Strat that will always rattle?

07 road house · April 22nd, 2009, 11:45 PM

Have you ever had a strat that no matter what you do to it, it just will not stop fret buzzing . I think it may be the radius. I have even thought of trying stainless steel strings to see if they will wear the fret wire down some. I guess I am just stuck with the buzz. I love the guitar but I am thinking of selling it because of my problem. If I sell it I guess I will have to change my name as it is my roadhouse. I talked to a guy about redoing the frets and it is going to be more money than I am willing to pay. I am sad that I may be getting rid of my favorite guitar that I have ever had

CandyAppleHead · April 23rd, 2009, 12:57 AM

Well, I've never played a Strat that didn't buzz a little, at least when played hard, so I kind of accept it.

Is the buzz on your Roadhouse really bad, or do you hear it when you hit the strings hard? Is it on all the strings? On my 3 Strats I get a bit of buzz on the low E and A strings when played hard, even though the action and relief are to Fender specs.

ActionFletch · April 23rd, 2009, 01:22 AM

It shouldn`t be that bad, and you should be able to get a luthier/guitar tech to set it up so it makes you happy.
At the risk of stating the obvious, are you sure its the frets? Check the spring cavity for anything loose, and (probably not though) in my case some strats have a wider than needed rout for the truss rod which can lead to a rattle. If this is the case, you will hear it by giving the back of the neck a rap with your knuckles, it won`t sound solid as it should. A luthier can fix this up by syringing some glue in. But get some pro advice from someone you trust!

Offshore Angler · April 23rd, 2009, 07:46 AM

Can you hear it through the amp? That's what matters. A little string slap is normal. String slap is not the same as a buzz. Another problem we see is using 5 strings and floating the trem. The springs get close to being coil bound, and will rattle. A solution for this is to cut strips of foam an insert them into the insides of the springs. Truss rods, yes, I've run into that rarely, but it has a unique sound.

If it is a buzz, and it happens everywhere, I'd suspect the nut.

Sprocket · April 23rd, 2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07 road house

I think it may be the radius.

Go to pickguardian and print out a radius guage, lay it acrossed the strings near the bridge, and adjust the saddles accordingly...itll follow the radius of the frets, you should be good to go afterwards, if not you may need to adjust the relief of the neck.

Epinez · April 23rd, 2009, 11:22 AM

i had an 07 roadhouse. It was a nice looking strat, but i hated the nearly flat frets (supposedly medium jumbo), and the constant fret-buzzing i was getting from it. It had a hump in the neck right around the 2-3rd frets, and when I bought it I didn't know enough to pick it off. There was nothing I could do to get it to stop buzzing - but even it was barely noticeable through an amp. I sold it and now that I've felt "tall frets" I'll never go back to small ones again. Bending is just so much easier now.

07 road house · April 23rd, 2009, 07:14 PM

It is the frets and it is the low e and a. I actually am thinking of trading it off. It is a 600dollar guitar new and I dont want to have to spend another 100 to 150 bucks on it just to make it not rattle. I would not want to put 700 bucks in a guitar that has about 450 street value, that does not seem smart to me. I bought a MIM tele for 279.00 and it is very usable. I am just discusted with this guitar.

sevycat · April 23rd, 2009, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07 road house

It is the frets and it is the low e and a. I actually am thinking of trading it off. It is a 600dollar guitar new and I dont want to have to spend another 100 to 150 bucks on it just to make it not rattle. I would not want to put 700 bucks in a guitar that has about 450 street value, that does not seem smart to me. I bought a MIM tele for 279.00 and it is very usable. I am just discusted with this guitar.

Based on what I have read, I certainly understand where your comming from. At a certain point, if I am not happy with an instrument, I will get rid of it as well.

That being said, I wish you well with your new guitar.

stratluvr · April 23rd, 2009, 09:31 PM

I would bet a fret leveling is in order..

Sleepy · April 24th, 2009, 09:09 AM

have you tired raising the low E and A strings.
It can't hurt, you got nothing to loose by adjusting it, especially if your just gonna sell it anyway.

two of your quotes:
I am sad that I may be getting rid of my favorite guitar that I have ever had.

and

I am just discusted with this guitar.

I think you may need to meditate on this issue. You sound to be torn in some way.
Good luck

Sprocket · April 24th, 2009, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07 road house

It is the frets and it is the low e and a. I actually am thinking of trading it off. It is a 600dollar guitar new and I dont want to have to spend another 100 to 150 bucks on it just to make it not rattle. I would not want to put 700 bucks in a guitar that has about 450 street value, that does not seem smart to me. I bought a MIM tele for 279.00 and it is very usable. I am just discusted with this guitar.

How old is it and where did you get it?
I guess why Im asking is...why havent you returned it?

BTW, have you figured out which fret it is?
Does it do it to all 6 strings?

Strat-Man-Do · April 24th, 2009, 09:32 AM

I would straighten your Truss Rod to bring your neck dead straight. Then with a straight edge check and see where your at with your frets being leveled. Sounds to me like a crown and level with the frets is in order.

Another option which i think is a inexpensive route is to add a All-Parts neck. I've found their necks to be extrodinary. And yout talking $175. new for a finished neck. So there comes a diliemma on if you should crown and level or add a new neck. "IF" the neck has a hump somewhere in it? Then you might want to go with another neck. If the neck simply needs fret leveling? Its certainly easier to go this route. What comes into play is if you do your own work or not. Simply put.............the work needed is basically Labor not parts. But a US Fender neck isn't the place to learn how to crown and level.

Lot of things to think about? Do you like the shape of the US fender neck? Being a modern C with a 9.5 radius and M-J frets its certainly a popular set-up. I like a 12 radius with a larger C shape like a early 61 which btw was also a Slab Board style neck.

But the buzz isn't due to the radius and fret style. Those were picked especially for that model Strat to eliminate fret buzz caused by a 7.25 vintage radius with Vintage style frets which are lower and thinner. The lower the radius the more rounded it is, in other words a 9.5 would be rounder than a 12 which is a flatter radius. Thus eliminating fretting out with big bends.

Its also a good idea to have the original neck and a totally original Strat. Especially with the Roadhouse. Since thats a discontinued model [only nade outside the US now] they have been at least holding their value and in many case's going up. Especially the Hot Rodded models with the upgraded ASH 2-piece bodys? I have seen them regular for over $1000. Good Luck with your neck!!!!!

Strat-Man-Do · April 24th, 2009, 09:37 AM

Also when you say Buzz? Do you actually hit a note on the board that won't ring out? It just gives a BUZZ without any note being detectable? If this is the case then your talking about ONE FRET being the issue.

Sleepy · April 24th, 2009, 09:39 AM

can you post some pictures of the guitar with shots of the neck from the side and of the bridge and nut?

Close ups if you could.

Offshore Angler · April 24th, 2009, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07 road house

It is the frets and it is the low e and a...

Well then fix it. For crying in the sink, the amount of work it would take to fix is less time then you have spent typing about it. If you like the guitar, fix it. If you are really just trying to talk yourself into trading it, then do that.

Sprocket · April 24th, 2009, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07 road house

It is the frets and it is the low e and a.

Excuse me for pointing out the obvious...but low E and A are strings, not frets...if the frets were bad(high or low) just about all the other strings would have issue as well.
If it is a fret, keep playing that string and work your way up down the fret board till you hear which fret(or frets) it is, you might even be able to sight it down the side of the fingerboard.
BTW did you happen to change strings recently, maybe a different gauge?

1962dguitargeek · April 25th, 2009, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07 road house

Have you ever had a strat that no matter what you do to it, it just will not stop fret buzzing . I think it may be the radius. I have even thought of trying stainless steel strings to see if they will wear the fret wire down some. I guess I am just stuck with the buzz. I love the guitar but I am thinking of selling it because of my problem. If I sell it I guess I will have to change my name as it is my roadhouse. I talked to a guy about redoing the frets and it is going to be more money than I am willing to pay. I am sad that I may be getting rid of my favorite guitar that I have ever had

The radius will not make it buzz.

You are NOT stuck with it.

Even brand new guitars should have a fret leveling & crown. This is NOT the same as a refret.

I'm willing to bet that with a PROPER setup (nut, truss adjustment, action) and a fret leveling you will be veryyyy happy with it!

You would have to do this with any guitar really. If you like the one you have it would be worth it.

Offshore Angler · April 25th, 2009, 12:01 PM

You should learn to do your own work. Like I posted in another thread, I can do a complete refret job with planing the board for about $15US. It takes about 3 or four hours.

I'm getting ready to do another one, maybe I'll post pics of the process. If you can hit a nail with a hammer you have all the skills you need.

1962dguitargeek · April 25th, 2009, 01:24 PM

Hi Road House

Here's a great place to start learning how to DYI. Once you get the tools & get proficient at leveling, refrts etc. you can actually make some $$ doing it for others!

CAUTION!!!

It's VERY addictive!! Hard to stop once you get going.

07 road house · April 25th, 2009, 03:32 PM

Ok last night I did it I leveled the frets. I got almost all fret buzz gone and the little that is left is not bad at all. Thanks for the comments

Offshore Angler · April 25th, 2009, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07 road house

Ok last night I did it I leveled the frets. I got almost all fret buzz gone and the little that is left is not bad at all. Thanks for the comments

Cool. Surprising how easy it is, isn't it?

CandyAppleHead · April 25th, 2009, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07 road house

Ok last night I did it I leveled the frets. I got almost all fret buzz gone and the little that is left is not bad at all. Thanks for the comments

That, ladies and gentlemen, is a result. Nice one!

Sleepy · April 26th, 2009, 10:04 AM

Yeah!