Buzzing on Upper Frets

[Ratiocinatoris]

Hello all,

First of all, apologies if this question has been asked before. I tried my best to browse around online and on the forum and haven't had much luck.

Recently I've noticed a problem with my mandolin. On the upper E string once I move to the 7th fret, the 7th through the 13th fret all play the same note. Then the 14th fret will play the proper note again.

This problem persists on the G string as well.

My mandolin has a bridge with twist knobs on either side (which can be used to raise and lower). Does this mean I just need to raise the bridge without having to take the strings off? Or it reflects a bigger issue.

Thanks

[Tom Wright]

Could be too much bow in the neck. If you sight along the fingerboard, looking from the bridge, you can often see the amount of bow, and also you can sometimes see a high fret. Both of these issues will be avoided with higher action--raising the bridge. But you may want to address the problem.

If you have a noticeably high 13th fret, get thee to a luthier or guitar-repair shop.

The worst possibility is the top is sinking, but you can have well-behaved frets and neck in spite of that, with appropriate adjustment.

If the neck is bowing it will behave ok in the low frets but act too low in the high ones, with strings bottoming out on the wrong fret or just choking a bit from too little clearance. Your truss rod (if you have one, look for the cover plate on the peghead) can alter the amount of bowing to yield a straight neck, Weber's standard, or the small amount of bow some feel is helpful (I hate it). Best to tighten with strings loosened, but can be done under tension with care, if you apply some torque while gently leaning on the neck. After a SLIGHT twist of the nut, check by visual inspection if you made a change. Reducing bow will lower action so you then will need to raise the bridge. This is also best done with string tension reduced.

Bowing can increase over time, so that may be why you notice it now. A fret can work its way out, too. Dry weather can have things changing, including frets.

[KGreene]

I'm sure someone with more experience with these type of issues than I will chime in but .... it doesn't sound as though it would be a bridge adjustment issue given that "the 7th through 13th fret it plays the same note". To me it sounds more of a truss rod adjustment issue.


The make and model of your mandolin is always helpful in identifying/resolving issues.

[mandroid]

fingerboard has a hump, tech can flatten it as part of a re fret job..

( I had this done, carbon fiber Mix A5 no TR so It could not be the reason )

test with a straight edge..

[rcc56]

A good luthier can take care of your problem, but he will have to have the mandolin in hand to diagnose it. I can think of several possible causes for the problem your are describing. Bridge too low because of decreased humidity [that's why we have adjustable bridges], high or low frets, warped neck, mis-adjusted truss rod, or a combination of two or more of the above . . .

However, before you take it to the repairman, you can loosen all but the outer G and outer E strings and raise the adjustable bridge until there is 1/16" space [about two dimes worth] between the bottom of those strings and the top of the 12th fret. If that doesn't take care of the problem, it wouldn't hurt to take it to a qualified repair person [not the $8/hr tech at Guitar Center].

[UsuallyPickin]

This could either be a simple adjustment or a severe problem. Start with Rob Meldrum's set up book. It is free here on the café as a download. With it and a few tools you will be able to adjust with confidence. You will also be able to tell if you need to see a repair tech ... luthier. Luck ... R/

[rfd]

do a good setup on your mandolin - or have it done for you by a competent person. put on a fresh set of strings. check the neck relief. if the relief is minimal or non-existent, and your mando has a truss rod, loosen the truss rod to allow more relief. adjust the bridge first for intonation, then for saddle height. when the string action feels best, finger every fret for every course of strings. any fingered frets that exhibit buzzing at that fret, but not at the fret before it nor the fret after it, means that fret is low.

the viable, quicker, and surer alternative to all of the above is to have a fret level and crown done to your mando's frets. almost all production mandos, and even some of the "custom boutique" ones will benefit from an L&C. doesn't matter if the mando is brandy new or years/decades old.