Do I have to recess my T.O.M.?

[Bfeeney]

I bought an Explorer knock-off recently with a bolt on 24.75" 24 fret neck. I had replaced the plastic nut with a Graph Tech (done it many times with a 100% success rate). Well no ones perfect I guess, there was a lot of string buzzing when I hold the 1st fret on the high E & B. I thought I set it a little crooked so I pulled it off, filed the glue off, and reset it. Now there is buzzing on all the strings at the 1st fret. I thought to myself 'I really like this guitar, I REALLY don't want to f@ck it up doing something stupid'. I called a local shop and they said a setup w/ bone nut would be about $150. OK. I started doing bridge homework on a guitar I'm going to make and saw that Gibson uses top mount T.O.M.'s to offset their angled necks. It was said that a top mount T.O.M. wouldn't work on a Strat because it has a straight neck and the strings would be too high. Well my "Explorer" has a top mount T.O.M. AND a straight neck. Would that be the source of my buzzing or is it unrelated. If all I have to do is get my router and knock the bridge down 4mm (I measured my LTD M-50) to fix the problem that would be awesome. I'd save $150.

[Chris of Arabia]

If you've already got buzzing on the frets, I'd suggest the last thing you'd want to be doing is lowering the bridge any further. As the buzzing got worse when you cleaned up the nut, I'd suggest you need to build up the height there first. It sounds like it's sitting too low now. Either look to shim the existing nut to raise it back to where it needs to be, or get a new nut and re-cut the slots to a more appropriate depth. Check the 'Basic Guitar Setup' link in my sig before you go any further.

[crusty philtrum]

Sounds like you need to get the nut right first. I guess you know the trick of holding down a string at the third fret and then checking that there is a slight clearance where the string crosses the first fret ?

Then I'd look at shimming the neck rather than recessing the bridge .... if shimming works out, you could always rout a slight angle on the bottom of the neck pocket to angle the neck back. If your bridge's height adjustment is done with the thumbwheels under each end of the bridge, there is the possibility you'd need to rout larger areas around the thumbwheels in order to be able to get your fingers in there to adjust the action.

However, if your action can be adjusted by using a screwdriver in the top of the posts, recessing the bridge would be a lot easier.

[Bfeeney]

I forgot to say that when I reset it I put two pieces of .026w guitar strings in there as shims, and a better guarantee that I got it level.

[Bfeeney]

I could also try shimming with my .036, .046, .058 strings

[SabbathFan0220]

I forgot to say that when I reset it I put two pieces of .026w guitar strings in there as shims, and a better guarantee that I got it level.

Using strings as a shim? Interesting...did you angle the neck, or raise the entire heel evenly?

In general, if it's buzzing, the strings are too low. So you're going to need to lower the neck or raise the bridge.

[Bfeeney]

Modern day McGyver.
I was talking about shimming the nut. The neck is straight with a top mount T.O.M.

[Chad]

You're talking about three things here: nut height, neck angle, and bridge height. This is making it confusing to ascertain what you're saying is the problem.

First put a capo on fret one to eliminate the nut from the equation. Next, setup the action and truss rod. If you don't have enough range of bridge adjustment, then shim the neck. Work with that until you have a reasonable range of up/down bridge adjustment. If things are still too far off, then you might have to recess or build up the TOM. After you get all of that figured out and setup, then go back and get the nut properly setup.

[BTMN]

Photo of guitar, nut area, neck pocket, bridge on the body, and full length shot might help in offering advice too. At least it would for me. Welcome too.

[Bfeeney]

http://www.rondomusic.com/halowhite.html
This guitar in a lefty with Super Distortion's

[SabbathFan0220]

First put a capo on fret one to eliminate the nut from the equation. Next, setup the action and truss rod. If you don't have enough range of bridge adjustment, then shim the neck. Work with that until you have a reasonable range of up/down bridge adjustment. If things are still too far off, then you might have to recess or build up the TOM. After you get all of that figured out and setup, then go back and get the nut properly setup.

Nailed it.

[BTMN]

Used or new I bet that needs a complete setup and sadly a good setup will cost at least $50. That goes with buying a budget guitar like a Douglas. Those guitars to me are meant for beginners and guys that like to tweak them up with upgrade parts. By the time they spend money in parts and labor they could have bought the better guitar brand equal to it. Good luck with your guitar.

[Bfeeney]

Your 99% right BTMN. Unfortunately I am a lefty so my options outside of a Strat/Soloist/LP is a joke. I've basically been waiting 15 years for an "Explorer". I could've gone the Warmoth route and pieced one together but that would end up being $700+ even with a free paint job (I work in a body shop). I also got a Douglas set neck 'Rhoads' V with a Floyd for $200 (+2 EMG H4's), thats cheaper than the only Jackson I saw, at $750.
I shimmed the nut .046" yesterday and let the glue set over night so today I'll string it up and see if I can get the angles right to eliminate the buzzing issue.

[BTMN]

http://www.southpawguitars.com/

[Bfeeney]

Southpawguitars.com is nice, nice to have a site just for us wierdo's, but they're no cheaper than Musiciansfriend/Sam Ash.

[BTMN]

That Trans Red Dean Z is SWEET!. I can get you to a Lefty Dean Z a lot cheaper than Southpaw if you get interested. The Korean made ones are real nice and need nothing done when you get them. Right around $450 IIRC.

[Bfeeney]

OK, Update time. I shimmed the nut .046" and played with the bridge height a bit. It is much better, but there is still a slight buzz at the B & high E. They are still hitting at the 2nd fret when I hold the 1st. Should I slowly tweak the truss rod now?

[Chris of Arabia]

I think you'd be better reading that link to understand the interactions between various components on the guitar further. In brief though, the recommended order for a setup is:

• adjusting the amount of relief (or "bow") in the neck,
• adjusting the string height at the saddle,
• adjusting the string height at the nut
• adjusting the intonation

Before you do any of that though, take a read and ensure you understand how to make the changes and how to measure the results of the changes.

[Bfeeney]

Well with everyones help and suggestions I got the buzzing to stop, Thanks everyone, now I just have the intonation to do. I guess the day they were teaching guitar setup troubleshooting I was off learning how to fix cars (by comparison I should have stuck with guitars!)

[BTMN]

So, you got that up and running good after all?