Have you played your guitar so hard that, instead of the sound, all you hear is a BZZZZ!! I know I have, and it isn't enjoyable, to be honest. While guitarists have used this to their advantage, not many appreciate the quirky sound. Let's learn how to get rid of fret buzz.
What is Fret Buzz? Fret buzz is an annoying sound that results when your strings move against the fret on the fretboard instead of over them.
Why Is It Caused? Fret buzz isn't a single-origin problem. It may stem from something related to your technique, like fretting fingers, heavy-hitting, or changing your guitar strings. Or something a bit more technical like uneven frets, string action or neck relief. There are plenty of reasons why your guitar might buzz. Whatever they may be, we will look at some common solutions to these problems.
6 Ways to Get Rid of Fret Buzz
1. Place Your Fingers Properly You can solve the fretting fingers by placing your fingers at the right angle, i.e., leaning towards the higher frets is eminent. Practice this from the moment you start learning basic guitar chords. Read: 8 Guitar Chords you must know to become a pro guitarist, to check them out. Also, if you keep your fingers too far from the fret, it will buzz. Your fingers should be right behind the fret, not too far, not too close.
2. Avoid Hitting the Strings too Hard Be gentle with your strumming, don't hit them too hard, or else the strings, your hands, and the guitar will suffer damage. If you strum the strings too hard, it will lead to more vibration than required. And more vibration will cause way more issues than just buzzing. It will lead to bad setup, poor intonation, damage to the fretboard, and much more.
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3. Stick to One Brand and Gauge of Strings It will take a lot of trial and error to find the perfect gauge that fits your comfort, but stick to the brand when you do. Don't change your string brand or gauges until you feel the absolute necessity. Read: How Often to Change Guitar Strings to know more about changing your strings. Different string gauge releases an additional amount of tension and hence changes the shape of the neck. Once you change the string, all you need to do is make proper adjustments accordingly and the problem will be solved.
4. Make Sure all Your Frets are in Level If your frets differ in size, ask a professional guitar mechanic to do a fret levelling, you wouldn't want to be doing this by yourself. As you plug the strings, it causes vibrations, and if there is a difference in the fret level, the more extended frets will disturb the vibration and result in the buzzing of sound. Hence all frets should be at the same level.
5. Adjust the String Action First, loosen up the strings to release the tension on the neck of the guitar and then tighten them up. It's more trial and error until you get the proper tension and the action, on those strings. This is why most guitarists stick to one brand when buying new strings. Keep in mind that too much tension can cause a back bow and compromise the whole setup.
6. Get a Guitar Case to Protect the Stings and the Neck If your strings are too low or high, it can cause stress to the guitar neck, resulting in buzzing. If you don't store your guitar in its case, there are chances of damage to the neck. The shift in humidity and temperature can result in damage to the neck. If it's minor damage, you can fix the neck relief by adjusting the truss rod. Fix it by minute adjustment, then try again. To learn more on this topic, check out this video.
FAQs Is a slight string buzz acceptable? A slight string buzz on the low action strings is acceptable, and most importantly, it is normal in acoustic guitar. You cannot have a guitar that is entirely buzz-free. So please don't bother trying to get a guitar that is 100% buzz-free; it is a sonic instrument and will vibrate no matter what. Why does my guitar stop buzzing when I touch it? This is due to grounding issues. A Ground Connection connects every piece of metal on your guitar and acts as a return path to the amp. You'll need to sort this issue out under professional guidance. In the case of electric guitars, you should check this after you have plugged in the amp.
Conclusion If nothing works out, take your guitar to its doctor. Buzzing is something you can't avoid altogether. So try to minimize it but don't go mad over it With proper management and care of your guitar, you can get rid of fret buzz. The buzzing aside, all this discussion will be in vain if you don't play or practice guitar. So hopefully, the next time you come here, you'll be playing and practicing the guitar with all your heart. Until then, goodbye and good day to you. P.S. Let us know if you found this helpful; write in the comments.
