My Martin DX-1 is getting fret buzz

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jonslaten

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If there's anyone out there that answer why for me that would be great. Here it is: I bought a Martin DX-1 from the music store. Brought it home and played it for months. It sounded amazing! Then one day the high E string went mute due to it vibrating on a fret. I then took it to a music shop that specializes in Martin guitars to get it properly set up. The guy fixed it perfectly. It was fine for several months and then a few days ago I noticed the problem coming back but now several strings are doing this, but only between the 5-9th fret area. Do you think that I need a taller saddle? Is the action too low? The necks is straight, I haven't dropped it so I don't have a freakin clue what's wrong. Any help with this?
 
You need more relief in the neck. As the humidity changes so does the relief in the neck. You need to have it adjusted. The only other possibility is that you have a high fret. Again you need to have it checked and if that is the cause the fret needs to be reseated or levelled and crowned.
 
You don't say where you live, which makes a difference, but at a guess - particularly given the time of year - your guitar is probably under humidified. As the top drys out, it sinks. This, obviously, pulls the bridge along with it, which lowers the action. All of the Martin A-braced guitars (such as all the X model guitars) are particularly prone to this, as they have only one lateral brace in the lower bout, among other things. This makes them sound very fine, but they are a bit on the fussy side for maintenance, and are quite prone to humidity related issues.

Go look at the thread at the top of the forum for some ideas on how to improve things, at least eventually. The good news is that the heating season is almost over, so humidity issues will get much better. The bad news is that if you don't aggressively humidify the guitar, you could easily end up developing a serious crack, and it will take time to re-humidify the guitar. To make sure I'm right, take a straight edge, and lay it across the top of the guitar behind the bridge. if there is a gap under the straight edge at the center of the top (and I'm betting you will), get on top of that humidity AGGRESSIVELY. Another good test is to feel the edges of the fingerboard. If your guitar is as dry as I'm guessing, the fret ends will be sticking out noticeably.


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Honestly, I'd take it back to the place that set this guitar up. Unless you're abusing this thing, it shouldn't need set-up that soon.
 
Honestly, I'd take it back to the place that set this guitar up. Unless you're abusing this thing, it shouldn't need set-up that soon.

Yes it may, depending on many normal considerations, the main one being fluctuations in humidity. There are other normal use scenarios that can throw out a setup.
 
I then took it to a music shop that specializes in Martin guitars to get it properly set up. The guy fixed it perfectly. It was fine for several months...

Honestly, I'd take it back to the place that set this guitar up. Unless you're abusing this thing, it shouldn't need set-up that soon.

You can't blame the shop that did the setup. The guitar obviously changed.
 
Honestly, I'd take it back to the place that set this guitar up. Unless you're abusing this thing, it shouldn't need set-up that soon.

In several months? My main electric right now changes weekly! (It's new - it will settle down as it gets older). But PARTICULARLY if the OP lives somewhere that has had the kind of winter we've had here, it is not only possible but likely to have changed in that much time.


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"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
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