slight sitar buzz on 8-string tenor Oscar Schmidt

k0k0peli

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My Oscar Schmidt OU28T 8-string tenor has a noticable sitar-like buzz on the lower 2 courses open and on all courses when fretted and picked hard even detuned a whole step. It was worse at standard pitch. I notice that the saddle is slightly compensated but has no real string slots. Possible solutions to reduce the sizzle that occur to me include:

* File shallow slots in the saddle
* A thin shim under the saddle to raise action slightly
* Look for a slotted bone saddle (currently smooth NuBone plastic)

IIRC some such buzzing is caused by too-wide slots in either nut or saddle. A simple solution there might be to lay a thin strip of plumber's joint-seal teflon tape across the surface to cushion the strings, but since 1) there are no slots and b) buzzing appears when fretting, that won't work in this case. Any suggestions? Thanks!
 
You should never need to be filing slots in your saddle.

What's the action at the 12th fret? Distance from the top of the fret to bottom of the string.

Should be 0.090 - 0.100" or 2.0 - 2.2mm in rough figures. I wouldn't be surprised if yours is less than this if it's buzzing on open and fretted strings.

If it is, either make a new saddle, or add a shim under the existing one.

Otherwise the next most likely is that it's one or more frets that are too high. You need a fret rocker of some sort to check them. If they are too high then you spot file and reshape. Or it might mean that the frets were never levelled in the first place. Entirely likely on a factory instrument.

If this is all over your head. Then take it to a competent luthier or shop that will do a set up for you.
 
Nope, not over my head, and the 12th-fret distance does seem a little under 2mm -- hard to tell for sure with my calipers and bad eyes. Okay then, I'll try some shim. Thanks!
 
Keep in mind that to raise the action at the 12th by lets say 0.1mm you need to add a shim double that. So 0.2mm thick.
 
Had a similar situation when I added an under-the-saddle pickup on my OU28T. I filed the saddle a bit too much. Rather than measure/dress the frets, just shimmed the saddle to compensate. All was fine afterwards.
 
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