Fluke Developed Buzzing in a week

SuzukHammer

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When I first bought the Fluke, I loved the low action and the "lack of buzz".

I bought it from a store owner who never played it and kept it in a storefront window display.

I tuned it (put tension on the strings)
I have played it a good part of the week (humidity and evidence of skin all over the strings and fretboard (nice black color exposes everything)
and I read about some guy mentioning cutting the strings short on the back part of the bridge helped reduce buzzing

THis uke is the lowest action uke I have
1) Does humidity cause the strings to expand (larger diameter?) and cause buzzing?
2) Does skin flakes cause buzzing particularly on low action ukes?
3) Did the tension on the strings cause the cut ends to press down more on the soundboard?
4) Did my playing become more lazy with this low action setup
5) Is this low action setup too low? ( do I put a small spacer on the saddle?

Yes, I look for ways to reduce the buzzing. Buzzing seems to always make me want to play better technically; but, i have a propensity to want to bang out and jam. When I really get going, I can get my finger caught in a sting and really pull on it. oops.

6) by banging out hard on my ukes, do I deform the saddle or "loosen things up" where it starts to buzz.
 
Aloha SuzukHammer, Sorry to hear about the issues with your ukulele...
Have you figured out where the buzz is emanating from???
one string or more??? Did You think of returning it or asking for a discount....
MM Stan..
 
I won't return it. I like it too much.

I'm just going to solve the problem.

I have found that my lazy playing creates buzzing. I discovered I when I was fingering the strings with my right hand, I kept those fingers to close to the string. With the Fluke's low action, I'm thinking any solids on a string or a fret could cause buzzing.

I am going to put a chinese 1 yuan bill in between the cut stings and the soundboard. I'll go from there.

What this whole thread to me is about is I don't think its the Fluke. I think its me generating the buzzing and I was trying to outlay all the possible reasons in difference between when I bought it and when I noticed the buzzing.

Thats why I put it into the beginner section.

I bet many beginners cause their own buzzing (haha) and it may not be the uke's problem.
 
I'd send it back mate. I personally wouldn't buy anything out of the window as it's too exposed to sunlight, changing humidity etc. On the other hand if you love it then you need to work on a cure. Good luck
 
Hey Spooke, haha. It was an indoor mall window display. You are right about anything exposed to a sunshine window display, it all turns to hell.

No, this baby was in an air conditioned interior mall.

Basically, I'm stating that when I bought the uke, it was so smooth and easy to play with no buzzing at all.

I'm trying to see if others have found that some part of their playing is causing the buzzing because I am pretty sure its not the uke unless the action indeed is too low. Too many people have said good things about the Fluke for me to believe something has gone wrong in just 1 week.

I now know that some uke manufacturers Ohana cough cough) put their string action too high so you won't have any knowledge of potential buzzing. I bought a Ohana (which I still love) but because I was fairly new to buying did not check out the action on the high end of the frets until I got home.
 
What strings do you have on it now? I'd try a string change making sure the string diameter is not too small for the nut groove. You can also try shimming the nut groove with paper. I have Kala Reds on my Fluke, and Worth Medium Clears on my Flea but heard Aquilas agree well with Fluke/Flea laminate tops, they are a tad heavier gauge so will fill the nut groove and help cure the buzz if that is your buzz source.
 
I have the Hilo on.

So, at the end of the day, I am practicing and the only time I got that buzz was during my F#m chord and it occured at the saddle area. THis makes sense as its a new chord I was using as a Blues chord. I'lm gonna see if my finger positions will help. ANd I will see if other chords that use the fret positions cause it. MOst every chord and song was no problem; but the F#m chord was producing significant buzz

Thanks Ahnko for the string recommendations.
 
There is a small amount of string ends in contact with the body. I'm thinking of damping them with something soft.

THe buzz is almost a rattling which make me think a saddle/sting issue on the F#m chord.
 
I'd be extremely surprised if it was the instrument - the Fluke fingerboards and saddles are molded, and all identicallly perfect.

Hilos though I find generally sloppy and flappy - I'd change - I have worth BM's on mine and think they are great.

I first changed to Aquilas though - bit overkill but proved the point that decent strings make these different instruments
 
Thanks for all the input. I will try a string change in the very near future.

I really like the Fluke. My playing speed seems to have increased and I don't know how to explain it but I really think its because of the Fluke's low action. Fingerstyle is not as fast on the low action; but the strumming chord changes are surprisingly quick.

That F#m chord is stlll in my practice and because I'm conscious of the buzz, I am doing my best to position my fingers behind the frets (I make the f# as a Tap on the 3rd string while strumming the A chord) and I haven't heard that buzz anymore. My fingers seem to be not as flaky as before too and I'm keeping my fingernails clipped all the time now.

I am banging on that Fluke and having fun. and can't seem to replicate the buzzing I had before.

If that buzz comes back, the Hilos will be dismissed immediately.
 
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