Okay, i've borrowed my mates stratocaster and i noticed within seconds of playing that there was alot of fret buzz from open string low E. when playing a power chord on the first fret of the string there is no buzz, yet when playing an Em chord there is so much buzz you can't here the other 2 notes being help down. on the strat model there are also ... what i would desribe as saddles, where the strings enter the trem; strings E -through to- G are all at the same height (Maximum height) and distance (Maximum Distance) from the back of the trem the other 2 looked crooked and were at different heights. i've tried moving the truss rod but it makes the neck have no bow in it and the low e automatically goes to max tension when you try to tune it and sounds tiny + it sounds like it still rubbing against the first fret wire. i have not taken it to any store in the immediate area as they are all stupidly over priced and do a poor job at customer service; so i was wondering if there was anyone that could help me fix this without directing me to the fender website; it is of no help to me. A walk through would be nice, but i'll take all the help i can get aslong as it doesn't require me forking out £30 for a new set of everything.

Thanks in advance,
Daryl.

Daryl., February 2009

I Had a strat with the same prob it just wanted setting , i was fortunate to own a book called the complete guitarist (its hard backed with beige cover) in that book it took me through step by steb instructions on how to set an electric guitar and used the strat as example , you need a set of feeler gauges a flat engineers steel rule and an allen key and a electronic tuner . it sorted mine otherwise post your e-mail in a couple of days and ill scan and send it ya , create a new E-Mail just for this as youll probably get spammed to death . but once you follow the instuctions its really easy but a bit long winded.

tomo, May 2009

VinylPete's the proper way to do it but of you want a quick fix, here's how to do it: Put a small amount of super glue on the nut's groove (the low E string's). With a toothpick as a spatula, put in some talcum powder, and then seal it with super glue again. When it hardens, file the groove down with a small file or a hacksaw blade to the proper depth. Be careful you don't file it way too deep or you'll be back where you started.

madflip, March 2009

Daryl,
With one hand hold the string onto (on top of, not behind) the third fret, and you should be able to see daylight between the string and the first fret when you look under the string across the fret board. If you tap the string on the first fret while holding it against the third fret, you should just feel/hear the gap. If not, and the string is pressing on to the first fret, it sounds like the nut is the problem and you will probably need to do as VinylPete says.

Try here? www.guitarattack.com/repair/intonation.htm

Phil, March 2009

Daryl,
From what you've described the first place I'd look would be the groove for the string in the nut. If all other strings don't buzz when played open it sounds like the 6th string has cut itself too deep in the nut, and that's why it buzzs on fret 1. When you barre a chord (say an F position) you're taking the nut out of play, so depth of groove doesn't matter, and 6th string sounds fine.
Solution - de-string, remove nut (should only be glued in position), fit new one, should be fine. Before removing nut check the groove depth, so you don't waste you're time and money. If that isn't the fault I think you need to consider possibility the neck is warped, but I'd have thought this would have a greater effect than just 1 string. Best of luck!

VinylPete, February 2009