Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi folks!

I just got a new guitar, it's Cort G260. It played good out of the box but I wanted to set it up myself just to get it to the right spot.
Anyway... I messed around with tremolo a bit (Wilkinson) and now my high e string has that damp, almost sitar-like sound, low E string started to buzz either open or fretted (except after 15th fret) and A and D strings buzz when they are played in an open position.
What I did to tremolo was: I screwed the 2 pivot screws a bit inside the body to lower an action a bit, but then I returned it to its first position.
That's when the buzzing started and now it buzzes no matter what... I raised the saddles to no effect. Can some of you folks here give me some input on what should I do?

Thanks!

First things first - is your truss rod adjusted properly so that the neck has a minimum of relief? Second - I take it you adjusted the 2 fulcrum points of the bridge, not the saddles?

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Yes, the neck is adjusted properly and all the frets are leveled so there's that. And the nut is cut perfectly.

Yes, I lowered the fulcrum points but then brought them back up to no effect.

All right, are all the screws on the saddles level and tightened down?

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Yup, they are leveled and tightened down. The action follows the radius of the neck

If this is all true, I can't imagine what's causing your buzz.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

It's winter where you are and the guitar is likely dried out. For a successful set-up which starts with the truss rod adjustment you must first rehumidify the instrument and then have it stabilized for some days at around 45% RH. When it stops moving, wood moves with humidity changes then and only then do you set it up. This means your shop should be maintained at a RH range of 40 - 50% RH.

We rehumidify around 10 or so a week as step one to recovering from letting the guitar dry out. New instruments dry out the fastest, unseasoned wood.

A dry guitar will have sharp fret ends maybe, often the neck goes into back bow and the top lowers itself as the dome reduces and the strings come too close to the frets and may fret out and give you that sitar sound. I'm betting that this description of a dry guitar may make sense to you with what you have experienced with this one?

Can you give us measurements for relief, action at the 17th fret, and action at the nut?

How old are the strings, and are they what came with the guitar?