I have a Collings OH2H with a fishman natural pickup installed. I just put a fresh pair of d'addario medium guage strings on and I get this light buzz coming from just under the brdge of my guitar. I thought I maybe didn't pull one of the strings up tight enough to the bridge pin and that was what was causing it. So I changed the strings again making sure that wasn't the case and I still keep getting the buzz. However, it only happens when plucking the low E, A, and G strings fairly hard. Any ideas? Im almost wondering if is the actual fishman mic that is right under the bridge that is making the buzz if it is a little loose. I don't know how they secure the mics under there so I don't know if that would be an option. I also took a mirror and put it down my soundhole and then recreacted the buzz to see if I could see anything under the bridge vibrating, I could see the ends of all bridge pins and everything looked pretty secure. One last thing, the buzz only last for a second, it doesn't last the whole time the note is being played. So it's like whatever it is, vibrates hard really fast, and the dies out really fast too. Let me know if anyone has any suggestions. Thanks.

Mike

Hello Mike,
I'll take a stab at this one. If the buzz is definitely coming from under the bridge there's not a lot it can be (compared to coming from the top of the guitar). I agree with you that the first thing to check is that the string balls are firmly seated against the bridge plate. If that is OK I would suspect the pickup. I don't know how a Fishman is installed but I would disconnect/remove it and see if you still have the buzz. Other suggestions: Low saddle, saddle flat on top, saddle grooved/notched at strings, loose pickup parts, loose bridge, string winding loose, dented string winding, loose brace. If all these are OK I would take it to a luthier. Good luck.

More suggestions: Make sure saddle slot is clean and flat. Bottom of saddle is flat. Do not trim the end of the pickup or hum will occur. Make sure you have a good bridge to saddle break angle, approximately 45 degrees. Don't use a compensated saddle. Don't use bone or ivory for saddle material. Use micarta or tusk because it is more consistant. Check to see if jack is loose in endpin hole. Check soldered connections on pre-amp circuit board. Loose pre-amp screws. Check battery is secure. Make sure pickup is not bent or loose in slot. Call Fishman (978) 988-9199 or www.fishman.com

Thanks for the input! Im gonna take a look see at some things you mentioned. I'll let you know what I find out.

John - No bone for the saddle? No compensation? I thought Collings used bone and both of my Collings' saddles are compensated. I bought them used but I assumed the compensation was stock. Let's hear from Collings owners who got 'em new.

Sorry Randy. I have to learn to express myself more succinctly. I did not mean to say don't use bone, ivory or fossil walrus ivory (FWI)for saddles. I think good bone is the best bang for your buck that you are going to get period. Ivory and FWI are excellent too but a little pricey for my taste. You can get a bone saddle for approximately $5. A FWI saddle is around $50. Is it ten times better than bone? I don't think so. But that's another discussion.
What I meant to say is that the Fishman Company said,"We highly recommmend the Fishman Cleartone saddle for enhancing the performance of the Acoustic Matrix pickup. We also suggest synthetic materials such as Micarta or Corian as adequate substitutes. Organic saddles such as bone or ivory can not be recommended since these are not structurally as consistent as synthetic materials and may produce poor string to string balance through the pickup." I prefer bone, but I don't use a pickup.

Mike,
When you changed the strings did you take all the strings off at once or change them one at a time? That pickup just lays in the bottom of the saddle slot and if you took all the strings off it may have shifted a little when you put the strings back on. Especially if you put one string on at a time and brought that string up to tune before the rest of the strings were on.
Another thing is check that the saddle is not loose in the saddle slot. Take the strings off (loosen them enough to get the saddle pins out and put a capo on the strings to hold them in place)then turn the guitar upside down. If the saddle falls out of the slot it's too loose. The saddle should fit snuggly in the saddle slot. It can't be too loose and it can't be too tight. Too tight is the worst. If the saddle has too tight of a fit in the bridge/saddle slot it can split the bridge if humidity conditions get out of control and the (wooden) bridge shrinks. If you can slide the saddle into and out of the saddle slot by hand you are probably OK. If you have to use a pair of pliers to get the saddle out of the bridge, the saddle may be too tight.

Mike1234...

quote:

I just put a fresh pair of d'addario medium guage strings on and I get this light buzz coming from just under the brdge of my guitar. I thought I maybe didn't pull one of the strings up tight enough to the bridge pin and that was what was causing it. So I changed the strings again making sure that wasn't the case and I still keep getting the buzz. However, it only happens when plucking the low E, A, and G strings fairly hard.

I too am having that issue with a 6 week old Collings CJA. I wonder if the diameter of the wrap above the ball is just a hair to wide to fit in the bridge slot?

Doug