Guitar fret buzz – buzzing on specific notes

Fret buzz occurs when a vibrating string makes contact with a fret. By far the most common cause is action that is too low and/or insufficient neck relief – often after dry indoor heating air causes the neck to straighten or bow slightly backwards. Less commonly, a single high fret is to blame; playing technique is only rarely the actual cause. Work through the following steps in order: 1) Where is the buzz? Buzzing across the entire fretboard or on open strings points to action that is too low or insufficient relief; buzzing only at a single spot is more likely a high fret. 2) Check the neck relief: sight down the strings – a slight forward bow (relief) is normal and desirable; a perfectly straight or back-bowed neck is the typical cause of fret buzz. 3) Adjust the truss rod – you can do this yourself if you are careful: if there is too little relief, loosen the truss rod in very small increments (approximately one-eighth of a turn counter-clockwise), retune after each adjustment, and allow the neck several hours to settle; never force it, and stop if you feel significant resistance. 4) Raise the action: on an electric guitar, raise the bridge saddles slightly; on an acoustic guitar, shim the nut saddle minimally or fit a taller one. If the nut slots are too deep, buzzing will occur on open strings – in that case, shim or replace the nut. Only once the relief and action are correct and buzzing still persists at a single location is a fret level, crown, and polish job required – that is work for a luthier. No electrical or safety hazard involved.