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I have just finished my first guitar build, a D-28 of sorts. After spending a few days on setup and adjustment I still have a bothersome slight buzz on my D string. It is not the nut slot height because this slight buzz continues up the neck up to about the 7th fret. All my other strings are fine. The specs on what I have set up are these:

String clearance at first fret: E=.016, A=.016, D=.014, G=.014,B=.012, E=.012

Action at 12th fret: Low E=.100, High E=.080

Relief at 7th fret = .012

Another odd thing is that if I pick the string with my thumb I don't get the buzz, but as soon as I use a medium pick the buzz is there.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Check out www.frets.com for an organized method of chasing down buzzes. That's what I use and it has been very helpful.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

There's a buzz that sometimes happens on classical D strings that comes from the string itself. It has to do with a longitudinal vibration that is tuned to some exact multiple of the transverse one, and it's a little complicated. The fact that you have the same problem on several notes on that string suggests it could be from the same cause. OTOH, it's hard to see why you'd have it when it's picked, but not when it's played with the thumb.

It's also possible that it's something much simpler: like an out of round string. Have you tried changing the string?