Is String Buzz Caused By High Or Low Frets?

Phil McKnight on the Know Your Gear channel makes a good point about fixing (or not fixing) low/high frets. If they don't affect playability in any way, then don't worry about fixing it. Some people think that if the fret rocker finds even the tiniest difference in fret height, then it needs a full level, crown and polish. But if the note isn't fretting out or buzzing, then there is no reason to spend the time and effort (and money) to do all of that.

I have mentioned this to a few luthiers and none of them had ever run into this before. There can be a high pitched fret buzz that the rocker can't locate by rocking. My acoustic had a zinging noise that was driving me nuts. I was chasing all the usual suspects and getting nowhere; loose tuners, bad strings, something internal, saddle not making full contact, buzzing in nut slot. The zinging noise was happening on the A string when fretted at the 3rd fret. I forget how but I finally deduced that the zinging noise came from the A string being too close and vibrating against the first fret rather than between fretted note and bridge end of fret board where we typically look for fret buzz. Setting a rocker across the first three frets would feel rock solid while in reality being suspended just a hair above the second fret. Sliding the long edge of the rocker down the frets towards the first fret, you might feel a slight catch or bump up as you contact and rise onto the first fret. I've heard more than one electric guitar player say that if you can't hear fret buzz when it's plugged in then it's not a problem. Maybe yes, maybe no. I suspect fret buzz kills sustain. More importantly, which came first, the dinosaur or the dinosaur egg?

It becomes more important when looking at spot levelling on older, well played necks - if you assume a rock means the fret is high that you're on rather than one of the frets either side being lower you may find yourself chasing the buzz up the neck.

Hi Chris! I just found your channel for the first time today. I'm a music student who has dreams of building my own guitar one day. I've just seen a couple of your videos but I'm hooked by your clarity, specificity, and attention to detail. I like that you take the time to explain the Seems like your videos come from a sincere desire to teach what you know and to help people make better instruments. I'm very grateful to have such a resource freely available to me if I ever do get to make a guitar. Thank you for sharing!

THANK YOU! ...About the chicken and egg comment. I mean, thank you for the rad instrument building channel too. I've been watching, learning for a few upcoming projects i've decided to dive into the deep end for. But the chicken & egg thing... Whenever anyone asks the dumb "Which came first?" Riddle, i immediately answer "The egg." Because the egg came first. It's a really simple evolutionary answer. The proto-chicken animal laid the egg that had the genetic mutations that was the first chicken. Not much of a thinker. Yet, i still get confused looks and blank stares when i say "the egg" and also when i explain why it's the egg. Anyway... thanks for all the great info. This weekend i'll be removing a fretboard to replace a broken truss rod.

As usual a crystal clear explanation, Chris.

The Luthier: grabs a fret rocker The Frets he's just installed: We gonna rock!!😄🤘

I would love to obtain a guitar made by this guy

Low fret can be changed to a new one and leveled to the other ones. ;)

Very useful video chris cheers mate 👍

This video inspired me to find Nut Rocker by B Bumble and the Stingers.

Hi Chris, I’ve learned a lot of things with your videos but also I’ve seen that you always or most of times you work on electric guitars and I’m wondering, if it is in your future plans, to post videos about acoustic and acoustic electrics guitars as well. I am not a Luthier but I like to try to repair my guitars. I own 3 guitars, one with nylon 6 strings, a 6 string acoustic electric and an Ovation 1982 pacemaker 12 strings acoustic electric. Congrats, keep on doing what you really know and thanks for sharing you knowledge. Grettings from Valencia, Venezuela 🇻🇪

Another good one Chris!

Hi Chris, Where do you stand on the Levelling Beam vs Radius Block for levelling for normal radius guitars (not compound radius). Hope you're well. Love these vids.

I’m on the road but I made it

Nice video. Do you need to make the neck perfectly straight first or just at the relief you like to play at?

I often see fret leveling/crowning repair videos where each fret is masked off with Painters Tape placed perpendicular to the neck. I've been wondering for a while if running a couple of strips if Painters Tape over the frets, but parallel to the neck, matching the edges of the Tape so it doesn't overlap, might be an easier, faster, and perhaps more efficient way to identify, then level/crown high frets. Running a leveling beam or radiusing block over the Tape would leave a mark Tape without touching any of the frets that are not too high. One could also first put a Felt Marker black line on the Tape over each fret to make any sanded marks easier to see. What do you think?

hi,can you help us do a fret crowing file 's review on youtube

Is the glass half full? 😂😂

Chris, I have a question. Does SS fret wear down string faster than nickel one ? My logic is if SS fret is harder than strings, then the latter will get eaten by the former.