High-E buzzing on new Maton guitar

fostermusic · #1 09-15-2022, 12:19 AM

Hi folks! First-time poster here. It's a bit long; hope you all don't mind!

I bought a factory-new Maton EBG-808 Nashville in July in Texas and it played great until I brought it to Kuwait (where I live) and then the high-E string started buzzing in open position. We're talking near-sitar levels here. The B-string buzzes a tiny bit as well, also only in open position. The guitar is always indoors and stored in the case, has never been exposed to extreme temps, and I have a humidipak to control humidity levels. I thought it might be a case of just acclimatizing to the new environs, as it took my Stonebridge a few months to do (weird neck twisting that eventually sorted itself out thankfully), but it's actually getting worse. The first fret doesn't look higher than the rest, but I'm no luthier. I'm presuming that the nut was cut too deep, especially given the fact that soon after I brought it home the B-string snapped at the nut while tuning, and they were brand-new strings (at the store the guitar was brought out from the back for me to try). So could be a quality-control issue. I tried this morning to loosen the truss rod to see if that was the culprit, but it only alleviated some of the buzzing and now the rest of the strings are higher than I'd like.

My questions, I suppose, are: If the nut/string slot is the culprit, why didn't it buzz while back in the States? I definitely haven't played it enough to wear it down. Could it be the saddle? It doesn't buzz anywhere when fretting (i.e. only buzzes in open position, on the first fret itself) so i doubt it, but maybe I'm wrong? Finally, if I do have to adjust the nut, what technique/strategy do people recommend? (There aren't qualified or able guitar techs in the entire country, so I have to do guitar maintenance myself) I'm leaning towards baking soda and super glue to fill in the slot first, then cut with a file (I'm 95% sure I have the right one for the job...). Any tips, thoughts, suggestions anyone can offer would be most appreciated!

~ Rob

paulvdb · #2 09-15-2022, 12:53 AM

Just in case....

My Maton developed a buzz in the neck when I originally bought it and was stumped for ages until I noted that one of the tuner washers was vibrating - just needed to tighten up a couple of tuner nuts further

fostermusic · #3 09-15-2022, 12:58 AM

Thanks for the info! I just checked, and a loose washer doesn't appear to be the issue. I'll definitely keep an eye on those washers though!

Brucebubs · #4 09-15-2022, 01:15 AM

Try slacking off the string and placing a sliver or two of paper in the nut slot - if the raised string height at the nut cures the buzz then proceed with the super glue trick.

JayBee1404 · #5 09-15-2022, 01:46 AM

What is the RH in the case? Do you even have an in-case hygrometer? If it’s too low, even with humidipaks in the case, the guitar could be drying out, which would cause the top to sink which, in turn, would result in lowering action. Have you tried putting a straight-edge across the top immediately behind the bridge to check for a sunken top?

Personally, I wouldn’t adjust the truss rod, or mess around with nut-slots etc. until I had confirmed that the guitar was properly humidified and stable.

As always, the standard disclaimer applies - IMHO. However, I realise that YMMV, and I’m cool with that.

BluesKing777 · #6 09-15-2022, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

What is the RH in the case? Do you even have an in-case hygrometer? If it’s too low, even with humidipaks in the case, the guitar could be drying out, which would cause the top to sink which, in turn, would result in lowering action. Have you tried putting a straight-edge across the top immediately behind the bridge to check for a sunken top?

Personally, I wouldn’t adjust the truss rod, or mess around with nut-slots etc. until I had confirmed that the guitar was properly humidified and stable.

As always, the standard disclaimer applies - IMHO. However, I realise that YMMV, and I’m cool with that.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks JB...

Nut was fine before, truss rod fine, can only be acclimatisation problem - the poor neck is probably gong yeooooowwwwwww.

And dry top probably sounds great, but......about to crack.

The humidity is the problem - quick google shows Nashville 86% currently, Kuwait 15%......and hot.

What type of air con do you have - that can take more moisture out.

BluesKing777.

smittybat · #7 09-15-2022, 08:35 PM

Those humidpacks aren't enough in the desert. Get a hygrometer so you can monitor the humidity in the case and a more effective humidification source.

BluesKing777 · #8 09-15-2022, 10:42 PM

Yeah, something like the Oasis Guitar Humidifier - you keep filling it up...and a hydrometer to measure the humidity accurately.

https://oasishumidifiers.com/product...umidifier-oh1/

BluesKing777.

fostermusic · #9 09-17-2022, 10:38 PM

Thanks for the reply and advice! Apologies for the delay; I'm supposed to receive email notifications for replies to this thread but never did. In terms of your questions, I don't have a working hygrometer, but I'll check to see if I can find one here in Kuwait. The humidity until the last 5-7 days has actually been quite high in Kuwait on most days, in the 50-70% range, and the buzzing started while it was still very humid. Someone mentioned AC in another post here, and I wonder if that's the ultimate culprit. There also tends to be lots of temperature fluctuation in our apartment, as ACs here only have two modes: Blasting away and completely off. Even ACs in the fanciest homes work this way in Kuwait, and there isn't any way around it.

I checked the top behind the bridge like you suggested and thankfully there's still a nice ever-so-gentle curve on the top. What about doubling up on the humidipaks in the case? Worse comes to worse I can order an Oasis humidification system and a hygrometer, though that won't help with the temperature flux. My other main guitar, a Stonebridge dreadnought, did react very strangely for its first few months here (really high action but still had buzzing, especially at the 4th and 5th frets), but eventually it sorted itself out. Hopefully the Maton will settle down on its own too!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

What is the RH in the case? Do you even have an in-case hygrometer? If it’s too low, even with humidipaks in the case, the guitar could be drying out, which would cause the top to sink which, in turn, would result in lowering action. Have you tried putting a straight-edge across the top immediately behind the bridge to check for a sunken top?

Personally, I wouldn’t adjust the truss rod, or mess around with nut-slots etc. until I had confirmed that the guitar was properly humidified and stable.

As always, the standard disclaimer applies - IMHO. However, I realise that YMMV, and I’m cool with that.

JayBee1404 · #10 09-18-2022, 03:03 AM

Guitars react more readily to RH than temperature. Get the aforementioned humidifier and a hygrometer, and monitor the RH in the case. I use Govee Bluetooth hygrometers (the small square ones), so I can just look at my phone to see what’s going on in my cases, but I used the Oasis ones that you climb to the accessory box lid for years and they’re great.

Store the guitar in its case when it’s not being played. And bear in mind that it may take weeks for things to work themselves out and stabilise. Once you have everything stable and in range for a few weeks, then will be the time do decide if you need to swing on the truss-rod wrench, or mess around with the nut slots etc.

fostermusic · #11 09-18-2022, 04:15 AM

Thanks for all the advice! I appreciate everyone’s time and expertise! I’ll take the recommended steps and hopefully everything will settle down. Cheers!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

Guitars react more readily to RH than temperature. Get the aforementioned humidifier and a hygrometer, and monitor the RH in the case. I use Govee Bluetooth hygrometers (the small square ones), so I can just look at my phone to see what’s going on in my cases, but I used the Oasis ones that you climb to the accessory box lid for years and they’re great.

Store the guitar in its case when it’s not being played. And bear in mind that it may take weeks for things to work themselves out and stabilise. Once you have everything stable and in range for a few weeks, then will be the time do decide if you need to swing on the truss-rod wrench, or mess around with the nut slots etc.