8mo ago

why is there a buzzing sound coming from my headstock?

This is an old classical guitar, it might be up to seventy years old. It buzzes with every note but it's the loudest on the G string. Please help.

19 comments

With instruments that old there might be many reasons: action too low, uneven frets, degraded nut... The best thing you can do is bring it to a professional luthier. A good one can find what's your problem in 2 minutes and fix it.
- Alright, thank you.
  
  Since that's a classical guitar something you can try for free is tightening the tuner pegs: there should be a screw holding the gear wheel and if it's loose try to tighten it with a screwdriver BE GENTLE, DON'T OVERDO IT.
  If you're lucky it might be it, otherwhise do as I said earlier and bring it to a luthier.
The plate that the tuning pegs sit on looks loose at the top right of the picture, just above the peg for the g string (heh heh, g string 😁 ). Try playing the g string and holding the plate in place.
If it's not that, try putting your finger on the other parts while you're playing, one at a time until the noise stops.
- Thank you so much! I'll try that when I can. Euheuh, you said G string.
- I think there's a fair chance a tuning peg is rattling, and also second your suggestion of putting a finger on each one, one at a time.
Seems like someone filed down the nut for lower action but might have gone too deep or made the channel too wide. If it sounds like you're playing a sitar it's probably the latter.
- Thanks, its definitely not as bad as a sitar lol it's just a buzzing present while playing. I'll take it to a luthier eventually though.
  
  That's simple to check. Does it buzz when you play first fret? If yes, it's probably not the nut.
I'm confused with the gauge and type of strings.
Looks like it's strung Ebeadg. The top 3 look nylon, but the low strings looklike something else.
Agree with others opinions about nut, winding, and pegs (machine head).
Edit: Sorry for being confused, I promise to know everything next time. So I can also downvote people who are unsure about a thing.
- It's a normal set of strings at eadgbe. shit, is the low e supposed to be at the farthest peg?
  Edit: I don't think so, no, what confused you here?
  Edit 2: the thicker strings are nickel wound nylon. This is pretty normal
  
  The guage just looks off to me. (I've never used nylon)
  Your D looks so thin (relative to your other strings) it looks like my B and your G looks like my A.
  But I'm using copper, or bronze, or something... it's been a while.

19 comments