Fixing that annoying Floyd Rose sitar sound

A thin, sitar-like buzz on a Floyd Rose guitar can come from poor string contact at the locking nut. Before working on the nut, check the string, action, neck relief and frets. A similar noise can have several causes, and filing the wrong part creates another repair.

The nut-contact fix below is one I’ve used in my own work. My video shows the problem and the repair.

Check where the noise occurs

Play the affected string open, then at several frets. Note whether the sound occurs only on the open string, in one area of the neck, or throughout its range. That helps narrow the inspection. An open-string problem points you toward the nut, but it doesn’t prove the nut is at fault.

Look for a damaged or worn string and check the setup. Low action, insufficient neck relief or a high fret can put the string into contact with a fret as it vibrates. Check pickup height too. I’ve heard some bizarre sounds caused by pickups sitting too close to the strings.

Inspect the locking nut

Once the other checks are done, look at the front of the locking nut, where the string enters from the bridge side. The string needs to sit flush against its seat. If it can bounce there as it vibrates, that contact can cause the sitar sound I demonstrate in the video. Clean away debris and inspect the string and contact area before removing any material.

If there’s a retainer bar behind the nut, check that the string follows the nut’s surface toward the tuning peg instead of lifting away at the back. Also check the nut’s height. A nut that sits too low may need shimming; cutting its contact surface lower would make that problem worse.

The file I use for this repair

StewMac’s Understring Fret Dressing Files are made for fretwork, but I’ve used them to correct a string-contact problem in a locking nut. They have 300-grit diamond abrasive and come in 10-, 20- and 30-degree versions.

The aim is to remove the smallest amount of material needed to let the string sit properly. Work on the contact fault you’ve identified, then put the string back in position and check it again. This is a small correction to an existing surface. Removing too much material can leave the string too low or poorly supported.

I’ve also used a razor blade wrapped in sandpaper as a narrow backing for the abrasive. In the video, I suggest around 220 grit. The sandpaper shapes the contact surface; the blade isn’t used to cut the metal. Keep the cutting edge covered and work slowly. If you can’t identify the contact fault clearly, stop before filing.

This is my use of those tools for a particular repair. StewMac sells the files for dressing frets; the locking-nut application described here comes from my own work.

Check the result at playing tension

Return the string to pitch, secure the clamp and play the notes that produced the noise. Check the action and tuning stability again. The string needs proper support at the nut as well as a clamp that holds it securely.

I take local electric guitar repair work in Elkhorn. To ask about a repair, email John with the guitar model, which string makes the noise and whether it happens on open or fretted notes.