Low-action guitars take away the tension in the strings, making the instrument easier to play, which is why most beginners prefer a low-string setting. However, low action has one major con – fret buzz. Is there any way to fix the issue, or does this mean you should not use low action at all?
To get a low action without fret buzz, you can fix neck tension, truss rods, bridge saddles, level uneven frets, trim any extra long string ends, try changing your playing technique, or check the pickup height. Temperature and humidity can also cause fret buzz with low action.
Fret buzz does not interfere too much if it is not too pronounced, in fact, many seasoned guitarists even learn to ignore the buzzing and play with low action. The trick is to know how to reduce the buzzing as much as possible. If you want to find out how to minimize fret buzz with low action, keep reading!
Related: guitar action guide, do new guitars need fret leveling? here’s how to know, and how to test an electric guitar without an amp. Our guitar maintenance basics covers the basics in one place.
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13 Tips To Get Low Action Without Fret Buzz
- Check the Strings
- Check the Truss Rod
- Check the Humidity Level
- Adjust for Temperature and Weather Conditions
- Level Uneven Frets
- Check Pickup Height
- Fix the Loose Pickup Cables in Semi-Acoustic Guitars
- Adjust the Bridge Saddles
- Don’t Be Too Hard on the Strings
- Trim Any Extra Long String Ends
- Adjust Nut Slot Height
- Find the Right Playing Technique
- Fix the Loose Knobs and Tuning Pegs
1. Check the Strings
Fret buzz is not always a setup problem; therefore, many guitarists even ignore the buzz if they do not hear it through the amp. However, for beginners, it may be too distracting.
So, let’s see how we can fix fret buzz with low action.
The first thing you can do is check the string gauge, which is the thickness of your string. The thickness affects the playability of your guitar and changes the tone and comfort level.
To reduce fret buzz with low action, you should get strings with a higher gauge, which means thicker strings. These have more tension which is important for reducing fret buzz. It takes more effort to pluck them, but their sound control will be better with low action.
2. Check the Truss Rod
A truss rod is a metal strip inside the guitar’s neck. The strip is located under the fretboard and runs along the neck’s length. The neck’s straightness depends on how tight or loose the truss rod is. If the truss rod is too tight, the neck can bend backward, creating fret buzz.
The truss rod nut can be found at the top of the neck or near the sound hole. If it is at the top, you will see a cover plate, which you can remove using a screwdriver. Once you remove the plate, you will see the truss rod nut.
You can move the nut clockwise or counterclockwise to tighten or loosen the rod to adjust the neck’s straightness.
Use an L-shaped truss rod wrench to rotate the nut. If you do not have this wrench, you can buy it from any guitar shop. You can even use a regular wrench to rotate the truss rod.
Once you have the wrench, you should hold the truss rod bolt or nut and rotate it.
- To tighten the rod, move the nut clockwise.
- To loosen the rod, move the nut counterclockwise.
You can keep adjusting the rod until the neck is straight enough without compromising low action. If the rod is too tight and the neck is bent backward, the strings will be too low even for low action, creating fret buzz.
You must make small movements (not more than a quarter turn) to turn the truss rod nut to avoid damage. Moreover, do not tighten the truss rod too much as it can break the metal strip and even the guitar’s neck. You’ll be in for an expensive repair if the truss rod or the neck breaks.
Important tips for truss rod adjustment:
- If the truss rod is in the sound hole, you may have to loosen the strings first. However, the one on the neck is easily accessible.
- Before adjusting the truss rod, measuring the action is a good idea. That way, you’ll have a reference point. You can do this using any measuring tool. Take the measurements at the first and twelfth fret under each string.
- Now turn the truss rod quarter turn at a time. You can compare the new action with the old one to see the difference.
3. Check the Humidity Level
Humidity level can also contribute to fret buzz, so storing the guitar in optimal conditions is important. The guitar’s wood can crack or warp when humidity is too high or low.
When the neck of the guitar warps, it makes the frets uneven by lowering one side of your guitar’s neck while the other side goes higher. This makes it challenging to play the guitar. Humidity can even cause mold to appear.
The ideal humidity level for an account guitar is between 45% to 55%. Anything over or below may damage the wood and the guitar’s playability.
There are different types of gadgets to help you check humidity levels.
- One of the best ways to control the guitar’s humidity is to keep it in a hard case. It protects