Help! MM EVH: B and E strings sound like a sitar

[Noe5]

Hi all,
Newbie to this forum needs help!
I have an old EVH and I have recently changed the nut because I assumed the B and E strings had cut a second slot into the nut and I was getting buzz/sitar sounds on the open strings quite audible through an amp.
I organized a new nut and did the switch and the problem is still there.
I am now assuming it is the trem bridge pieces. before I go and do anythng more, I was hoping to get a bit of advice from you all, in case you have experienced a similar problem before.
Cheers,

Noe5

 

[KoreyD]

Does that have a Floyd Rose? If so, I have no idea. If it's a standard Trem, I'd make sure nothing is obviously loose (bridge, tuners), then do a fresh set-up if you feel comfortable doing so. Did you throw some fresh strings on it? Otherwise, it's off to someone for help, which is not an easy task (good help is hard to find!). Believe me, I have a guitar that has some bum sounds right now and it's driving me crazy! I've given up on outside help at this point, I'm gonna' figure this out if it kills me! Good luck.

 

[crywolf71]

Does the sound occur on fretted notes or open string notes? Could it be the neck tension is to high.

 

[Spudmurphy]

I'd slacken the truss rod slightly, thereby giving the neck a bit of relief - see how that goes.

Don't be put off by adjusting it.

Turn the wheel as if you were taking the wheel off but only a quarter turn at a time.

Let us know how you get on?

 

[Sigmunds Couch]

Give EB customer service a call. They'll get your answer.

 

[candid_x]

If it's buzzing in the low frets, the neck needs more relief. High frets, less relief.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Could there be a high fret somewhere along the line?

 

[MrMusashi]

id take mr couch's advice and have a chat with customer service!

impossible to do magic via internet diagnostics it is

MrM

 

[douglasspears]

My EVH has been doing this too a bit....it started with the hi E, now the B string is starting to do this a bit. The problem is the Floyd saddle. It's developed a tiny wear mark or something right there in the saddle where the string rests. I have yet to look too deeply into it, or fix it (been playing my Axis SS recently), but I would guess if you grabbed the string 1 inch from the bridge and moved it back and forth, you'd hear the string "skip" over the imperfect/wear mark in the saddle. That's where my problem is, NOT the frets. I am thinking the saddle can be (very finely) filed smooth...or maybe the saddle(s) can be replaced.

 

[hbucker]

My EVH tends to do this too. It's a nut thing but I'm not exactly sure what the problem is. I shimmed the nut so it tips back a little bit and it seemed to help. I originally though it was fretting out on the 1st fret but that is not the problem.

Good to know I'm not the only one.

 

[douglasspears]

My EVH tends to do this too. It's a nut thing

No it's not. Noe5 ruled out the nut by replacing his, and my problem is not the nut either. It does the "sitar" thing on fretted notes....which rules out the nut. It's not a fret thing either, I've raised the action and still have the issue. I just don't want any damage done while getting it fixed, that's why I've put off getting it fixed for a while.

 

[hbucker]

Fair enough. It's a nut thing on my EVH. I clearly wouldn't want to speak for yours.

 

[douglasspears]

Fair enough. It's a nut thing on my EVH. I clearly wouldn't want to speak for yours.

And to be clear, I wouldn't want to speak to your's NOT being a nut problem. Just sayin, in terms of Noe5's problem/this thread topic, I don't think we're dealing with a nut problem. Mine and Noe5's appear to be a saddle problem.

Now that I think about it, even outside of this thread, I NEVER want to have to deal with a Nut problem!?!?

 

[Stevie]

I had the same problem on my Axis. My solution was, at the nut, there was a small burr that was cut back with a dremmal tool, it also provided a more secure home for the string to be housed in. That helped a bit, then the sitar sound came back...not as bad, so i switched the saddles, e.g. high E with low E and that worked to the point that i'm happy now. I made no adjustments to the truss as none were needed.

Check the site for other discussions on the famous sitar sound remedies...