Fret buzz ONLY at first fret?

[waylay00]

Well, I've been setting up my newly purchased RG770FM, but I'm encountering some fretbuzz problems at the 1st (and on one string, the 2nd) fret. I usually like about .4mm of relief, but to get rid of this, I have to go to about .7. It's not a nut height issue, and my action is the same on my other guitars.

What could be the problem? I highly doubt is is the frets, as this guitar was barely played by the previous owner, who never played it over these past 17 years.

Like I said though, it seems as if the only way I can fix it is by adding relief. But I really don't like that much relief.

I've been reading about the scarf joint and how sometimes, it will shrink, causing some backbow around the first few frets. Could this be it?

[ibanez2005]

Try adjusting the truss rod a touch, the neck might be bowing back too much.

[gmoney3]

you need to turn the truss rod a bit to move the neck forward, then to counter it screw down the bridge a little lower to make the adjustment.

[waylay00]

Yeah, but by the time I do that, I start getting buzz around the 15th fret. The action there is fine, it's just that I don't like so much bow around the middle of the board (frets 4-9)

[waylay00]

Anyone have any thoughts as to the scarf-joint-itis, as Rich calls it?

[waylay00]

Ok I got a second pair of eyes to look at it, and we both think that it is a tad warped right above the scarf-joint. Like I said, if I adjust the truss rod to get rid of it, I end up getting WAY too much relief down the middle of the board.

Would a simple fret level remedy this, or is something more complicated needed?

[David McCarroll]

Originally Posted by waylay00

Ok I got a second pair of eyes to look at it, and we both think that it is a tad warped right above the scarf-joint. Like I said, if I adjust the truss rod to get rid of it, I end up getting WAY too much relief down the middle of the board.

Would a simple fret level remedy this, or is something more complicated needed?

If you are not getting the results you want with the truss rod, then a fret level is yer next step.

[jim777]

It sounds to me like the 2nd fret is sitting a hair too high.

[Rich]

1st fret buzz guys!!

Raise the nut until you get rid of the buzz.

Now the second fret buzz when fretting the first is your issue. If there is too much relief when that single string that chokes on the second clears up then a stressted fret level in required to eliminate it. Considering it's only one note perfect frets may not be that important. Worse cases of "itis would require more drastic action depending on how deep the cut required to eliminate it.

[waylay00]

Hmm, yeah, I'm not getting any open string buzz problems though, just problems when I fret any note at the first fret and some at the second fret. So this would mean that the buzz is actually occurring at the second and third frets, right? This is what lead me to think that the problem was not nut height.

I should have originally posted that I'm getting bad buzz when I fret a note at the first fret, not that the buzz is actually AT the first fret. Sorry if I'm confusing anyone, just wanted to clarify what I had previously said.

Thanks

[Rich]

Definitely scarf-joint-itis or stored neck disease, both end up pretty much with the same result.

[waylay00]

Originally Posted by Rich

Definitely scarf-joint-itis or stored neck disease, both end up pretty much with the same result.

Are the effects of both curable by a fret level?

[Rich]

Depends on how bad they are.

[waylay00]

It's not too terribly bad, so I hope so. What if that couldn't be done? Would I need a new neck?

Thanks,
Wade

[Rich]

Then you have to have the frets pulled and the board leveled to get rid of it. Then refretted etc.