Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

My new 360 six string seems to have a buzz on the low E particularly on the 5th fret. The A string also buzzes but to a lesser extent. The buzz sounds like it is coming from the pickup area, but I really think it is the string. It is not the position switch from my attempts to hold it. I tried raising the bridge on the bass side but to no avail. That set up seemed a little goofy by the way, but maybe I'm missing something. The screw nearer the neck seems to come completely out of the threads and then no further adjustment can be made to the neck side of the bridge until a further adjustment is made to the tailpiece sided screw. ?? The guitar buzzed like this upon arrival, but I was just too enthralled with it for ten days to really get critical. I am not experienced with truss rod adjustments and would rather let a luthier do that until I am formally taught on that process. My concern is...I don't want to do anything to void the warranty. If the fix is more than I can handle and I take it to a luthier, can that luthier potentially void the warranty? I would try to take the guitar to a local guy, Gene Matisko, who I am sure is at least as good as anyone in the Rick factory. Thanks for any ideas, suggestions or help. Hopefully it will be an easy fix...I fiddled with different bridge heights for a couple hours last night and I'm a little anxious now.

Gene, I had some buzzing on one of mine after I reversed the bridge saddle and spring to gain more distance for setting the intonation; the buzz was caused by the spring not being compressed enough. You can check this crudely but effectively by loosening the strings enough to pull the bridge out and turn it the other way (low side becomes high side). I know the saddles will be wrong for the strings, but it will help to determine whether it is something with that side of the bridge (if the problem moves to the new side, then its something with the saddle/spring). Of course, you'll have to switch the bridge back to its normal orientation after doing this.

I went through hell trying to stop a buzz on my 360V64 and it ended up needing a new saddle for the G string. Maybe you have a slight burr on it or it's not grooved properly.
I agree with Doctorwho - flip it around and see what you get.
If your set up is right, then it almost always comes down to the saddle or the nut.

I'll have to try this as I now realize I get the same buzz at times when playing the open low E. So I doubt it's fret buzz. thanks.