]

I kinda like the tens. It's a good change. Probably my imagination, but it seems to sound better with 10s.

I'm going to let the guitar sit for a while, then play, tune, check intonation, etc.

[jbmando]

I don't think it's your imagination. You will want to take that shim out, though.

[Mark Davis]

They come stock with 42-9 I use 44-9.5 on both my CV's which is perfect.

When you changed the saddles the new ones are biogger in diameter so your intonation might need some attention.

Id put it back to all stock and use 9.5's

[paratus]

sounds like a basic set up is in order.

[oramac7891]

The shim is out and it is playing great. I compared the stock strings as they were still in my garage trash, they certainly don't look like 9s, the strings are bigger than the 9s I had put on. They look more like the 10s on it now. It is tuned, intonated, the action is nice, and it sustains !!

Looks like 10s it is! Thanks guys!

[xtrajerry]

If you want 9's it shouldn't be a big deal to set it up to play right.. Did the buzzing stop when you fretted a string?

Here's a pretty good read about what's going on, it's an article about Rob DiStafano, Emergency Truss Rod Tweaks..

[Toto'sDad]

Mark, I like the 9.5-44s too. They have just enough extra to have a little more feel, but bend easy and just feel smooooooth.

[surfoverb]

ive got 9s on mine with no problems. I did adjust the rod a hair. (I had 10s on for a while but went back to 9s.) 9-42=twang city!

like others said, tweak the rod (about 1/8th) and give it a few days to settle back in.