One of your best tips was: Technique. Some players just bang the hell out of the strings - have a “heavy hand.” I just fixed a Taylor 714CE for a guy who has a heavy hand. What a mess. Saddle was reversed. Frets low & high all over the neck - had to perform a fret leveling & dressing. Nut was so worn down - replaced it with a brand new Tusq Nut. Adjusted the relief. Adjusted the action via saddle shave. Also - the old saddle wasn’t touching the pickup transducer, thus not picking up all 6 strings. All fixed now and ready for another 100K songs. LOL!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge to the public because I had no idea that it was me that was making the buzzing happen due to my technique. I am completely self-taught with the guitar and I utilize videos like this in my learning process so I really appreciate it thanks again
Thank you Tony for making this video! Just got a brand new acoustic/electric guitar. There was buzz coming from underneath the saddle/bridge. It was just a wire or two underneath that was touching the wood. Simply moved the wires away from touching the wood and problem solved!
Hey man, try to take a deductive approach. Check first: 1.) Guitar neck - straight? Back bow? You want just a little bit of relief. 2.) Strings. Have you changed them? Are they slotted properly in the bridge? 3.) Saddle. Are they fresh? Are they seated properly? 4.) Nut. Is your nut too low? If your guitar is still buzzing, it might mean it needs some fretwork.
The reason is still alive as to why I subscribe to your channel Man you're so important to my acoustic life viva I hope I got the message I have to replace the strings
When I asked my roommate if perhaps his strings were buzzing because of how he was playing, he said that it was just because of the long hairs of his beard vibrating against the guitar. Now, thanks to this video, I have proof that beards don't cause buzz and he was full of crap! Thanks Tony!!
Tony! Your videos have given me piece of mind when it comes to knowledge in general but also troubleshooting when it comes to the scary boo boos that can happen to a guitar. Sincerely, Thank you!
Thanks for the video. I just had my guitar checked by a luthier for just this reason! He suggested heavier gauge strings as a possible quick fix but that it might have to have the frets evened out.
I've been playing guitar for over 40 years. I have led music in front of hundreds of people. People generally consider me a pretty decent intermediate player. I have great syncopated rhythm strumming and can do alternate picking (chet atkins style). I have owned approx 40 acoustic guitars over the years. Curiously, over the past years a few of my guitars have developed a "buzz". Particularly at the 2nd or 3rd fret on the LOW E string. I even got rid of a guitar (or two ??) because of the buzz problem. Today one of my guitars developed the same freakin buzz on the 2nd and 3rd fret of the low E string. I thought - how can this be? Do I really have this bad of luck? I adjusted the truss rod, re-seatted the string, then changed the string. I checked the inside for loose braces, nut slot, etc. Same buzz. So I went on a search and landed on this video. I can't believe I'm admitting this, but IT WAS MY TECHNIQUE of not getting close enough to the fret and using the pad of my finger!!! What?!! Such a rookie problem. I'm embarrassed but very thankful for this video Tony!
The best thing on this video it's a hard tip that we all can learn from it, if the problem is beyond from what it is taught along on this video, you got a problem that really needs a skilled person to look upon it, and preserve a good music instrument following along.. And this piece of Wood can do good, put a smile here and There.. Some folks just throw it away and don't even consider all this as something meaningful, but it's always great to be good and kind, even if it's no one perceive it..
My guitar has been buzzing a lot of late. After pouring the beer out of the strap pin hole I noticed I've been really filing the frets. My last string break happened on the 3rd fret. I had been breaking them near the bridge where i strum. Hard strumming, capos, strong grips and a lot of playing can file nickel silver down pretty fast. Sometimes the frets can be leveled, other times they have to be replaced. Mine are 31 years old.
For my late-model slot-head Martin, it was two of the plastic tuner buttons that were loose and vibrating on their shafts. Glued them to shafts and that was it, instant buzz kill.
I want to add a few reasons, first of all, check your batteries are not loose, I borrowed my friend's Yamaha apx600 and it was buzzing until I pull out the batteries and put back again. Another one could be the guitar action is low, you could higher the saddle.
I appreciate the tip. I have a Gibson J-45 and I think my trus rod is loose like you mentioned. Plus it’s less than a year old guitar and I have never adjusted it as the relief is perfect. Oh the sound you mentioned on the back of the neck when you knock on it, well it’s doing that so it makes perfect sense all the way around, I also seem to notice a lot of sympathetic vibrations when playing but don’t really hear “ loud buzzing it it seems like a lot of vibration on the back side of the neck. So thanks for the advice Tony. I only wish the trus rod adjustment was in the same spot as my Martins instead of under that cover underneath the strings on the headstock . Oh well.. thanks again.
Thanks a million for sharing this great video, which was a real life-saver for me! Besides your competence and clever tips, it's amazing how you shot this video with no breaks! You ROCK, Tony!
Thank you so much! This was my case: When I would put a capo on the 6th fret, I would have buzz and rattle but I had no idea where... I was in the strings behind the capo! (the lower ones I guess). I put 2 more capos behind the 1st capo and problem solved. Subscribed!
Noah Rodg Music my Gibson has the same problem... but I know what it is I just haven’t fixed it because it’s a big fix... I always have to turn the g string end pin around or it just pops out... the bridge is worn out too much underneath and the string comes up too high, I can’t do a thing to keep it in without turning the pin around... I hate it so much but hey it’s not my main guitar anymore...
The buzz on the G string and slightly on the B string came from the alternate tuning I had left it in for several days. It is a Taylor 214 CE-K. I retuned to standard. Buzz went away .
1:11 Holy crow! this entire time I thought I was losing my mind with the buzz from the strings , it was just my finger placement. Thank you for this tip!
My guitar was buzzing when playing E and F notes on 12th and 13th frets on the high E (1st) string. I use a fret rocker tool (straight edge that runs across 3 frets) to check the level and found out that the 14th fret was too high. I just used a small file to lower the 14th fret only around the area of the hi E string just enough to get rid of the buzz. I didn't have special fret contour file to finish it up properly so the fret has a small flat spot but the buzz disappeared and I was satisfied because it is playable and sounds good when playing single note. Before, I had to pick these 2 notes lightly to reduce the buzz and that was annoying.
Hi Tony I am having a problem with fret buzzing the guitar is a inexpensive one but I still I still like it since then I bought a martin dsr1 great guitar I have been watching this channel for a few years love the channel
There is one thing for sure when your learning to play any instrument that requires the using of fingers and especially when you are young and the body is still developing, the fingers, muscles and ligament's will evolve to become the perfect tools for the job just like most bricklayers and builders have big hands with large sausage fingers, great tools. You only have to look at most guitar players they have long slender hands with a fantastic stretch from little pinky to the forefinger the same for pianists. I've tried everything to get shape and stretch in my hands but I just have to except it isn't going to happen at 94 sorry, 64 but maybe if I live to the higher age then I might be a better player by then. Enjoy music!☘☘
Could you please elaborate on how the truss rod nut should be "snugged up" into the truss rod channel rather than tightened? The truss rod nut rattle appears to be the causing buzz in my guitar.
Glad I'm not crazy for always making sure I'm wearing a shirt with no zippers/buttons/weird embellishments when I play my guitar or even to try them out in stores! I just don't want to damage it. Hadn't even considered that it could also create a buzzing sound.
I noticed my bridge pin had a small crack so I snipped that piece of material off. I also changed the gauge of strings to 11’s instead of 12’s and I’m noticing buzzing went away. I brought to a luthier previously and he noticed a loose bracing but that didn’t fix the buzz. Anyway, the journey continues on this ‘52 J50
My Fender acoustic guitar had a couple "strings that were making some unwanted sounds....I searched for solutions to "my guitar strings are rattling" as to me.....They don't sound like they are buzzing but it sounds like they are rattling....Below the acoustic opening on the guitar....Rattle rattle rattle which makes the amazing sounding guitar sound weird....The tips seem to have resolved the issue....The tip about pushing down on the pegs and pulling up on the strings tip is what solved my problem for me! I look forward to my daily guitar jam sessions :) but that rattle sound was bugging me and everything seems okay now! :) thanks for the tip :) so basic that I feel kind of like "duh....Why didn't I think of that?!" LOL
Relax man, he's very good at explaining it but you may not have enough experience with guitar lingo, or know what each part of the guitar is. Trust me, this guy is worth going back to, you will see,,; )
I actually tried all of your tips but non of them worked out. Here´s my problem: I got buzz inside the acoustic guitar located under the bridge. But it only buzzes when I play certain notes on the fretboard, mostly the lower notes on the E A and D strings. I have no idea what causes the issue but I don´t want to get my guitar to a local luthier because he got quiet some bad reviews. I hope somebody has got an idea for me
Typical rule of thumb is if you're getting significant buzz on the bottom 5 frets mainly, the truss rod likely needs to be loosened (i.e. more curve / let that neck bend forward more) versus if you get a lot of buzz in the middle of the neck it's likely got too much relief and the neck needs to be flatter / pulled back.
dang...been pissed with the buzz on my guitar thanks for these tips man..just found out my tuner is making it buzz with the loose screw, after i retightened it,.it's gone...
I changed strings today and got a buzzing on the high E string when I played three or four frets. Fine everywhere else. Found the solution in this video. The ball end of the string wasn’t in correctly. Would never have figured that out on my own.
Crap...So it IS me causing the buzzy sound. As much as I would have liked to blame the guitar it seems it is my shoddy technique. Thanks for pointing this out and consider me subscribed. Thanks for posting.
I have this baby taylor bt2 and I bought it brand new November 2021 for my sister's birthday hoping to get her to play, I ended up getting it back from her cause she really wasn't interested in playing and she didn't touch the guitar at all and after receiving it back today I noticed there's a rattle on the d string, I checked the neck relief and the string height and it's all fine, I tried taking the bridge pin out and refitting it and that didn't work, I checked for loose parts and that wasn't it, despite the string not touching any of the frets the rattling goes away after placing my finger on the 10th fret, I tried a different bridge pin that I had lying around and that didn't work, I even upgraded the saddle to bone hoping that would solve it but the problem persists, I haven't tried restringing cause I'm scared of taking it to a luthier only to have them remove the new strings after finding a problem and I don't want to put new strings on a guitar that isn't working properly lol, anyone have any recommendations??
what makes the guitar not fun for me is not the buzz sound I get from a guitar I bought off of amazon but the frustration of learning to switch from basic chords when you have no reach!
Hey Tony, Bought a brand new Martin D28 Modern Deluxe and the truss rod wasn’t holding its tension. I would tighten it to lessen relief and gimme a bit of lower action but after 10-20 seconds the string height would creep back up to this totally unplayable high height. I did screw two holes into the neck to add a strap button. Messed up on the first try and had to fill the hole and try again but actually a luthier did that for me. Why is this guitar so out of whack? This is crazy but I brought it to the Martin factory in Nazareth 3 times during Covid restrictions so I couldn’t talk to nobody and they offered me a replacement after the last visit. Now I have this new D28 with all this fret buzzing on different strings. I’m so disillusioned and distraught. Aaaah ......!!!!!!
Well none of these were the problem for me. My platinum level Yamaha had a dead fret at #6 the insideous buzzing was finally quelled with a hard rubber mallet and a four inch square. Good to know the many other causes and fixes. None of us know everything about anything. Thank you for your well thought out presentation. It was informative and to the point. I have another question if I may my bridge looks like it has pulled up maybe a half inch or so. Yet it doesn't have Any movement at all. If it's determined that it has moved is it safe to use a filler to secure it better or could that have detrimental effects on my babies sound?
Hey Tony. Long story short I have a lot of guitars, mostly acquired free, garbage or garage sales. I like to fix them up a hear them come back to life. Each and everyone has different character and are unique. I like that. I'm having an issue with one in particular. The B string buzzes on the 5th fret. I found myself having to remove all tension of the rod. New nut, new saddle and new strings. Can ultra light strings be the cause of having to remove all tension?
this is such a great video! I just started learning guitar and I can not take my guitar to a repair shop because of COVID-19 and my A string keeps buzzing when I play it. How should I fix it?
Tony I have a 95 guild acoustic. Played wonderful, changed strings and now I have a buzz in the 3rd string when it's played open. Sounds like crap.whats up?help
I have an Ibanez acoustic, that has a terrible buzz. It has been checked and worked on by several instrument tech buddies of mine, and we're all to the point of using it for a nice fire, ha ha!!
Tony, thank you. Your video is brilliant. A little practice was all I needed to overcome my rusty technique and all of the fret buzz. To think I was about to mess with the truss rod and saddle.
Just got my first guitar yesterday and it's third string is buzzing near the bridge, pressing the bridge balls is not working. Ugh this is so heartbreaking.
My girlfriend bought me a new acoustic guitar and it buzzes on occasion mainly only when I play a G chord. The buzz is coming from inside the neck where it overlaps the body so I figure it has something to do with the truss rod. Tried to snug it up but its not buzzing from the allen key socket; instead it sounds like its a washer or something similar behind the socket that isn't actually accessible. Not sure how to fix it. Its definitely NOT fret buzz but something actually inside the guitar truss rod cavity.
so for me it turns out that the strings can wear gaps in the saddle. My high e was buzzing more and more as time went on and I started freaking out looking all over the head for the issue. ended up wearing a little notch in the saddle and its vibrating around in it.
