Sympathetic Buzz

robinboyd · Jul 18, 2017

Hi guys. I've also posted this in the uke talk section, but this might be a more appropriate place to put it.

I just got a new uke, and in general I love it (pics etc. coming soon in another post), but it does this weird rattly thing when I play a G, either on the open G string or on the third fret of the E string. It doesn't seem to do it when I play the same note on the C string. I'm pretty sure it's sympathetic buzz, but I have no idea what's causing it or what to do about it. I don't think the bracing is loose, and I'm kind of wondering if the beads that are tied at the end of the strings behind the string-through bridge are at fault. The uke sounds wonderful otherwise, but the sound gets spoiled every time I play a G. If it were a car, I'd say it had a hole in the muffler.

Please help!

Here is a video of it happening.

robinboyd · Jul 18, 2017

I took off the beads and just used knots to attach the strings and it didn't help. I think we have eliminated that variable.

Inksplosive AL · Jul 19, 2017

Time to try touching the various bracing inside, the bridge, nut, etc while trying to reproduce the effect to see if one of them is the problem.

~AL~

robinboyd · Jul 19, 2017

Inksplosive AL said:
Time to try touching the various bracing inside, the bridge, nut, etc while trying to reproduce the effect to see if one of them is the problem.

~AL~

Yep. Trying to think through how to get at the bracing below the bridge. Can't quite get in there.

hawaii 50 · Jul 19, 2017

is the neck bowed? is there relief in the neck....

robinboyd · Jul 19, 2017

hawaii 50 said:
is the neck bowed? is there relief in the neck....

Doesn't seem to be bowed. What do you mean by relief?

hawaii 50 · Jul 19, 2017

robinboyd said:
Doesn't seem to be bowed. What do you mean by relief?[/QU

fret boards are not completely flat...there should be a small dip around the 5th-7th fret....some builders build it into the fretboard....if you uke buzzes while hitting open strings there is a chance this the problem...

I am not a builder but I speak with ones who know...
most do not build neck relief into their fret boards but lots do.... the string tension should be enough sometimes

robinboyd · Jul 19, 2017

I'm not 100% sure, but it seems to be consistent with my other ukes. I'm pretty sure it's not fret buzz because it's not necessarily doing it on open strings. It happens when a certain note is played, no matter what string it is played on.

Moore Bettah Ukuleles · Jul 19, 2017

hawaii 50 said:
robinboyd said:

Doesn't seem to be bowed. What do you mean by relief?[/QU

fret boards are not completely flat...there should be a small dip around the 5th-7th fret....some builders build it into the fretboard....if you uke buzzes while hitting open strings there is a chance this the problem...

I am not a builder but I speak with ones who know...
most do not build neck relief into their fret boards but lots do.... the string tension should be enough sometimes

Click to expand...

Correct Len. And over time many, if not most, ukes without neck reinforcement will develop some relief under string tension. The problem is, how much will it develop? Not enough? Too much? The nice thing about reinforced necks (carbon fiber in my case) is that you can set it properly at the beginning and forget about it. Pono, and perhaps some others, have an adjustable truss rod I believe which is helpful.

robinboyd · Jul 19, 2017

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:
hawaii 50 said:

Correct Len. And over time many, if not most, ukes without neck reinforcement will develop some relief under string tension. The problem is, how much will it develop? Not enough? Too much? The nice thing about reinforced necks (carbon fiber in my case) is that you can set it properly at the beginning and forget about it. Pono, and perhaps some others, have an adjustable truss rod I believe which is helpful.

Click to expand...

Hi Chuck. I was really hoping to get a response from you, and it is really interesting to hear about the relief in the necks. I wasn't something that I was aware of. Do you think this is what is causing my issue, though? Any thoughts on what might be the issue?

I know the easy answer is to send it back, but I'm dealing with a semi-amateur builder that is selling his ukes for next to nothing, and quite expensive shipping costs, so it would be much better if I was just able to fix the problem.

Pueo · Jul 19, 2017

I recognize the logo on the headstock and know the man personally, and live on the same island.
He will make it right for you, but yeah I get it about the shipping cost. Let me know if you need some help getting in touch with him. I have two of his ukuleles myself.

robinboyd · Jul 19, 2017

If anyone would recognise the logo it would be you. I should have blurred it out because I don't want to give him a bad reputation. It is an absolutely fantastic instrument apart from this weird problem, and the best solution would be to fix the problem without having to worry about shipping, etc.

Pueo · Jul 19, 2017

I must also add that my six-string did exactly that when using a wound low A set of Ko'olau Alohi strings, I switched to Worth flourocarbon strings and it does not occur.

robinboyd · Jul 19, 2017

Pueo said:
I must also add that my six-string did exactly that when using a wound low A set of Ko'olau Alohi strings, I switched to Worth flourocarbon strings and it does not occur.

That's interesting. I wonder if it would help to switch out the strings. I've got PHD fluorocarbons on there right now, but I could always put some other strings on there that I have lying around. I'll do that in the next few days when I have time.

Pueo · Jul 19, 2017

Best of luck!

robinboyd · Jul 19, 2017

Pueo said:
Best of luck!

I've just changed the strings and I'm still waiting for them to settle in, but preliminary indications are positive. Perhaps it was just a bad match with those strings. If so, then I'm incredibly relieved.

robinboyd · Jul 19, 2017

Yep. It fixed it! Thank you so much! Now I just need to play with different strings a bit, because although these strings have fixed the problem, I'm not completely sold on the sound in general.

Sympathetic Buzz

robinboyd

Well-known member

robinboyd

Well-known member

Inksplosive AL

Well-known member

robinboyd

Well-known member

hawaii 50

Well-known member

robinboyd

Well-known member

hawaii 50

Well-known member

robinboyd

Well-known member

Moore Bettah Ukuleles

Well-known member

robinboyd

Well-known member

Pueo

Well-known member

robinboyd

Well-known member

Pueo

Well-known member

robinboyd

Well-known member

Pueo

Well-known member

robinboyd

Well-known member

robinboyd

Well-known member

Similar threads