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Just wondering if there's a pre-existing article on this topic.
In the past I have done things like line the pickup rings with velvet and have even resorted to putting cloth underneath the tailpiece. Sometimes on vintage gibsons the retraining wire on the TOM can buzz and of course the pickguard can also contribute.
Knobs and switch don't usually contribute to this but depending on how they're mounted I guess it could be an issue.
In my case, I'm thinking it's mostly the pickups....Last edited by jzucker; 02-24-2014 at 11:12 AM.
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02-24-2014 10:15 AM
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As I'm sure you know, the first thing you need to do is confirm beyond any and all doubts exactly where the sympathetic vibration is coming from. That can be a whole bunch of "fun". If you're sure it's coming from the pups, try going with slightly larger springs. I usually rule in or out the pups by stuffing a folded business card between the metal pup cover and the pup ring . . making sure that it's so tight in the ring that the pup couldn't possible move/vibrate. If the noise goes away . . then I'll do a more permanent fix. If it's a hollow or semi hollow body . . sometimes the culprit is inside the box. Loose wires, etc. Also, check the tuning machine head screws. If the tail piece has an insert . . tap it to see if the insert is loose. I've had to super glue the contact points of the "H"on the bail of virtually every Heritage "H" tail piece I ever came a cross. Some of the ebony inserts were loose as well.
Originally Posted by jzucker
Also, if it's a hollow body jazz box, check the kerfing with a mirror . . as well as a good firm knuckle knock at various points of the top and the back right near the rim. But, usually if any of the kerfing as come loose . . you'd know it because the guitar would be absolutely dead acoustically.
It can be seriously frustrating . . to the point where you start to feel that only a can of lighter fluid and a book of matches will give you relief from your anger. Good luck with it.
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Jack, would you explain what this means? Not familiar with the term "pickup rights." thanks. Michael Originally Posted by jzucker
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Sometimes enough to drive you mad !
Especially since you need three hands for this job, two to play the guitar, and the third locating the source ; pressing on the guard, tail, etc., until the buzz stops
The 1957 L5CES I got from our fellow boardmember Hot Ford Coupe had a tiny piece of paper in between the pickup and the pickup ring when I bought it. It didnt realize what it was for, so pulled out immediately. Dumb decision.
Thereafter I spent three weeks trying to eliminate the buzz I got on some positions; untill it finally dawned on me that that piece of paper had been there for a reason
Plays fine now
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supposed to be pickup rings, haha Originally Posted by bmw2002
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Jack, in my guitar, the paper in oil capacitor is sometimes vibrating under the ebony fingerest.
It comes and goes. It was buzzing in Bb and A, now it buzzes in G. I don't know where it will buzz tomorrow!!
I solve this with a piece of paper between the wood and the capacitor.
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Omg, this is the number one most annoying thing on earth and can drive you INSANE. Believe me, I speak from experience. I had this issue on almost every archtop or ever owned. It has almost always been the pickup cover vibrating inside up against the rout. A little piece of paper to slightly modify the pickup angle has done the trick most of the time. One time it was the tailpiece vibrating ever so slightly against the body. Another time it was one of the tone knobs.
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Another source can be the "back side" of a fretted note. From the nut to where to note is fretted. It usually only happens when playing chords, because of the simultaneous multiple pitches involved. Not much you can do about those other than changing your relief or the nut height.
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I have owned my 1961 Gibson 175 since 1973. The bridge PU buzzes and shortly after I bought the guitar I resorted to wedging a tenor sax reed between the PU and the PU ring and breaking the excess length of reed off. The reed is still there 40 years later. Crude, but it works.
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woody sound,
noise behind the fretted note is exactly what I'm experiencing on one of my guitars. It only happens when fretting chords, and only on the 6 string Bb and sometimes B. Its kind of a bummer but the guitar is awesome so I live with it.
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Loosening the truss rod nut an eigth to a quarter turn may be enough to get rid of that buzz. BTW, this particular kind of buzz is the reason I prefer to have my guitars set up with a slight relief. Of course, if the nut grooves are cut to deep, more relief likely won't do the trick and a new nut is the solution.
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My Sheraton II vibrates its pickup selector switch at certain frequencies.
And yes, it can be maddening.
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Yup, I'll bet it happens when the chords include a Db, D, Eb, or E, depending on the guitar's scale length. Originally Posted by callouscallus
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Maybe that's why pat metheny stuck a toothbrush at the but end of the guitar and strap,lol! Very annoying to try and isolate the buzz.
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Originally Posted by jzucker
An old thread where I solved the mystery buzzing on a Gibson 775.
The culprit was the washers on the pot splines. I put cotton under the washer and the noise stopped!
The photos from the original post are missing unfortunately.
https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...son-175-a.html
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I found the bigger springs on the pickup helpful sometimes. Fidgeting with the pickup covers and if it's one of those tailpieces where you can tighten it to tighten it on the bass or treble side. Sometimes a non so great fitting tuneomatic will do it, though that's probably not your issue.
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Originally Posted by callouscallus
That's caused by the nut slot being too deep. I have this problem on the low E of my Samick archtop. When I play a B minor chord at the 7th fret, the string between the fret and the nut resonates with the the minor D (third) in the chord. Only that note, only that fret. I "fixed" it by putting a sliver of paper under the string. The permanent fix is to fill the nut slot with super glue and baking soda and re-cut the slot, or to replace the nut. One of these days ...
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I believe the Bb is a notorious "wolf tone" on violins and cellos. It's also probably more prominent in a chord. Originally Posted by callouscallus
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if its the pickup that buzzes within the pickup ring, using ear plugs like one might get on airplanes has proved very efficient.
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blocking the ears completely removes the buzzing, i've heard. Originally Posted by Phil in London
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Yes, provided it's not tinnitus. Originally Posted by jzucker
blocking the ears completely removes the buzzing, i've heard.
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If you are describing wolf tones, it's particular to a guitar/amp combination and is *almost* unfixable except with equalization. I think of it as mini-feedback when a guitar is vibrating at its natural resonant frequency and transmits that noise to the pickup, which then amplifies the frequency leading to a feedback cycle.
I managed to "cure" the problem by switching amps. Big problem with Fender amp, but using the Fishman Loudbox Artist I was able to dial out the offending frequency with the anti feedback knob (sweepable midrange filter). I basically just play a cord with the notes that feed back and turn the knob until the individual notes become clear and defined. I believe you could accomplish the same with a good equalizer pedal or preamp with sweep able midrange filter (like Fishman).
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A student's Electromatic Gretsch was buzzing the other day - I figured out it was the toggle switch. The end of the toggle (the bit you grab with your fingers) is metal and screws on, not a molded piece of plastic or rubber that you commonly get. So the metal end of the toggle was loose on the thread - tightened it with my fingers clockwise and no more buzz. I stumbled onto it after exhausting all other options like pickup mounts and pickguard etc. A victorious moment.
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That must've been incredibly satisfying. I'm still traumatized by my attempts to isolate those pesky buzzes. Originally Posted by 3625
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