Colton200456 - Posted - 09/20/2020:  13:39:23

Hey there everyone! I just joined and I'm excited to hangout with all of you!

I just received my first mandolin for my birthday this past week and as I have been teaching myself melodies and chords, the third fret on the E strings sound TERRIBLE. It's like buzzing, but it's also just a sharp screeching note. Frets 2 and 4 are perfect. Upon further inspection, it seems as though all strings on the 3rd fret have some variable degree of buzzing. I did not set the bridge myself, it came already set. what do I do to remedy this issue?

Thank you all so much for your help in advance and I look forward to making some friends here! Cheers!

Colton

Yooper - Posted - 09/20/2020:  16:07:37

Maybe the 4th fret is a bit high, so that strings rattle on it when you press behind the 3rd fret. Another possibility is a bad slot on the bridge or nut where the string sits. But since all the strings do it to some degree, the first seems more likely. A set up by someone who knows what they are doing might greatly improve the sound of your mandolin. What kind did you get?

Edited by - Yooper on 09/20/2020 16:08:24

Colton200456 - Posted - 09/20/2020:  16:25:45

Yooper so you don’t think raising the action would fix it? Dang. Okay, I guess I’ll try to search for someone near me. I searched the fretboard and didn’t see the fret high but I could be wrong. The company is called Rogue

Edited by - Colton200456 on 09/20/2020 16:26:19

Yooper - Posted - 09/20/2020:  17:05:29

Yes, just raising the bridge might fix it. But if the problem is only at one fret, it's probably more than just the bridge. Rogue makes entry level mandolins, so the set up may have been off when it was purchased.

Colton200456 - Posted - 09/20/2020:  17:18:16

So, is your advice just find a luthier? I suppose I shall

Colton200456 - Posted - 09/20/2020:  17:42:45

My bridge is higher on one side, should they be even?

Yooper - Posted - 09/21/2020:  04:35:36

The bass strings are usually higher than the treble strings. You lower the bridge until it buzzes, then raise it gradually until there is no buzz (unless you just like higher strings, and some people do). You have to loosen the strings to raise and lower the strings, so this takes some time going back and forth between loosening and tightening and experimenting.
I'm not a luthier, but you could try putting a straight edge on the strings and see if a fret sticks up noticeably. There should probably be a bit of "relief" (i.e. arch) in the neck, but this might allow you to see a fret that is noticeably off. Comments from anyone who actually knows? If it needs fret work, you probably need a luthier. But if you want to experiment, there are a lot of good resources available these days. Stewart-McDonald (stewmac.com/) has all tools and parts.

Yooper - Posted - 09/21/2020:  04:40:52

I googled Rogue mandolins. It looks like a good set up, especially if it needs fret work, may cost more than the mandolin did. You'll have to decide if it's worth getting this one adjusted or if you are better off putting your money into a higher quality instrument that is already set up properly.

Colton200456 - Posted - 09/21/2020:  09:11:54

I'll make an attempt to raise it on Thursday.

TSSN - Posted - 09/21/2020:  12:45:31

Just in case...  Topaz Guitar Repair seems to get a lot of good press online:



800 North Rainbow Boulevard Suite 208

Las Vegas, Nevada 89107

And welcome to the HangOut!

Edited by - TSSN on 09/21/2020 12:46:08

Colton200456 - Posted - 09/21/2020:  13:36:58

Oh, thank you, you didn't need to look it up for me TSSN!! I'm hoping some action play may fix it. everything else about this mandolin is SUPER nice and I love the rest of it, I'm just working on a basic melody and the third fret is needed lol. Hopefully it just takes a couple hours and a couple glasses of beer to fix :)

RickJohnson - Posted - 09/21/2020:  17:57:26

Send an email to rob.meldrum@gmail.com with Mandolin Setup in the subject line. He should send you his free pdf setup book. It's a great book.

Colton200456 - Posted - 09/21/2020:  18:03:11

I will do that, thank you!

Colton200456 - Posted - 09/21/2020:  18:04:34

I tried showing the best I could, but upon further inspection, I notice the problem stems from the strings still hitting the 4th fret, where everywhere else on the fret board they do not. Anyone know a fix of this/what I should do? Thank you!

Joe Mangio - Posted - 09/22/2020:  07:52:55

Does the E string hit the 4th fret when noting the third fret or not.
If it's high they will need dressing.

Colton200456 - Posted - 09/22/2020:  08:13:43

Joe Mangio it DOES. All strings do.

Colton200456 - Posted - 09/24/2020:  19:33:38

So just an update: I got a fret board kit and sanded down my fret; it sounds beautiful!!!! It was actually extremely enjoyable to do too! I’d like to thank everyone that get me their advice!

TSSN - Posted - 09/25/2020:  06:49:25

That's great news. We don't always get closure on these kinds of posts. Thanks.

Yooper - Posted - 09/25/2020:  07:18:51

I've removed frets and scooped the fretboard extension on an F model, but never had the guts to do fret work. Nice job Colton!

Joe Mangio - Posted - 09/25/2020:  07:35:31

Good to hear it worked out for you, enjoy your journey.

Colton200456 - Posted - 09/25/2020:  08:19:29

Thanks y’all! Less than $20 for a kit of fret guards, files, sanding blocks, etc. Took me not even 10 min, so I decided to just get the whole fret board done and make sure everything is even. The notes sound so clear and I just turned music on, had a beer, and had my own version of meditation. Now back to learning!

mandoist - Posted - 10/15/2020:  05:23:16

Whatever you do -- do not touch the slots in the nut. 

It really seems likely that your first suggestion is the culprit ... a raised fret, beyond the 3rd fret.

Your first move should be to try assessing the bridge placement on the top.

* Measure from the inside of the nut to the 12th fret.

* Now use that measurement from the 12th fret to the inside of the saddle on the bridge (at either or both of the posts on the bridge).

The distance between the nut-to-12th fret should be the same distance as the 12th fret to inside of saddle.

If that bridge placement seems correct try this:



1. Try noting (pressing finger) on the 'E' string at the 3rd fret.

2. Now push the 'E' string down with the other hand where the fingerboard meets the neck.

See if you can detect where the string touches another fret (4th, 5th, etc). That will be a start in tracing the problem.



If, as you suspect, other strings are buzzing or almost buzzing... lowering, then raising the bridge incrementally might solve it if you don't have to go too high.

Should you start filing, stoning, or otherwise altering frets you could compound your problems.

Edited by - mandoist on 10/15/2020 05:25:37

Colton200456 - Posted - 10/15/2020:  05:48:47

mandoist thank you for your warning, but it really was a high fret. It was actually noticeably a taller rail. Last month I sanded it down and it plays beautifully!

mandoist - Posted - 10/15/2020:  06:02:39

As long as that "high fret" wasn't lifting out of the slot, you're good to go.