why is there a buzzing sound coming from my headstock?
why is there a buzzing sound coming from my headstock?
This is an old classical guitar, it might be up to seventy years old. It buzzes with every note but it's the loudest on the G string. Please help.
With instruments that old there might be many reasons: action too low, uneven frets, degraded nut... The best thing you can do is bring it to a professional luthier. A good one can find what's your problem in 2 minutes and fix it.
Alright, thank you.
Since that's a classical guitar something you can try for free is tightening the tuner pegs: there should be a screw holding the gear wheel and if it's loose try to tighten it with a screwdriver BE GENTLE, DON'T OVERDO IT.
If you're lucky it might be it, otherwhise do as I said earlier and bring it to a luthier.
Looks like the nut is pretty worn, check 1st fret action across all strings? Any hidden cracks in the wood? Have you checked for loose screws, either mounting the tuners, the tuning gears or the tuning pegs themselves? I'm more of an electric guy, but I'd start there and see if the problem reveals itself.
I agree about the nut. Also, the windings look pretty wonky and uneven. Are they making contact with the cutout in the headstock before they go onto the nut? Might be causing some vibration there.
Thanks for the great advice, but there are no cracks or anything, I tightened all the screws and it's not fret buzz. the sound is still there
If you have a capo, you could test it on the first fret (or second, or third, etc.) and see if your problem stops. I had a guitar with a worn nut that put a couple strings just low enough to always buzz against the first fret.
Other places to check for buzzing include:
- The ends of the bridge knots. These should have been tied so that they are looped into the knots of the other strings, but if they are sticking out and touching the soundboard you may get some vibration.
- Same of the ends of the strings around the tuning pegs. It looks like these have been trimmed so that there isn't any extra string after the knot around the tuning peg, but if there is it will sometimes touch the headstock and buzz (I don't trim mine, so this happens to me sometimes).
- Someone else mentioned that your strings are touching the wood due to how they are wrapped - also a possibility. I'd loosen the strings and push those wraps further onto the post.
- And just a wild guess - were you playing while wearing a shirt with buttons?
Seems like someone filed down the nut for lower action but might have gone too deep or made the channel too wide. If it sounds like you're playing a sitar it's probably the latter.
Thanks, its definitely not as bad as a sitar lol it's just a buzzing present while playing. I'll take it to a luthier eventually though.
That's simple to check. Does it buzz when you play first fret? If yes, it's probably not the nut.
The plate that the tuning pegs sit on looks loose at the top right of the picture, just above the peg for the g string (heh heh, g string 😁 ). Try playing the g string and holding the plate in place.
If it's not that, try putting your finger on the other parts while you're playing, one at a time until the noise stops.
I think there's a fair chance a tuning peg is rattling, and also second your suggestion of putting a finger on each one, one at a time.
Thank you so much! I'll try that when I can. Euheuh, you said G string.
I'm confused with the gauge and type of strings.
Looks like it's strung Ebeadg. The top 3 look nylon, but the low strings looklike something else.
Agree with others opinions about nut, winding, and pegs (machine head).
Edit: Sorry for being confused, I promise to know everything next time. So I can also downvote people who are unsure about a thing.
It's a normal set of strings at eadgbe. shit, is the low e supposed to be at the farthest peg?
Edit: I don't think so, no, what confused you here?
Edit 2: the thicker strings are nickel wound nylon. This is pretty normal
