Help needed with a probably dumb question

[jdchapman]

Hey Guys,

One of my mandos plays fine all the way up the neck when the action is on the higher side (closer to 1/8 at the 12th fret), but I get some buzz up the neck when I lower it to a level I find more comfortable (closer to 1/16). I checked the neck relief by capoing at the first fret and holding it down at either 12 or 14, and there was a little relief. Maybe a thinnish pick's worth of difference between the bottom of the string and the top of the fret half way between if that. But daylight, anyway. I have some reason to believe that the previous owner may have adjusted the truss rod, as one of the screws was loose when I got it, but I don't know for sure.

Anyway, I assume/hope that if I adjust the truss back a bit, it should remove the relief and straighten the fret board, allowing me to lower the action and get rid of the buzzing, but I thought I should check with you guys first to make sure I'm not overlooking anything. It's a pretty new instrument from a quality luthier, and if something more serious might be up, I'll contact him directly.

Sorry no pics, by the way.

[sunburst]

Straightening the neck is more likely to make fret buzz worse on the higher frets. Sounds to me like there is probably some fret trouble, and you should check with the lutheir who made it.

[jdchapman]

Thanks, John.

If the luthier won't fix it for free (I'm not the original purchaser), what does this kind of work run?

[sunburst]

I don't know what work it needs, so I surely don't know what kind of price you'd be looking at. Could be just a set up, as low as $45 perhaps, or it could be a full re-fret for $350 or more. If it is a problem with the instrument, the builder may fix it for free. If it is worn out frets, expect to pay the builder's usual price for fret work.

[Frank Ford]

Buzzing only at high fret positions is often a sign of too much neck relief, so:

Seems clear enough from your description that tightening the rod to reduce or eliminate the neck relief might be a good first effort. Of course, that will bring the action down a bit as a consequence, but if you raise the bridge by a corresponding amount, you might well "dial" out the buzz. For low action players, I try to set a mandolin up with zero relief in the neck, if that's at all possible.

[High Lonesome Valley]

Setup and fret dress from somebody who knows what they're doing. Even with mild fretboard problems, a fret dress often cures the problem.