confounding buzz

[RobSm]

Hi.

I have a strat with a wilkinson trem which I made some time ago.

The E1st string has developed a rattle all the way up ie on each fret , from about fret 10 and it even buzzes loudly on the very last fret. The string is not touching the end of the neck or the pickups.

I have put plumbers' tape around every grub screw and thread I caN find gone up & down the neck with 600 grit , a stewmac fret rocker files etc etc - ie there are no high frets underlying the E 1st string. As far as I can tell the frets are seated well.

I'm not sure where to look next.

I think this has come on over time and indeed i'd swear on some days it's worse than others but that's a little subjective.

Can anyone give me some clues and ideas on identifying the basic issue and fixing it please?

All advice welcome.

Thanks,

Rob.

 

 

 

 

 

[curtisa]

Flat spot on the high E saddle (makes a sitar-like buzz)?

Something rattling elsewhere on the guitar in sympathy with the string (tuners, strap buttons, trem arm etc)?

Truss rod rattle (tap back of neck and see if you can hear it rattle)?

[Norris]

A photo of the bridge might help. Do the saddles have two grub screws, and does the string pull directly between the two. I say that because I had a similar issue with a telecaster bridge that had individual saddles. Due to the way the strings had to deflect to avoid the centrally placed intonation screw, it tended to skew the saddles to one side, causing the side that was under less tension to float and vibrate. It took a bit of tweaking to try to get the same downforce on both grub screws