String Buzz

[lavern]

This seems to be a reacuring problem for me at least in mey last 2 projects. The first was a solid body guitar and the secong was a solid body electric dulcimer. Here's the problem. there's always a string or 2 that has a buzz or have a kind of muted sound when played open. the muted sound goes away when the string is fretted. The action is very high because thats the only way I could keep the strings from buzzing on the frets. This is frustrating because i started out with the same action as I have on my acoustic dulcimers ( which don't have any buzz of mute). I finally gave up and put it in the closet. Any suggestions

[ScottR]

Are your strings/bridge grounded solidly?

SR

[Buter]

The first place I would look is the nut. It sounds like you may have cut a couple of the slots too deep.

It really just sounds like you need some experience/practice in fretting and setting up your guitars. So go get them out of the closet and make 'em play!

Good luck

B

[westhemann]

I second the nut thing..Also if you don't have enough tension over the nut the same thing can happen...like ,say you have a zero degree headstock angle with no string retainer?

[lavern]

the head stock is angled so i dont think thats a problem, and I'm sure the frets are level. I just don't know what to try next. How important is the nut slot widths. i checked them with a feeler gauge and they're prety close to the string width. I don't have nut slot files, just a saw thats about the right width.

do the strings matter? theyre just regular acoustic dulcimer strings?

[Buter]

The problem most likely lies with your string slots being too deep, not too wide. Having said that, if the buzz is coming from the nut itself, wide slots could well be the prolem.

Check you string clearance at your first fret. I always use a zero fret so I've got no idea what clearance you're actually looking for. From memory, when you fret the third fret, your string should just barely clear the first fret.

Have a search to find out what clearance you need or wait for a kind soul on here to give you the info.

B

edit - Mender has a valid point below. I just wanted to point out that simply because your headstock is angled does not mean that you have sufficient break angle over the nut. If your tuners are quite tall or your headstock thin, you can have a nice angle on the headstock itself but have very little angle as far as the strings are concerned.

[Mender]

the head stock is angled so i dont think thats a problem, and I'm sure the frets are level. I just don't know what to try next. How important is the nut slot widths. i checked them with a feeler gauge and they're prety close to the string width. I don't have nut slot files, just a saw thats about the right width.

do the strings matter? theyre just regular acoustic dulcimer strings?

Make sure your nut is cut so the slots are lower on the headstock side than they are on the fretboard side. If you have the slots sloping the wrong way, the string will be resting on the highest point of the slot (headstock side) and will vibrate in the slot on the fretboard side. The string must be seated in the bottom of the slot on the fretboard side.