Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Since I've owned my 360, I've had a bit of a fret buzz on the 2nd fret of the G string. Specifically when playing an A chord.

Also when I play just the open G I get a ring that kind of sounds like a clean sitar, but only on the G string. It doesn't happen anywhere else.

Any thoughts at all?

Sounds like a fret with a high spot to me. Maybe a bit of levelling is in order. You don't say how long you've had it, but have you ever had it set up by a good pro? Sometimes a tiny (1/8 turn or so CCW) truss rod tweak on the treble side will take care of this sort of thing.

I bought the guitar new in 1990.

When I first got it (and was a bit nieve) I took it to a pro-shop that didn't normally work on Rick's. The problem seemed to start after that.

Since then, I've only taken it to Pro Shops I know are familiar with the Rick line, and the consensus seems to be short of fret replacement, there's really nothing I can do.

The problem really doesn't stand out when I'm playing live, but I can hear it none the less.

Just thought I'd take a stab in the dark.

Thanks for the help.

Craig: Don't give up on this and please don't take a stab in the dark. Slow, patient and methodical observations will lead to a solution.

If you capo at the first fret do you still get the problem? Is it worse?

If you temporarily raise the slot of the G string by placing an ever so tiny piece of plastic or wood in the slot at the nut, does the problem get better?

If you fret the G string on the 3rd fret with your third finger, can you raise the pitch of the note by at the same time fretting the first fret of the G string with your index finger?

Paul may be right, however, if the instrument plays fine in all other respects, I would not immediately go to the truss-rod adjustment as a first line of attack.

Please give us more information.

Lots more to this than meets the eye. You can check fret height (It's older than I thought, so one high fret is a possibility.) with a 6" steel scale (ruler). Place it on the offending fret at the G string position and see if it rocks back and forth onto the two adjoining frets. If it does, you have a high fret.

Can't be very high, though, if it only affects one string in one position. Fret levelling by a knowledgeable luthier should cure it. Refretting is a drastic solution to what is probably a minor problem.

Good points Paul.

One other oddity related to this problem is when I play the G-String open (as in an E chord), the G stands out more than the other 6 strings. It seems to ring more when its open.

As for a re-fret, I know what all goes into that, and I'd rather deal with the slight buzz than do something that drastic.

I'll have to try what you've suggested for a diagnostic and see what happens.

Thanks for the help!!!

Craig, this "louder g-string" thing is endemic to many electric guitars. Look at any guitar with screw polepieces (Gibson or Gretsch, for example). You will often see the G screw turned down to get the individual string volumes within the same range.