How to get Lower Action in my RG2550EX... Help

[extremist777]

I've read the tutorials on this, but even i set a low action (not as low as i want) the G string keeps buzzin' (it's not a big buzz, but it kills sustain)... is this a fret problem ?

[Mission1979]

This must be a common problem, i've just fitted a new neck to my universe, originally everything was okay but the trem was well into the body so I shimmed the neck to bring the fretboard level up, thus allow the trem to be wound out a little. This allowed the action to come down at the same time. But now I have the buzzing on the G string, mostly when fretting at the 12th fret with the action high, if I drop the action I get it at the 8th and the 12th. The truss rod is just nipped up so cannot get any more bow. someone sugested I shimmed the G saddle but that seems a bit over the top and should be something that a decent setup would cure. I am an not a tech, but have managed to set a RG1570 and a Jem up so the have very low action very little bow with no buzz anywhere!

Someone must have a cure to this if two people are having the same problem at the same time!!

[extremist777]

i want to know if my guitar needs some fretwork or what, i've read about neck shime, i don't think that is the problem and i am not even sure if it can be done to this guitat model.

[Mission1979]

Dont thinks its a shim thing. I shimmed mine to get bridge up a bit. I 've just been messing with my guitar got rid of buzz but action is now silly. I'm hoping that as my neck is new it doesn't need fret work. I think most Ibanez necks are shimmed. If you look at where the fretboard on the bass side runs down the body you should be able to see a taper of maple (the neck) thickening towards the bridge. Only slightly but this indicates a shim. My Jem and RG both do this. Now my universe does too.

[Dee]

Originally Posted by extremist777

i want to know if my guitar needs some fretwork or what, i've read about neck shime, i don't think that is the problem and i am not even sure if it can be done to this guitat model.

Any bolt-on neck can be shimmed.

[LonePhantom]

I have the saddle for the G string shimmed on my custom for this very same problem. No reason why you shouldn't try it. I've just used a small piece of emery paper.

[extremist777]

Originally Posted by LonePhantom

I have the saddle for the G string shimmed on my custom for this very same problem. No reason why you shouldn't try it. I've just used a small piece of emery paper.

Is there any tutorial on how to do this ? Or can you explain me exactly how to do it ?

[LonePhantom]

Cut a small thin slice of emery paper, loosen off your saddle, stick the emery paper under the saddle at the end closest to the pickup.

[extremist777]

Originally Posted by LonePhantom

Cut a small thin slice of emery paper, loosen off your saddle, stick the emery paper under the saddle at the end closest to the pickup.

You mean small "just at the end of the saddle" or under almost the half of the saddle ??

[Mission1979]

I restrung my UV, didn't alter anything, neck was already shimmed from a previous setup and it almost eliminated my fret buzz problem, you can't hear it through the amp and it isn't chocking the string at all.

Try it, you never know!!!

[extremist777]

Also, which string gauge do you recommend to reduce string buzz ??

[Mission1979]

Well I use 9's on my guitars, always have.

Think all Ibanez guitar come set up with them, changing gauge means trem and truss road adjustment and possibly intonation too. It has been mentioned before on this site that the standard packaging of string is wrong and that ideally a different make up should be used to try to get all the string operating at as close as possible the same tension. Using the standard variation you will see that tension amount go up and down in an uneven spread. Maybe this contributes to the fret buzz question!

The easiest thing to do is just go to your local music shop get three packs of d'addario XL 9's (3 for £9.99 at sound control) change your strings one at a time so you don't upset anything, give them a good stretch as you wind them on, get them in tune, then stretch them some more retune. See how it goes!!

[LonePhantom]

Originally Posted by extremist777

You mean small "just at the end of the saddle" or under almost the half of the saddle ??

Just under the end, the slice only needs to be as thick as maybe 3-4mm and about the width of the saddle.

[JTM45]

Another good (and cheap!) thing to use for saddle shims is the aluminum they make Coke cans from.
You can cut it to shape very easily with a scissors and it's nice and thin too.If you need more thickness just use a few stacked up.

[buddroyce]

If it's only buzzing on ON or two strings at the same fret, you might just need a good fret leveling. All the neck adjustments ain't going to help you a whole lot if one or two frets are a little higher than the rest.