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The patient is a 50s D-28 that has had a good deal of work done to it over time but is in good playing order. The guitar came into the shop because the customer was having some fret buzz and action issues. After leveling and recrowning the frets and doing a fresh set up (action at 7 and 6 at the 12th) the buzzes were eliminated and the customer is comfortable with the playability. HOWEVER, there is a problem on the high E string, 10th fret (D note). That note is dead or dull sounding, it lacks the clarity and sustain present on that string at every other note (and on the rest of the scale on all strings). The clarity of the note improves totally if you bend the note sharp. The frets are dead level, there is no buzz at all with the dead note, just a noticeable decrease in clarity and sustain. The string clearance over the 11th fret is sufficient, and with the lack of any buzz I know it is not the next fret deadening the note. If you play the same D note on the B string the clarity is good, no dead quality at all. I'm stumped.

Any ideas?

I'd check that the fret end is not up from the fretboard. Clamp it down and wick a tiny bit of CA under it. Let it dry, test. If it still had the problem, I'd replace the fret.

If you tune it up or down a half step does it still have a problem?

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EddieLee

Assuming you've tried a new string. How about putting the e string where the b string usually is.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Thanks for the suggestions. Several folks (here and off the forum) have noted that perhaps the fret is loose. It does not appear to be loose at all but I'll give the cyano trick a shot. I've been doing this work for 17 years professionally and have never run into this kind of single note dead spot before. I'll post here again after I fuss with the fret a bit to make sure it is well seated and secured.

If the fret is the problem the CA will cure it. Check by tapping on the fret and the ones on either side of it with the steel tip of a screw driver if the fret sounds dull compared to the rest, it is probably the problem.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
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