Radius killing notes ?

[7starshadowashes]

I know when action is too low lmao…it literally has zero buzzing and the notes are dying on a bend

 

[7starshadowashes]

Not sure what else to say. Something is wrong. If nothing is wrong with the guitar build itself or setup then you want the action to low, otherwise something is wrong with the guitar if you're wanting 'normal action' like a 1mm or above. Anything below 1mm is abnormal and it can take a lot to get there on some guitars.
- To me it sounds like the tech knows what's up and is trying to explain that with super low action and compound raidus that this is just the way it is., which is mostly true. On any guitar it can only go so low without choking out but that depends on it's specs and setup. Most Jacksons can do 1 or 1.5 mm action no problem ime but if you want around 1mm or below then choking on bends is normal unless you really pay attention to every detail to get it perfect If both tech say eerythign is normal and good it could be that specific guitar just doesn't w do it without more work So the radius will cut the notes off ?

Not sure what else to say. Something is wrong. If nothing is wrong with the guitar build itself or setup then you want the action to low, otherwise something is wrong with the guitar if you're wanting 'normal action' like a 1mm or above. Anything below 1mm is abnormal and it can take a lot to get there on some guitars.
- To me it sounds like the tech knows what's up and is trying to explain that with super low action and compound raidus that this is just the way it is., which is mostly true. On any guitar it can only go so low without choking out but that depends on it's specs and setup. Most Jacksons can do 1 or 1.5 mm action no problem ime but if you want around 1mm or below then choking on bends is normal unless you really pay attention to every detail to get it perfect If both tech say eerythign is normal and good it could be that specific guitar just doesn't w do it without more work.

so the radius WILL cut notes off if you have low enough action? I’m getting zero buzzing from low action so if it’s the radius cutting it off then that’s insane

 

[c7spheres]

I know when action is too low lmao…it literally has zero buzzing and the notes are dying on a bend

Best I could say is take it to another tech. Two techs not being able to figure it out is curious, three woud be very curious

so the radius WILL cut notes off if you have low enough action? I’m getting zero buzzing from low action so if it’s the radius cutting it off then that’s insane

Yes to low action will cut off bends becuase of raidus. Yes, if you're not getting any buzz and it's cutting off that's a bit insane. It points more towards neck angle or a warp in that case from what you describe but I still suspect unlevel frets only because neck warp is rare and neck angle usually isn't an issue. If you try raising the action really high like 2mm higher tha nit is and it goes away then it's probably frets being unlevel.

 

[budda]

Probably needs a shim and relief but hey, I dont play jacksons lol.

OP if you’re able to get to Halifax area I can probably find a decent recommendation. I dont really remember much of Canadian geography sadly..

 

[penguin_316]

Rough guess it has a high/unseated fret. They are right about the action, once you go so low you will get cutout with bends. There are physical constraints to the instruments, which is why higher end instruments have fret fallaway past around 14-15th fret.

In the video you can hear each note has a sympathetic ring as if it’s touching higher up frets….it’s too low. Sorry.

Also, being in Canada, you have to baby your instruments to keep them in a controlled environment. When I lived in MI I had to make sure my guitars were in warm spots of the house. Away from windows overnight etc.

 

[penguin_316]

A radius will cut your notes off, if you do like a 3 tone bend. Otherwise you should be able to do whatever. Raise the action a 1/2 mm at a time till your not getting the issue.

 

[Hollowway]

Wow great knowledgeable information!!! lots of people have really low action, are you debating this ? LOL anyone in here with some decent advice instead of trying to stroke their ego ?

Not sure why you’re being so hostile. I’m trying to help you, and I’m telling you the techs are wrong. Since you don’t seem to want my input, I’ll fade back into the internet, and you can go about it with others.

 

[elkoki]

The fretboard radius isn't causing the fret out, it's likely some uneven spots in the fretboard or high frets. The JS327 is a compound radius so it goes from 12 to 16 , 16 is quite flat which allows for lower action without fret out.. Usually with guitars like Fenders that have those 7.25 - 9.5 (or whatever they are) need higher action because there's more of a curve in the fretboard. At least that's my understanding.. I have the same 12-16 radius on my Schecter PT with no issues even with real low action.

I'm not a tech but I know fret out and buzz can persist even after fret leveling especially if there is humps and weird stuff going on in the neck. This is why some people like fret leveling with under string fret levelers.. At the end of the day, no offense but that guitar is a budget guitar and imperfect frets is a given with them. Techs don't know everything btw. I took my 7 string Schecter to one that was in the business 30+ years, I must've been one of the few young guys who took their more "modern" guitars to him because he couldn't even setup my Hipshot bridge right and he fucked up my fretboard binding which is a whole other story .

 

[7starshadowashes]

Probably needs a shim and relief but hey, I dont play jacksons lol.

OP if you’re able to get to Halifax area I can probably find a decent recommendation. I dont really remember much of Canadian geography sadly..

First guy actually mentioned something about a neck shim, he said the frets were fine tho ?

 

[col]

I'd check which fret does the string touch when you bend, you should be able to see. If it's the last fret, solution is simple, just file that fret down more.

Solution for this is to closely look at the geometry of the string when it moves along the bend.

My guess is since it only happens on bends, the fret is not evenly level with the fretboard. There's a low spot on the fret in relation to the higher frets, which you can't find with a rocker since you place that along the strings. On a bend you have the string on an angle. I tried to make a picture of the possible situation that I'm talking about.

 

[cip 123]

Is it only one string that frets out? and which fret does it do it on?

 

[MailMan]

I just tried some bends on the higher frets of my JS22-7, which is supposedly almost the same guitar, and I had no issues whatsoever. I don't think the radius itself could cause this, it should be something else, e.g. the frets like others have said.

 

[col]

To add to my previous post, does the string start to ring again if you bend it further after it dies? That would confirm my suspicion of a low spot.

 

[gclef]

Is is a bolt on, set neck, or neck thru? I ask because of rising tongue. This is where the fretboard starts to rise in the upper frets around the neck joint. It happens on set and bolt ons.

Regarding radius issues: I am not a luthier, but I am a master technician that can fix and diagnose just about anything.

Jacksons have compound radius fretboards, no? 10 to 16 or 12 to 16, right?

The bridge radius actually works out to near 20" when you extend that "cone" out.

Most floyds are 10 or 12" radius standard.
Ibanez are either just under 16 for the cheap stuff, and 17" for the higher end.

Using a 10 or 12" radius bridge on a 16" radius fretboard:
The e strings (assuming 6 string) set the overall height. 1.5mm on each side does not mean the same height for the middle strings. They might be 1.75 to 2 mm due to the more curved bridge radius.
There is no way for a guitar to fret our in this instance. In fact, it should be just the opposite.

For the record, I've never seen a factory guitar with a floyd that had a flatter radius than the fretboard.

This sounds like a setup issue and unrealistic expectations or rising tongue (see pic).


I always set my action as follows.

I start with the high frets, 12 to the end of the fret board. Lower the strings until they fret out on bends. Raise them back up slightly. This is as low as the bridge can be set.

Next, adjust the truss rod for frets 1 thru 7. Tighten until the buzz happens on open strings. Now loosen it just a hair. This is the lowest the action can get for them.

Last, you adjust intonation.


If you set the truss rod/ lower frets first, then try to lower the bridge to get the 12th fret string height where you want it, you are pretty much guaranteed to fret out on the top 6 frets or so. It gets better as you go down the neck because of the relief.

The lower you want your action, the more important following the above matters.

 

[gh0styboi]

Yeah, adding a voice to the chorus of 'it's definitely not the radius,' and if someone tells you that's the issue, they're not knowledgeable or they're lazy.

Could be the nut. Could be the neck relief. Could be a bad neck. Could be a bad setup.

What's the measurement between the top of the 12th fret and the bottom of the string in mm?

 

[Gtan7]

i've been looking at my fretless bass and how to handle hump over neck joint, i found this which zeroes in on factors like relief, simple vs compound radius, taper (nut vs bridge spacing) doesn't exactly describe your situation but points out factors to consider

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/flat-fretless-board-but-buzzing-below-12th-fret.1435561/#post-23318394

 

[cardinal]

Without seeing it and assuming your techs are correct that the frets are fine, my guess is that the nut slots are too high and that to get the action comfortable across the first half of the neck, you're having to run too little relief and with the bridge too low relative to the last few frets.

 

[cardinal]

I'll also say that sometimes despite all the measurements and tools, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, you know? A year or two ago I had a guitar that I could not set up properly; it seems like several of the high frets were uneven. I took it to a guy I'd used for years with great results, but he said he couldn't find a problem with the frets but agreed that he couldn't get it set up.

Well, I mean: the strings were audibly fretting out during bending, and you could hear that it was because the string was running into a specific fret higher up the board. That fret just has to be too high, no? So I just spot leveled it and then it played like a million bucks.