Is a little fret buzz normal if you play quite aggressively?

markblack

Over the last few months I've changed to a firmer pick and I know started to play with a bit more of a heavy hand. I'm noticing more fret buzz. I have my action high-ish (I think) around 3mm on the low E at the 12th.

Is a little buzz just something you have to live with if you play this way - or would a set up with this type of playing in mind be worth getting done?

I also play without a pick and that's buzz free.

any thoughts / opinions much appreciated.

Bridgehouse

You might need a little relief..

markblack

@Bridgehouse I'll quit my job see if the the fret buzz goes away

Bridgehouse

markblack said:

@Bridgehouse I'll quit my job see if the the fret buzz goes away

Lol. I meant that your fretboard might be a bit flat and a truss rod tweak will help.

But quitting your job might have the same effect

markblack

@Bridgehouse I have tried that - I've also spent a good few hours watching set up vids. All seems to be in OK shape. The guiar had a set up no too long ago, I checked for high frets as well and all seem good.

Bridgehouse

Where abouts is the buzzing? Low frets, high frets or all over?

markblack

@Bridgehouse high frets - around 11th and up, only on the low E and A

rico

It could be fret slap? Just a function of aggressive picking...

SteveRobinson

I was going to suggest raising the action but 3mm is pretty high already! 

You might just have to live with it or change your technique.

Bridgehouse

Sounds like fret slap if it's high up on the low strings. You could try a higher gauge? What you got on at the mo?

mike_l

Ease up on your picking, you're not trying to destroy the strings.

If you can play softly without buzz it's down to how you're playing.

guitarfishbay

My action ranges between 2mm and 2.5mm for low strings depending on the guitar IIRC.  I will get some fret buzz if I smash it but if I play normally it's fine.  3mm seems high.

Be aware if you're picking super hard with a stiff pick you also might be making notes go sharp.  One option is to try a thinner pick.  Several metal guys have been using very thin picks in recent years because of this.  You can get a nice snappy attack but without sending everything really sharp because the pick will flex.  A .60 or .73 Tortex 3 is a good start, some guys even use the .50 (but anyone coming from a thick pick will probably find that like playing with a piece of paper at first).

markblack

Thanks all - a few suggestions to try I've dug out a few lighter picks so I'll work on that area first.

bobliefeld

Do you hear it through your amp ?

markblack

@bobliefeld at the moment I'm helix and headphones. I've also just switched to openback headphones which sound great but do allow a lot of ambient noise in and out. So at lower volumes you can hear the guitar acoustically. Might try the old closed back ones I have.

blueskunk

I love a wee bit of fret slap when battering my tele. 

Bridgehouse

blueskunk said:

I love a wee bit of fret slap when battering my tele. 

Steady...

richardhomer

Generally problems higher up the neck are down to too much relief and low saddle height.

My preference is the neck set almost straight and the saddles set higher.

3mm is really high on an electric guitar, so it may well be a technique issue.

markblack

Had a bit of a tweak. dropped down to 2mm, using a lighter pick. Seem to be getting somewhere.

@richardhomer I've done quite a bit of homework before I started adjusting truss rods. 9 out of 10 people seem to say have a bit of relief on the the neck, what's your thoughts on a straighter neck just out of interest.

SteveRobinson

With a 2mm action you can probably get away with a straight neck so long as your frets are level.

I generally set the neck almost straight then introduce more relief as required until the first few frets are rattle free.

richardhomer

markblack said:

@richardhomer I've done quite a bit of homework before I started adjusting truss rods. 9 out of 10 people seem to say have a bit of relief on the the neck, what's your thoughts on a straighter neck just out of interest.

None of my guitars (except a resonator set up for slide) have more than 10 thousandths of an inch relief. To be fair  I'm a relatively light player - but as I said in my previous post - greater relief always seems to cause issues beyond the twelfth fret, assuming a reasonable twelfth fret action.