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I bought a Squier Jaguar. Took it home and started getting fret buzz. I changed the strings out to D'addario's 11's. The buzz stopped but after playing it, it came back before the day was over. I took it back and they adjusted the neck, but it quickly came back again. I took it back again and the tech told me that it has to do with the old-style bridge and that I should focus on adjusting the way I strike the strings.

It occurs on the E, A, and G. They are fine when picked open but buzz when I am fretting a note.

I have been told by a couple of my friends that fret buzz really isn't that big a deal, But they are in punk bands and never play clean. When I play plugged in, I really can't hear it. So, is it really that big a deal and should I get it fixed? Or, should I except it and adjust to it?

Regardless, I love the guitar!

SurfRunner wrote:When I play plugged in, I really can't hear it. So, is it really that big a deal and should I get it fixed? Or, should I except it and adjust to it?

What I was taught is that fret buzz you can only hear unplugged is not worth your time to correct. It happens. If it sounds good plugged in, run with it. Relax and enjoy.

SurfRunner wrote:I bought a Squier Jaguar. Took it home and started getting fret buzz. I changed the strings out to D'addario's 11's. The buzz stopped but after playing it, it came back before the day was over. I took it back and they adjusted the neck, but it quickly came back again. I took it back again and the tech told me that it has to do with the old-style bridge and that I should focus on adjusting the way I strike the strings.

It occurs on the E, A, and G. They are fine when picked open but buzz when I am fretting a note.

I have been told by a couple of my friends that fret buzz really isn't that big a deal, But they are in punk bands and never play clean. When I play plugged in, I really can't hear it. So, is it really that big a deal and should I get it fixed? Or, should I except it and adjust to it?

Regardless, I love the guitar!

You should be able to get it playing without buzz (or damn close to it), the "old-style bridge" isn't a problem, really, though it takes some experience to learn how to eliminate ITS rattling, if it's occurring. Getting rid of the buzz will require a bit of play between saddle/bridge height, and neck curvature.
It's also possible that the frets aren't properly dressed on your Squier.

mixtape wrote:What I was taught is that fret buzz you can only hear unplugged is not worth your time to correct. It happens. If it sounds good plugged in, run with it. Relax and enjoy.

Yeah, OCD aside, if you can't hear it through the amp... it doesn't really matter.

Yeah he's basically lying about the bridge. Why would it buzz at the frets? You should look for another tech now in my opinion. In fact I would start looking into doing my own setups.

If you've gone to a higher string gauge usually you will need to tighten the truss rod to combat the extra tension and then adjust action. But indeed, if you can't hear it through the amp then don't worry. It's almost "normal" on Fender guitars.

Maybe a high fret somewhere? Does it buzz on every fret or just in a certain area on the fret board?

Sometimes if the bridge is buzzing it won't be very loud when the strings are open or fretted on the lower frets, but when you fret higher up as the strings are shortened/tension gets higher the buzz becomes more pronounced.

Try fretting where it usually buzzes then press down on the saddles/bridge. If the buzzing stops then check the grub screws on the saddles, sometimes it'll buzz like crazy if there's one slightly shorter than the other. If the screws are fine try re-seating the bridge.

If the neck is actually warping take it back and ask for a replacement. I think Robroe had a Squier Jaguar that had a borked neck a while back.

you want to wait a week or two before adjusting the truss rod. Let the guitar aclimate to your house. then do a little bit of turn over the next couple days, not all at once. and you only mess with the truss if you have to correct the bow... NOT the buzzing of frets. You may correct buzzing as a result of correcting the bow. but that's not the reason you do it.

and i must cross post, repost this link every couple of days. Ok! right here in the middle of this thread is the info about adjusting the bridge. maybe this will help your situation if you haven't tried these before (from the offset forum:

http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... start=1695

Giving the neck more relief by adjusting the truss rod may fix the fret buzz, or it may not. There are other factors to consider first before you go messing with the truss rod. It could be a case of a couple of high frets, or perhaps the nut was cut too deeply, or it could be something as simple as the action is too low for your playing style (if you're a heavy handed player). In any case, if the fret buzz annoys you and you're unsure of what is causing it, I recommend taking it to an experienced tech.

like he said...

Kestrel wrote:Giving the neck more relief by adjusting the truss rod may fix the fret buzz, or it may not. There are other factors to consider first before you go messing with the truss rod. It could be a case of a couple of high frets, or perhaps the nut was cut too deeply, or it could be something as simple as the action is too low for your playing style (if you're a heavy handed player). In any case, if the fret buzz annoys you and you're unsure of what is causing it, I recommend taking it to an experienced tech.

If you are doing your own setup then truss rod adjustment is a part of it; many guitarists are scared of them for no reason. If you have feeler gauges, the right allen key and patience there is nothing that can go wrong. And in the case of a new string gauge, truss rod adjustment is required. It could be other things causing buzz, but I would argue setting up your relief is a port of call before taking it to a tech to have frets filed or nut cut. The Squier QC is fair-good at least at the moment, and it's clear his tech is dishonest anyway.