Why does a guitar neck sometimes buzz one day and not the next?
Earlier this week I picked up my Squier Strat and started playing it, but noticed I was getting some serious string buzz, so I put it down. The next day, I picked it up to play again, and there was no string buzz.
Was this magic? No.
On the first day I picked it up, it had been raining for a few hours and I had the window open in the room where the guitar was (I live in Tampa Bay Florida so it wasn't cold or anything). Because of the rain, the air got really thick with moisture, as in it got muggy, and even with air conditioning in the room, there was enough of an environmental change to shift the wood in the guitar neck. As such, the neck flexed a little, and... string buzz.
On the next day, the air and temperature went back to how it normally is (for here anyway), the neck flexed itself back into shape, and... no string buzz.
Is it normal for guitar necks to do this?
For modern guitars with plainsawn guitar necks, yes it is.
There are three ways a board is cut from a log to make a guitar neck with. It's either plainsawn (sometimes known as flatsawn), riftsawn or quartersawn.
Riftsawn is almost never used for electric guitar neck construction for the reason there's a lot of wood waste involved.
Quartersawn is used on more high-end guitar builds, but it's a much more expensive way of cutting boards due to the fact that it does take skill to actually have quartersawn wood cut correctly the first time, and the fact that quartersawn boards do not automatically qualify them as "good". As with any board selecting process, there will be good and bad boards from any log cut. Part of what makes quartersawn more expensive is that the luthier does have to hand-pick a board that not only has the straightest grain but also would make the best choice to form into a guitar neck. The process isn't cheap.
Plainsawn is the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to get a log cut into boards, and that's what the vast majority of electric guitar necks use.
What makes a quartersawn guitar neck so desirable?
A quartersawn board has the straightest possible grain, resulting in a guitar neck that's very stiff.
In luthier's terms, this means you get a neck that's more "stable" compared to plainsawn.
Quartersawn necks can typically handle environmental changes a lot better than plainsawn can. Because quartersawn is more stiff, it resists excessive bowing/flexing. A real-world example of where quartersawn is good is with a gigging guitar. A guitar with a quartersawn neck can handle the hot lights of a stage or outdoor use a lot better than plainsawn can.
How do you recognize a quartersawn neck?
You just look at the grain. Or at least for maple-necked guitars (like Stratocasters and Telecasters) you do since nearly all of them use unpainted maple.
Is quartersawn always good?
No. There are times when using quartersawn does not make for a proper playing guitar.
For example, certain acoustic guitar builders will use quartersawn for the top of the body as it resists flexing/bowing quite nicely, but never use it for the neck as it can wreck not only the guitar's tonal character but also make it a difficult-to-play instrument.
Where electric guitars are concerned, there is such a thing as having a guitar neck that's too stiff, and with quartersawn you always run that risk.
Seasoned luthiers know how to pick a quartersawn board that has the correct amount of flex to it to avoid the neck-is-too-stiff problem. They know how to pick the right board because they've built many guitars and know which boards work and more importantly which ones do not.
Plainsawn, while cheap, is not "bad" and never has been. Some are quick to say things like, "guitars that have plainsawn necks use nothing but crap lumber". Well, that's not true at all because there are plenty of 20-year-old-or-greater Squier guitars out there, all with plainsawn necks, that never exhibited bad neck problems.
In the end, if you have a guitar with a plainsawn neck (which is probably true since most guitars are made that way) where the neck flexes and causes string buzz one day, don't worry about it. Just wait a day and it should flex back to normal. If it doesn't, a minor truss rod adjustment usually fixes the problem.
An example of a non-Custom-Shop Fender guitar that has a quartersawn neck on it is the Eric Johnson signature Stratocaster. He specifically wanted a quartersawn neck on his model, so that's what it's built with.
Why I may get a Squier Jazzmaster
Last Saturday I went over to Sam Ash in Tampa, Florida and they had just received a new crop of Squier guitars. Included in this crop was a Squier Jazzmaster in Candy Apple Red. I picked it up and strummed it a bit.
This was actually my first experience with a "traditional" Jazzmaster. As in the the kind of Jazzmaster with all the wonky stuff on it, meaning the bridge with saddles that have strings pop out constantly, the traditional top-load for strings, and of course the top horn electronics.
I almost bought the guitar. Almost. What kept me from buying it was that the store was trying to short-change me big time on a guitar trade and wouldn't even get anywhere near what I would have considered acceptable. But that's another story I may tell at another time.
What are the differences between a Jazzmaster and a Jaguar?
Players who look at the Jazz and [amazont link="fender jaguar"]the Jag think they're the same guitar. They're not. They may look similar, but they're two totally different instruments.
Neck: The Jazz has a 25.5-inch scale (same as Stratocaster or Telecaster) while the Jag has a super-short 24.0-inch scale.
Pickups: The Jazz has large overwound single-coil pickups while the Jag has skinny ones. What this basically means is that the Jag sounds Strat-like and the Jazz doesn't have as much treble and a lot more "honk" to it.
Electronics: The Jazz has a pickup toggle switch while the Jag has on/off toggles on the lower horn with the addition of a filter toggle.
Which would most players prefer?
Easy answer: Jazzmaster. The electronics on the Jazz are easier to deal with, and because of the 25.5-inch scale neck, the strings are more taut (as in "tighter").
On the 24.0-inch Jaguar neck, a common complaint is that the strings are "too bendy" because there's not enough tension. It's also common that most Jag players will switch over to a .010 to .046 string set or even .011 to .050 just to the strings don't bend or "flop" as much.
Is it true the Jazzmaster string saddles cause strings to pop out of place all the time?
Yes. When you play a Jazzmaster, you have to adjust your playing style. And while true there are aftermarket Jazzmaster bridges with saddles that prevent the pop-out issue, I personally believe you're better off just adjusting your playing style instead.
What makes the Jazzmaster so cool?
The sound, the "slow" vibrato system and the fact it's a very comfortable player.
Comfort-wise, the offset body of the Jazz is just amazingly comfortable whether playing sitting or standing. It's a shape that just molds right to you.
Sound-wise, the big single-coils have less treble compared to Strat/Tele singles, which in this case is a good thing because it gives the guitar more tonal character. To describe that character isn't easy, but it's best described as more "honky" and "surfy".
Concerning the vibrato system, it's called slow because you can't "dive" with it. Think of it as Fender's version of a Bigsby. You can only bend a few semitones at best, but you'd be amazed at how often you can use it.
Because the vibrato arm (which you know as "whammy bar") is longer and the vibrato system "slower", it does stay in tune much better than the Strat tremolo system. The Jazzmaster vibrato is one of those things that takes getting used to, but it's arguably the only Fender-designed vibrato that's any good and usable.
Why is the Jazzmaster not for everyone?
The Jazzmaster is not a guitar you can wail on because you'll keep knocking the strings out of their saddle grooves constantly. While it does have an amazingly good sound (and it truly does) along with an amazingly comfortable shape, it's those darned saddles that everyone hates about it.
In other words, playing aggressively on a Jazz simply doesn't work. If you try playing hard on the Jazz, the guitar will go out of tune constantly and that floating vibrato system (which by the way is non-locking and can't be "decked" like a Strat's can) may really annoy you.
However, if you play with a light touch (or can train yourself to) and don't mind using a pick with some flex to it (to prevent string pop-out), then yeah, the Jazz is great. You just have to know what you're getting into when you buy a Jazzmaster.
Why may I get a Jazzmaster?
For the reasons I said above. Very comfortable shape, good tonal character and that slow-style vibrato system is just amazing to play around with, and very usable in many playing styles.
Why are American-made Fender guitars so boring?
Take the Squier Affinity Telecaster. Make no mistake, that is one seriously good guitar. It may have a price that's cheap, but it doesn't feel cheap at all. The playability and sound you get out of it is truly top-notch stuff. More on that in a moment.
It has been told to me by those I've turned on to Squier guitars on more than one occasion that after taking a second look at the brand and buying a Squier axe, they don't bother with Fender guitars anymore. Not only because Squiers are cheaper, but because they have character.
The character of a guitar is a tough thing to describe, but I'll give it a shot.
Squier guitars have a different character compared to Fender guitars. While Squier Stratocasters, Telecasters, Jaguars, Jazzmasters and so on have all the traditional design cues from the Fender models they're inspired by, they're not Fenders. They're Squiers. As such, there is such a thing as Squier guitar character.
This character I speak of isn't something that can be defined easily. Basically put, you know when you're playing a Squier. And as time goes on, there are more players out there who prefer Squier character over Fender character.
Fender guys almost universally hate Squiers. However, there's a growing number of Squier guys who hate Fenders. The reaction by a Squier guy who plays a Fender is usually this:
"This guitar is boring."
Why does this happen?
Guys and gals who play Squiers get used to them. And then when they pick up a Fender, it may look very familiar, but it doesn't feel nor sound familiar at all.
Why does the Fender guitar feel so wrong to someone who's used to Squier?
Several reasons.
Fender pickups for the most part are designed to be vintage-voiced while Squier pickups aren't.
Fender model guitars are full-bodied, but most Squier guitars aren't. The bodies on Squier axes are typically smaller, and sometimes thinner and lighter. The Squier Bullet Strat for example has a slim-profile body.
The biggie however is the neck.
Fender American Standard Fender nut width is 1.685in/42.8mm.
Fender American Vintage Series nut width is 1.650-inch/42mm.
Guess which nut width Squier uses?
Vintage-spec, except for Affinity models which are skinniest at 1.60-inch/40.6mm.
Does this mean someone who's used to Squier will have an easier time transitioning over to an Fender American Vintage Series, such as Fender American Vintage '56 Stratocaster?
Answer: Sort of. While the nut width will be familiar, the fretboard radius and neck shape won't be as the '56 has a 7.25-inch radius, "Thick Soft V" shape and tall, skinny frets on it. A Squier guitar in comparison will have a 9.5-inch radius and a "C" shape neck. And yes, it's true that Fender modern-spec also a 9.5-inch with a "C", but remember, the nut is wider on the Fender.
Anyone who is used to Squier guitar character will find Fender guitar character boring
The sound, shape and feel of Squier guitars is in fact unique to the brand, and that's where Squier guitar character comes from.
Squier made their best effort to emulate Fender design, but what happened is that their attempt to do so resulted in guitar character all their own.
If you've been playing Squier axes for a while, you're used to Squier guitar character. And when you pick up a Fender, chances are pretty good it won't agree with you. And for any guitar that doesn't agree with you, you will find it boring. Why? Because any guitar you find annoying to play will cause you to get bored with it quickly.
"But I want to upgrade from my existing Squier guitar. What do I do now?"
You basically have two options.
Option 1: Upgrade to a better Squier, such as the Squier Deluxe Stratocaster.
Option 2: Upgrade to a Fender, but not the American version. Using the Stratocaster as the example, the Fender Standard Stratocaster (as in Made-in-Mexico version) does in fact have the neck with the 1.650-inch nut width and the 9.5-inch radius, just like most Squier Strats do, but...
...it will still not feel the same as a Squier axe. The Fender will be full-bodied and probably heavier than you're used to. And the sound of it will be more Fender-like than Squier-like. But that may be something you could get used to.
"I can never find the upper-end Squier guitars in my local guitar store..."
You're not alone.
Squier has a whole bunch of great guitars, but they're never in the guitar store.
Solution? Buy online. There is a very agreeable return policy if you don't like the guitar for whatever reason. But chances are you probably will like the guitar and keep it. :-)
Obsolete guitar gear: ADA MP-1
There's some guitar gear out there that many players think have some magical sonic quality to it when in reality there's really nothing magical about it at all. One of these is the ADA MP-1.
The MP-1 is a programmable tube preamp. It has two overdrives, master gain, 3-band EQ (4 if you count "presence"), chorus and like many other rack units of the time has effects loop support.
What made the MP-1 such a big deal back in the 80s? Mainly the fact that for the time it did so much in such a small package (again, for its time), and could be remotely operated by a ginormous foot controller if desired. The way the MP-1 did its thing is via an embedded Zilog Z80 computer processor on the inside.
The only reason anyone wants an MP-1 these days is because they think that because guys like Kirk Hammett and Paul Gilbert used one, they should own one too.
Worth owning? No. Here's why:
Reasons NOT to own an MP-1
- Tone killer - Any tonal character your guitar has will be squashed by the MP-1; it also squashes amp and cabinet tone as well. And yes, these are bad things. This is why just about every YouTube video featuring the MP-1 sounds exactly the same no matter what guitar is plugged into it.
- Noisy as hell - There is no noise reduction in the MP-1 at all, meaning whenever you dial it in, a lot of noise happens. Awful, nasty noise.
- Unreliable - The MP-1 is one of the earlier digital + tube designs combined with a membrane style keypad that can go batty on you at any moment. Not a recipe for reliability. Not at all.
- Only sounds good through large amp/cabinet setups - The MP-1 was "voiced" for large cabinet rigs. Attempting to push it through a smaller rig just won't sound right. And don't even think about trying to record one direct because that will make it sound even worse.
There's a lot of modern guitar gear these days that totally smokes anything the MP-1 could ever do - along with adding in the ability to plug in direct (DI) and still sound great which the MP-1 never had.
I suppose there is a bit of cool factor to the MP-1 just from its appearance. Seeing it in a rack with all its blue buttons and large LED display does look neat. But in all honesty, you can get that classic 80s rock sound without the bulk or the noise using other stuff.
In other words, there is nothing the MP-1 does that can't be done and done better (and cheaper) by modern guitar gear. Anything BOSS makes for multi-effects will run circles around the old-and-noisy ADA stuff.
Cheap guitar report for September 2013
I've had my Bullet Strat for about 3 years and Les Paul P90 for a little under a year.
The Strat at this point "sounds like a Strat" where at first it really didn't. It's pretty much true with Strat guitars that they sound a bit plain until you play it for a while. And by plain I mean an ordinary-sounding guitar with nothing special to it. This can happen even with American models. When it's new, well, it's new. You have to break in a guitar and that's just the way it is. Pickup tone does change the longer you play an electric. The more you play, the more vibration is passed across those pickup magnets, and when played long enough, subtle changes happen and that's when a Strat is truly "yours", so to speak.
The P90 Les Paul still more or less sounds like it did when I first got it because I haven't owned it long enough yet for the pickups to change their tone. I can say however with no hesitation that the neck on the Paul is one of the best I've ever laid my hands on.
And no, the Paul's neck did not feel as good as it does now when I first bought the guitar. As I've said before, whenever buying a guitar no matter what it is, it's a risk. In time, the guitar may become one of your favorites, or you may grow to hate it. With my Paul, oh yes, it's become one of my favorites, no question about that. The more I worked in the neck, the better it got. The "worn" finish on the back is what makes this possible, because the back of the neck is slowly having its finish worn away the more I play it.
This is basically the same reason why I like my Bullet Strat's neck so much because that neck was treated more or less the same way with a light non-gloss polyurethane coating.
These days I find that I really gravitate towards guitars with necks that are non-gloss. Necks with a gloss coat may look real pretty, but it just doesn't feel good as on my fret hand.
And yeah, I know, the vast majority of electrics have a gloss coat on the back of the neck, so you really have to search to find a guitar that doesn't have that gloss. The Epi P90 Paul is one of them, the Squier Bullet Strat is another and the Squier Affinity series also doesn't have gloss on the neck either, which makes for a really good neck after you play it for a while, work your finger oils into the neck and start wearing that finish down some.
It's good to know what you like so you can buy with confidence. It also saves you a ton of money in the guitar buying process as well, because when you know what feels good in your hands, you can seek out cheaper axes that have everything you're looking for. And that can literally save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.