Help! Albert Lee HH Setup

[Phrat]

Hi chaps

Not been round here for a long time but despite being tempted by the dark side, I have kept my ALHH which still remains my workhorse and go-to baby

I have a small request for help. I have noticed recently the top E and B string are a bit buzzy. It's not normal sounding buzz but more like a 'sitar' effect. I have raised the action at the saddles a little and also adjusted the neck relief a little but it's come back. Anyone got an idea what it might be? Does it just need a professional setup (after 3 years of gigging I expect this might be the answer)

Phrat


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[beej]

The usual answer is setup- fret buzz, due to relief/saddle height/worn frets. However, that may not necessarily be it. Other obvious sources of buzz could be the nut (gunk build-up- cleaned off, or lightly sanded off) or possibly the saddle, if there's a small burr there (you can polish that out).

I'd start with a setup from somebody who's knowledgeable and go from there. If you have a go at it yourself, try and work out when it happens (e.g. only when the strings are open, only in a certain fret range, etc.).

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hey Phrat - nice to "see" you back!!!
I'm leaning to the dark side too after buying a bass last week.

It's strange that you should mention this because I had just the same thing on my Hardtail albert this week - must be the climate in the UK?

I cured it in minutes and this is how I did it.
I took a piece of 2000 grit wet and dry and used the thinnest of my plectrums just to polish the nut slot. With this grade of paper you are not removing any material just polishing the nut really. - still sounded like Ravi!
The action was really low so I just slackened the truss rod a fraction - quarter turn, no more.
Next, I raised the saddle - a minute amount - you could hardly here the increase in the pitch of the note.

- Job done and plays like a dream.

 

[Phrat]

Cheers spud, I will give that a go. I think it just needs some love

 

[Spudmurphy]

Cheers spud, I will give that a go. I think it just needs some love

Cool - let us know how you got on?

 

[coldsummer]

I've noticed that all of my EBMM guitars with vintage type saddles are susceptible to buzziness on the high E and B. Not normal fret buzz but the sitar/harmonic type of overtone. I've managed to minimise this on most but it always remains unless the action is ridiculously high. I've learned to live with it but it would be great to completely eradicate it because I find myself listening for it now. Playing technique has an effect too, and a cleaner plectrum technique is helpful.

I agree with Spud, cleaning the nut slot is the first place to start, I cured 80% of the problem on my Reflex by cleaning out the nut slot. The other option is to change the saddles to solid steel ones which I did with my Silo but this does tend to 'darken' the tone and I quite like the lively sound of the vintage saddles. A happy compromise is the objective.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Interesting - FWIW my Albert has titanium saddles

 

[coldsummer]

Interesting - FWIW my Albert has titanium saddles

I've heard they are good, do you remember where you got yours Spud?