I love musicman guitars but...........

[mesavox]

First things first... did you adjust the trus rod, spring claw, and check the nut to see if it needs filed?

Truss rod and spring claw are ok but the nut i don't know, good point...i'm going to check the nut...thanks for the advice

Unless there is something else wrong (ie twisted neck or something like that), the truss rod is very likely not ok for that gauge of strings. If it doesn't buzz freely, the action is likely ok. Sometimes bigger gauges need to be higher because there is more mass so it will buzz a bit when vibrating freely. You are describing a fretting out when bending. Raising the action would probably fix this to some degree, but if you like the action where it is and it doesn't buzz when not bending, AND it didn't with 9s, I can't imagine that this is a problem that cannot be fixed by tweaking the trus rod.

I feel like a broken record, but I'm just not buying this radius argument that luthier made.

 

[mesavox]

Nevertheless, listen to what Tommy says. It's not every day you get advice from Steve Morse's tech.

I started my reply and had to finish it later so I didn't even see Tommy's post until now... SO...

allow me to reemphasise the above quote... since you seem unwilling to hear what we have to say about it not being the radius and that you need to adjust things.... do listen to him. lol

 

[Headstock]

22 replies in. I will say what was said in post #7 contact customer service for assistance. They are best equipped to help you actually resolve your issue. If you're into the discussion/conversation/speculation, then as you were.

 

[Kaloyan]

My opinion:
Go to another 'luthier' for a second opinion. Just give him the guitar without explaining what you think and what issues you have. Ask what is it that he thinks about the instrument and what is it that he suggests and then depending on his 'conclusion'/'treatment' you could share your problem. I am not coaching you neither underestimating your intelligence but you 'never know until you find out'

My feeling is that the saddles of your bridge have never been adjusted properly to the radius of your neck and your 'thinner' strings weren't buzzing because of the wire's diameter so in a 'full' bend the string doesn't reach a different fret to create buzzing. Now you went to thicker strings and you encounter the problem.


1) I'd see whether all my frets are even on the fretboard (on my SUB1 they weren't) and have a fret job done (it runs between $20-$30) and includes set-up (at least around Chicago)
2) I'd check to see what my neck looks like (whether it's adjusted properly)
3) I'd see what my bridge saddles look like (whether they 'follow' the neck radius)

After that your luthier could jump to conclusions. Filing the fretboard is ridiculous! You are better off selling it and buying a different model EBMM.

Question: When you bend the string ('full' bend or 'half') do you encounter the tone of your guitar to be sounding like an octave (or a major interval) higher or it's just buzzing without sound? On which strings/frets do you encounter that? That would explain a lot! Good luck and I hope that helps. If it didn't - EBMM Customer Service But do not rush with modifications suggested by a World Unknown Luthiers. Best of luck!

 

[beej]

you simply need a fret dressing and pro setup.

Listen to Tommy. He's one of the best.

 

[Big Poppa]

sell the guitar.


how come Ive been in this business for 43 years and never heard this until this post. You know the saying "What do you call the guy who came in last9n class in med school? Doctor!" With techs it is a self annointed title...there is no school and the average does more harm than good......Please dont get me wrong there are some very good techs out there but how do you know?

 

[Jack FFR1846]

Jim,

I have an 04 Sub 1 and play "Can't Stop" by Red Hot Chili Peppers and in the lead, there's a full 2 tone bend (around the 12th fret....maybe 14th...16....I don't have my guitar at work) and I don't get buzzing. I will say that I love to figure out stuff (I'm an engineer) and do my own setups. Part of my requirement when doing the setup is that there can't be buzz in anything I play. I also am currently running 10's on the guitar.

Another thing to mention is that you can get buzzing when playing the guitar acoustically that will not come through an amp. If you want low action, you have to keep that in mind.

 

[jim_messina]

Jim,


Another thing to mention is that you can get buzzing when playing the guitar acoustically that will not come through an amp. If you want low action, you have to keep that in mind.

AHHH!!! OK
i understand now, actually the buzzing trouble is only when i play acoustically and sometimes with the clean channel...LOL!
thanks for all the comments.

 

[nobozos]

Let me apologize in advance if your last post wasn't meant to be sarcastic.

Dude, all of us here are just trying to help you. We are providing advice to you based on our years of personal and collective experience. You can choose to trust this "luthier", who stands to gain financially by convincing you to alter your guitar's radius, or you can choose to listen to us, who stand to gain nothing with whatever you decide to do.

If you want to ruin your guitar, feel free. Just remember when you are paying the bill, we all told you that it was something that could have been fixed for under $60.

 

[koogie2k]

I would listen to tommyindelaware as said before. He is Steve mores's guitar tech. Need I say more. Better yet, listen to pops and sell it. I might buy it from you.

 

[jamminjim]

I dont think he was being sarcastic....

 

[jim_messina]

I would listen to tommyindelaware as said before. He is Steve mores's guitar tech. Need I say more. Better yet, listen to pops and sell it. I might buy it from you.

JAjajaja no way...i'm not going to sell!

And i'm not being sarcastic...i understand now, the " problem " is normal when the guitar is unplugged.

 

[nobozos]

Sorry man. The way that it looked, it could have gone either way. Anyway, we're here to help. Didn't mean to come off as un-neccessarily confrontational there.

 

[Kaloyan]

I think he received plenty of information from all the aspects of the problem he has encountered. I still wonder whether a resolution is on the way