Blackbird Clara Fret Buzz

mineymole

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I bought a used Blackbird Clara and find that the strings have quite a bit of buzz. The action is very low. I have tried 3 sets of strings including the suggested (by Blackbird) Oasis Flourocarben strings.

Any ideas of how to remedy this?
 
Hmmm. I don’t have that problem on my Clara. I have Fremont soloist low g and flourocarbons that the Clara shipped with. Does it have a pick up? Sometimes that can get loose. Check the button too.
 
If the action is very low, it could be too low. You might just need to raise the action. I'm sorry, I am not familiar at all with the Blackbird instruments - do these have a saddle that can be summed up or replaced, or are they one piece with the bridge? The nut slots would need to be checked as well to be sure they are not too deep.
 
I see you bought this used.......kinda opens up a whole can of worms. If it was me I would talk to the seller before doing anything. This problem is easy to solve by a competent luthier. This instrument should not buzz if it was delivered to you in factory condition. If the action was lower that could be the problem. Being shipped and different atmospheric conditions from one part of the country to the next can cause wooden instruments to swell, contract, move, twist. This can cause a buzz, it has happened to me. But your instrument is not wood

As another said above check everything else for tightness. Strap buttons, tuners any electronic. Give it a hit and a shake see if you hear anything
 
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I am guessing the buzz is coming from the nut. The action is extremely low at the nut. I wrote the seller who says it didn’t buzz, but after trying several sets of strings I find that it is buzzing with all of them. The nut is definitely replaceable.


The instrument isn’t wood. So that shouldn’t be the issue.


I see you bought this used.......kinda opens up a whole can of worms. If it was me I would talk to the seller before doing anything. This problem is easy to solve by a competent luthier. This instrument should not buzz if it was delivered to you in factory condition. If the action was lower that could be the problem. Being shipped and different atmospheric conditions from one part of the country to the next can cause wooden instruments to swell, contract, move, twist. This can cause a buzz, it has happened to me. But your instrument is not wood

As another said above check everything else for tightness. Strap buttons, tuners any electronic. Give it a hit and a shake see if you hear anything
 
Did you leave the new strings on long enough to stretch and come up to tension? If not, leave them on for a week and keep bringing them up to pitch. That may help.
 
I am guessing the buzz is coming from the nut. The action is extremely low at the nut. I wrote the seller who says it didn’t buzz, but after trying several sets of strings I find that it is buzzing with all of them.

Well the simple test for that is to add a Capo to the first fret and see if it still buzzes. How about the 3rd fret test? Do the strings rest on the first fret when you hold down the string at the 3rd fret? If so, then someone lowered the action at the nut too much.

In any case you can contact Blackbird to order a spare nut or saddle. I ordered a spare saddle for my Blackbird Farallon to lower the action without altering the original saddle. As received the action at the nut was perfect, but at the saddle it was higher than I liked.
 
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Good idea. Thank you!

Well the simple test for that is to add a Capo to the first fret and see if it still buzzes. How about the 3rd fret test? Do the strings rest on the first fret when you hold down the string at the 3rd fret? If so, then someone lowered the action at the nut too much.

In any case you can contact Blackbird to order a spare nut or saddle. I ordered a spare saddle for my Blackbird Farallon to lower the action without altering the original saddle. As received the action at the nut was perfect, but at the saddle it was a higher than I liked.
 
My Blackbird Clara had buzzing issues after I had a pickup installed - the first round was a wire that needed to be bent back from the soundboard, and the second was the plug on the end needed to be tightened. Every so often it gets loose and buzzes and I tighten it up.
 
No pick up, but plenty of buzz.

My Blackbird Clara had buzzing issues after I had a pickup installed - the first round was a wire that needed to be bent back from the soundboard, and the second was the plug on the end needed to be tightened. Every so often it gets loose and buzzes and I tighten it up.
 
It's pretty easy to cut a business card or piece of plastic to fit under the saddle as a quick check to see if raising the action will solve the problem. Unless of course, the nut slots are filed too low. But it's worth a try.
 
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