# FRET BUZZ on a .strandberg Boden Metal 8



## batteryranger (May 21, 2018)

I recently got a .strandberg Boden Metal 8 on Reverb. I figured that because I was banking on a guitar with the .strandberg name , I could expect an instrument with little to no setup issues and I thought the same would apply to a used one too. So I bought one used in mint condition, and the old owner had it shipped with stringjoy .008's on the guitar , with the action set up extremely low. At first picking up the instrument, I thought it was a little too buzzy. I thought the minor fret buzz issues were because of the low action. so I raised it to my preference (what I consider high enough to be able to hit it hard with and not expect excess buzzing), and it was still there. Even after adjusting the neck relief both ways I am not able to get rid of the buzz completely, especially on the lowest strings, the higher frets, and seemingly anywhere else on the fretboard when picking hard. It's either an immediate buzz or a delayed buzz. Now I am not sure what to expect with low string action anymore. Is a completely buzz-free low string on 8-string guitars a myth? Or should I take it to the next level and have it professionally set-up by a guitar tech/luthier? Also, would a thicker gauge help?


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## Andrew Lloyd Webber (May 21, 2018)

Assume that every guitar you purchase will require setup-work. I had to buy three Bodens before I got one with acceptably-level frets, and I’ll eventually level those.


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## KnightBrolaire (May 22, 2018)

^ this. I got 1 great OS8 that was actually set up before hand and 2 that I had to do a bit of work to (ie adjust saddle height, some minor nut filing, truss rod adjustments, enlarging a tuner hole). 
As far as setting the guitar goes, check the fit of the strings in the nut. If they're not fitting properly you may be getting buzz from that. You could try thicker strings but you may run into the same issue if the nut isn't cut well. You could try raising the action a bit more and seeing if that mitigates the buzz. If it's neither of those options then you might need a fret level.
I wouldn't recommend trying to file the nut or doing a fret level if you've never done it before. That's the kind of stuff you learn to do on cheap instruments, not 2k USD ones. It's less painful if you mess up then.


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## Lorcan Ward (May 22, 2018)

Guitars will always buzz a bit, especially on the lower strings. Its just trying to figure out the right balance between action and buzz. Try a new set of strings first, then some minor tweaks with the nut, after that you could do with getting a fret level.


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## Flappydoodle (May 22, 2018)

Is the fret buzz coming through the amp? Is it killing sustain? Do notes choke out on bends?

If no to the above, then I probably wouldn't worry about it. Especially on an 8 string, the thick strings travel a pretty large distance when they're vibrating. Expecting totally buzz free performance with low action is asking a lot.

If you do want to pursue it further by yourself:

Check the nut height. If the nut is too low (or the slots are too deep), you'll never get rid of buzz.

Is there a specific place on the fretboard which buzzes? If so, you might have a high fret.

Thicker strings will help, since they have more tension and move less (thus not crashing into the frets). But as others said, that might cause other problems - you'd have to adjust the truss rod again to compensate, the nut might not be slotted for thick string blah blah


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## Lemonbaby (May 22, 2018)

Try thicker strings first. .008s will have quite a low tension in general...


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## Bdtunn (May 22, 2018)

My 7 buzzed like a hive of angry bees! I had to get the frets done and the zero fret taken down. It helped but I never could get it set up the way I like it unfortunately.....


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## Ericjutsu (May 24, 2018)

I own an Ibanez RG 852 prestige with 9-80 tuned to standard with a low low E. There is virtually no fret buzz even with the action pretty low. It's about 1.5 mm on the high e and like 1.8 on the low low E


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## Avedas (May 25, 2018)

batteryranger said:


> I figured that because I was banking on a guitar with the .strandberg name , I could expect an instrument with little to no setup issues


Probably Indonesian made, and you're likely not in a climate anything like Indonesia if you're buying things on Reverb. Setup work is going to be needed.


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