SE Custom 22 Semi Hollow fret buzz

[surfmurder]

I just recently got a 2012 SE Custom Semi Hollow shipped to me and I'm experiencing a little bit of buzz mostly past the 15th or 16th fret. It's only problematic around the 19-22nd frets, which makes them very difficult to use. I'd adjusted the bridge up a bit, but I feel like the bridge is already a little high.
I do have a 64th inch ruler that I can use to measure. How high do you guys prefer your strings to be, and what actions should I take to set up the action properly?

 

[cjmwrx]

This is a very good starting point.

http://www.prsguitars.com/csc/setup.html

 

[justmund]

Was it new when you bought it and had it been setup (e.g. neck relief)?

 

[surfmurder]

It was new yes, but it was shipped from Virginia. So it's probably a little out of whack. I'm practicing adjustments on my other guitar, and I think I'm starting to get it but I'm just anxious to do it on my PRS.

 

[jbloggs]

I'd start by lowering the pickups, probably the bridge unit first. Measure and record corrent height from polepieces to strings first.

I spent hours adjusting bridge, neck-relief on a jap strat because of a slight buzz - went away when I slightly lowered high E side of bridge pickup.

 

[justmund]

Did you get a little card with the guitar telling you that you should (and how to) adjust the neck relief? I say this because I bought a new semi-hollow, and experienced exactly the same thing until I adjusted the neck relief. Unless the guitar has messed with it, this is all that should need doing.

 

[maxtuna26]

judging from the fret buzz at 19-22nd, maybe your guitar's got too much neck relief and the bridge saddles are too low. the neck became bent backwards (think banana), then the strings running down the neck will be slightly closer to the fretboard end, and with the bridge too low, the strings definitely will buzz as it's already too close to the fretboard end. try the prs tech page cjmwrx had posted.

 

[surfmurder]

I did look at the card, but it says when string buzz is a problem there is probably too much back bow, which makes sense to me. Whenever I look from the headstock down it looks like it curves up more towards the headstock which makes me feel like maybe it has too much relief like Maxtuna said. I'll have to mess around with this tonight after work.

 

[maxtuna26]

I did look at the card, but it says when string buzz is a problem there is probably too much back bow, which makes sense to me. Whenever I look from the headstock down it looks like it curves up more towards the headstock which makes me feel like maybe it has too much relief like Maxtuna said. I'll have to mess around with this tonight after work.

i had faced this problem once, i had tried messing around (with "some" knowledge) with the truss rod, and couldn't get it right too, then i brought it to a local tech who i was very close with, and had him explain the problem to me. Best way of learning is to learn from other experienced techs, so don't be stingy on that few bucks, ask the guy what was the problem (demand to know it) and how he solved it. You'll be surprised how much knowledge you could "siphon" from them

 

[DarrenJ1973]

simple rules with fret buzz, if you can hear it when unplugged but not when plugged in it's ok, if the fret buzz is at either end of the fingerboard you have too much bow in the neck and need to adjust the truss rod, if it's in the middle you have too much back bow and need to adjust the truss rod, if it's only on one or 2 adjacent strings you have a raised fret.

Guitar setups are not hard and it's only wire and wood.

 

[surfmurder]

I do plan on having this guitar professionally set up before too long. There is a shop nearby that watches you play for about 10-15 minutes or so, and then set's it up to your specs and/or playing style. Chances are whenever I get that done I'm gonna have to take a few notes just to know.
the buzz is only super prominent on the 19-22nd frets of my high e-string. It does buzz elsewhere, but not as bad. You can hear it choke out the notes sometimes when I play that high.