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Author Topic:  Bad string buzz
Jason Holt

 

From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2018 8:31 am    
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Hey guys I'm new to the pedal steel and I have a problem with my guitar. I bought a Carter starter a few weeks ago and everything has been fine with it until yesterday. Every string except the third string is buzzing. The third string sounds kinda dead but it's not buzzing. It just started doing it out of the blue. I changed the third string but haven't messed with the others. The guy that sold me the guitar said he had new strings put on it but who knows. Any ideas?
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Ricky Davis


From:
Bertram, Texas USA
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2018 10:14 am    
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WEll my guess is it's the Rollers at the keyhead? Drop a bead of 3 & 1 oil right on top of each roller...that will drip to each side of roller and quiet the wiggle/buzz of the roller.
Ricky
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Jason Holt

 

From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2018 9:50 am    
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Well I changed the strings and oiled the rollers and it's still buzzing.
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2018 9:51 am    
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Are you sure it's the guitar and not your amplifier, speaker or electronics?
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Jason Holt

 

From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2018 10:04 am    
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Yes it does it unplugged as well
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Fred Treece


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2018 10:08 am    
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The nut rollers on my Stage One have some side-to-side movement in their slots. This causes what sounds like string buzz, but is actually the roller vibrating laterally in the slot right after the string is picked. It is an annoyance at low volume and I am sure has an effect on the sustain and tone quality. My million dollar solution is to put pencil erasers between the strings behind the nut. It stabilizes the rollers and prevents a noticeable unpleasant harmonic ringing tone.

This may be the same problem the OP is having. I am open to suggestions as well.
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2018 10:10 am    
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I see. It's not unusual for some light buzzing unplugged, but if it's the same condition as plugged in, I don't know what would cause all the strings to buzz other than some loose parts i.e. the peghead mounting, changer etc.

Give it a little time post Ricky's oiling suggestion to see if it cleans up first.

Maybe have someone look at it if you know of any steelers close to you.
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Jason Holt

 

From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2018 10:17 am    
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I will give the oil some time. 5,6,8 and 10 are the problem right now. I don't know if it makes a difference or not but it only does it with the bar. No buzzing what so ever on open strings.
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Dick Wood


From:
Springtown Texas, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2018 10:25 am    
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Are you using a standard set of steel guitar strings .012-.038?
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2018 10:37 am    
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Ahh...Well, if it doesn't buzz on open strings and only with bar use, then maybe not a mechanical problem.

Many guitars require slightly more bar pressure at the first fret near the roller nut. Maybe re-examine your bar holding technique in general.
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Fred Treece


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2018 10:40 am    
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Or maybe a dinged-up bar?
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Jason Holt

 

From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2018 11:03 am    
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I'm using standard strings. It may be the bar it came with the guitar.
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Fred Treece


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2018 11:21 am    
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One email response from Doug Earnest regarding the difficulties I have mentioned and they have been resolved: More pressure with ring & pinky fingers behind the bar. It doesn’t take much pressure, but it has to be done, and it has to be done accurately. Gets rid of the harmonics and the roller movement. Thanks, Doug!
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