New Axis: open B string buzz... help (?)

[gregc]

My new Axis developed (actually it may have been there since new.... strings were cruddy and I knew it needed tweaking) a buzz, only on the open B string. The 1st fret & up is fine. What I've done:
new strings.
mid neck relief ~ .010
action 4/64" - 5/64" min., at 12th fret

I'd expect this to work fine. Hmmmm.... Maybe a high #1 fret, but the high E is OK (?) and the fret doesn't look high or unseated.
Maybe a low nut height.... but again, the high E is OK (?) I can make it buzz but I have to work to do it.
Perhaps buzzing along the side of nut slot somewhere? I'll have to look closer. I don't see any wear in the slot and no burrs or anomoly.... unless the casting was off (?)
I've reclamped the nut and retuned a few times. Perhaps I should try to seat the fret and/or shim the nut a touch(?) The 'treble side' of the nut is pretty low. Fretting the 3rd fret, the strings are almost lying on the 1st fret on the treble side. Very, very, VERY close... actually difficult to tell if there is a 'touch' there. The bass side looks and feels right.
I'm going to measure with a straight edge for a high #1 fret when I get home today and double-check exactly where the string id sitting in the nut slot. That's all I've got before thinking 'shim the height up a touch. I'm pretty sure it's coming from the 1st fret. Fretted there and up, I can't make it buzz at all.

Think I'm on the right track? I haven't had a locking trem in a long time....
What say yee?

Thanks,

 

[A.J.]

PM sent!

 

[ozzyrules]

PM sent!

Bam! There's your answer, customer service is the best!!

 

[gregc]

Yep. Good folk. Looking forward to resolving it. I'm sure we will sort it out. Stay tun'd!

 

[Greg Suarez]

Bam! There's your answer, customer service is the best!!

Hmm...

*ahem*

Help! Help! I have not received my completely 100% free Majesty 7-string in Arctic Dream!

 

[gregc]

Ok, axis fellas: does your trem sit like this one? I'm still on the hunt for an answer while I still can send this back should I have to.... And I don't want to have to. It looks like it may be pitched forward, though the rear is solidly decked. I wonder if some guitar center monkey, well, monkeyed with this?
Thanks!

 

[lessthanone]

raise those studs! The baseplate should be parallel to the body while it rests on it. Someone was obviously trying to lower the action but went about it the wrong way. You'll probably need to shim it once you have it set right

 

[Eric O'Reilly]

yes raise those, i hope those knife edges are ok. The bridge rests flat on the body.

 

[gregc]

Thing is brand new. I hope she's good. I do see a scratch around one of the posts. I'm waiting for customer service to look at the pics and chime in. Worst case, back to the retailer it goes and I'll find another one day. If I raise the nose on that bridge, the action is going to be quite high, I suspect. I don't want it any higher than it is now. I'm still hoping for the best!

 

[Foreman]

That's a horrible way to start out with a new guitar! Best of luck!

 

[gregc]

Probably seems worse than it is. I think it can be sorted without a huge effort. I am dying to play my new guitar though. My 6th sense tells me MM will hook me up with some good direction come Tuesday morn. They seem like a real good group. I'm waiting for a consult rather than going it alone or returning the guitar, for now.

 

[Firesource]

If you look at the place where the neck is mounted to the body, does the neck have an angle backwards like on a Les Paul? The angle should not be as great as on a LP, but if there is no angle at all, the action will be too high.

And yes, you need to raise the bridge studs, the baseplate of the bridge will have to sit parallel on top of the body.

Hope you get sorted this out

 

[lessthanone]

Thing is brand new. I hope she's good. I do see a scratch around one of the posts. I'm waiting for customer service to look at the pics and chime in. Worst case, back to the retailer it goes and I'll find another one day. If I raise the nose on that bridge, the action is going to be quite high, I suspect. I don't want it any higher than it is now. I'm still hoping for the best!

the studs need to go up, doesn't matter if its new or not, thats not the correct position for the bridge. If you dive that floyd down its probably going to start to gouge the body at the pivot points. You'll need to shim the neck pocket to get the action proper. Thats just how the axis is. Ive set up more of these than I can remember at this point

 

[gregc]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. Yea, I thought the pivot bolts needed to go up. That's why I shot & posted the pics. I haven't had a Floyd in a long time, and the ones I had always 'floated'. Of course, the bridges were always set perpendicular to the body. I'm going to wait to hear from AJ before going to work on it just to make sure the factory is OK with me dialing it in as I did just purchase it 'new'.
Thanks again for confirming my suspicions.

 

[Eric O'Reilly]

You need to raise the posts, loosen the trem claw to release the extra tension that is pulling it that way, and check the neck and make sure it is straight, I would loosen the claw first, then raise the posts, by doing that the bridge will sit flat and the action should lower, it probably feels very high because the back end of the bridge is abnormally high. Try that and see how it feels, but first and foremost listen to what AJ from customer service says, were all just offering our opinions, best of luck!

 

[AndyK]

The first rule of setting up an Axis/EVH is raise or lower the Floyd posts until the bridge sits FLAT on the body - forget about how high the action is. Once it's sitting flat and even, THEN you will have to shim the neck pocket to get the action where you want it.

That's just how these guitars need to be set up correctly.

PS--No need to LOOSEN the trem springs! If anything, once you raise the posts, you may have to tighten the spring claw, to keep the Floyd down on the deck.

 

[gregc]

OK. Quick lunch hour work.... detun'd; leveled the trem by raising the posts; yes, I did have to tighten the claw some afterwards; up to pitch and straighten the neck some... action is ~ just under 5/64" - just under 6/64" ... a little high, not horrible. Ran out of time at that point. I'll look more tonight. Anyway, I think the "B" was still a-buzz.... trem feels a whole lot better though, smooth now....
to be continued....

 

[AndyK]

A small shim (business card thickness) should be placed in the neck pocket on the pickup end. This will bring the action lower a bit.

Tip: Instead of de-tuning, what I do is:

Place the guitar face down on your work table/towel
While holding the guitar down, remove all trem springs
This will slacken all but the B and E strings, allowing you to remove the neck
Carefully loosen neck screws driving them out enough to release/remove the neck
Re-assemble in reverse order

Then, make SURE the trem is sitting flat on the body. Do a check by looking at the back of the trem as you dive it, and watch how both sides return. If the treble side returns first, the trem is not sitting straight and flat. This could be the cause of open string buzzing as the trem vibrates against the body.

 

[gregc]

Done! Set the base nice n ' level, replaced the center spring which looked different from the other two & 'out of sorts' (I have no idea), added shim the exact thickness of an index card (if you get my drift) to the existing one in the neck pocket, and reassembled. Intonated. Neck relief checks. It's now how it's supposed to be and I have real familiarity with the guitar. Whew! All is well that ends well. I figure it was a guitar center return or someone working there messed with it. It was worth my effort for the $ I saved on what I can call a sweet deal now. I love this EBMM Axis. Thanks, everyone!