String Change and My Buzzing Flea

micahlele

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I recently purchased a used soprano flea. It had some kind of black strings on it that were pretty tired. I thought I'd snaz it up with some lime green Aurora strings. All went well until the E string--buzz, buzz, buzz. I've tried doubling the knot at the bridge (I noticed the string I took off was double-knotted on the E string), rewinding it, shimming the bridge with some paper, shimming the nut with some paper, etc., and nothing helps. I put the old string on, no buzz. New string, buzz buzz buzz. It buzzes when played open, and at every fret, which made me think it's a bridge issue and not a nut issue, but what do I know. Fleas are supposed to be pretty good and not require bridge and nut adjustments, so I'm wondering what to do. Try another set of strings? Play with a funky sounding mis-matched set of 3 new strings and 1 old one? Help!
 
I might try changing out strings with the exact same brand as you took off and see if you get the buzz. Start with the problem string in case it's not that.
 
Recommendation is to swap that E for another one. In my limited experience I found that new strings are a crapshoot if any buzz appear which my best guess is the consistency of the string diameter and any flaws that are not seen by the naked eye. For those reasons, they can cause buzzing and such. I have experienced this alot with Aquila and sometimes Worths. The only brand that I had no issue with is the D'addario strings which I never had a buzzing of any sort appear. This would save you time in hopes it solves your issues.
 
As others have mentioned the string could be defective. Also, look at the bridge end and make sure you don't have something silly like a long "tail" of string left over resting against the top of the uke (I've done that). Also make sure you don't have something loose on the e-string tuner (I've done that, too). :)
 
It could as well be a "mechanical" problem inside (loose bracing or similar) - probably easy to fix, but hard to discover the root cause...

I am facing the same problem right now :( after I got a buzzing C fixed (soundboard wasn't glued properly to the headblock and started buzzing whenever I played a C)
 
old string = no buzz
new string = buzz
replace buzzing string, the only time I have this problem is when the string diameter is different and it sits too low in the nut slot, then a piece if paper tape usually solves it, since you already tried that, replace the string.
 
Flip the string around, sometimes helps.
Also, it appears that string tension increases as the string stretches the first few days before it plateaus. This may help as well.
 
Agree with all that. With a Flea it's extremely unlikely to be anything else anyway due to the way they are manufactured.
 
Quite interesting: After I got my Flea back from repair (done by the dealer, not by Fleamarketmusic themselves) I noticed a slight buzz on the open E string as well (Aquila and Living Water strings). I can't say whether this is old or new, but I heard of the same problem from someone else on a tenor Fluke (slight E buzz right from the beginning)...

Is this a more general problem of these instruments or is it just coincidence?
Any other Flea/Fluke owners around with opinions on that?

If shipping and returning wasn't that expensive I would order a replacement directly from Flea and check it (but right now I don't really need another uke even though a Fluke w/ pickup would suit me nicely....)
 
I'd try and use the same guage string before jumping to conclusions.....eliminate the easy stuff first....before moving on...
 
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