Tech Talk Debrief:
Breaking down real guitar problems and questionable advice.
Here’s a real question from a guitar owner:
I have a Gibson SG Special from the 1960s I have an issue with the low E string buzzing, also some issues with toneation.
I had it in the shop but they really did not make that much improvement.
I just changed the strings to Ernie Ball and the buzz is worse on E string.
I used a string gauge at the 12th fret and string height is a little on the high side.
Do i need to adjust the neck?
The Correct Answer (What a Trained Tech Knows)
There is no single adjustment that “fixes” this.
Buzz like this can come from:
- neck relief (truss rod)
- nut slot height
- saddle height
- uneven frets (very common)
- and a surprising variety of other issues
The only correct approach is a sequence.
You don’t guess.
You don’t “try things.”
You follow a structured process, part of which is:
- Set relief
- Evaluate nut height
- Set saddle height
- Check fret level
- Then finalize intonation
Skip the order, and you chase problems in circles.
And note, this is not your standard “T.R.A.I.N.” sequence. T.R.A.I.N. all but guarantees a lack of consistency.
Bad advice & gibberish
What He Actually Got (Bad Advice)
Instead of a proper diagnostic process, he was told:
“Back the pickups away from the strings because they affect intonation.”
This is the kind of advice that sounds technical… but isn’t solving the problem.
Yes, pickups “hear” the string differently than your ears do.
Yes, pickup height can slightly influence the signal. Which is why you want to intonate with the pickups in the position they’ll be played in.
And none of that addresses string buzz.
It’s a distraction—not a diagnosis.
The Classic “Word Salad” Problem
Then came the filler:
“Harmonics are a byproduct, not part of the calibration process…”
Who asked about harmonics?
This is what untrained techs do:
- throw in technical terms
- sound knowledgeable
- avoid actually solving the issue
Not because they’re purposely trying to bamboozle the player, but because they don’t understand and that lack of understanding creates fear that they desperately attempt to hide.
The Real Issue
Many techs genuinely believe:
“Some buzz is just part of playing guitar.”
That’s not reality.
That’s a lack of training.
Buzz isn’t mysterious.
It has a cause.
And when you follow the correct sequence, it can almost always be eliminated.
What We See Every Week
Customers come into our shop after:
- one shop
- sometimes two
And the guitar is:
- no better
- or worse
Because no one followed a structured process.
What We Do Differently
Every guitar goes through the same system.
No guessing.
No shortcuts.
No “try this and see what happens.”
Just a repeatable process that produces consistent results.
Want to Be Better Than the Average Tech?
These are the techs you’ll be competing with.
If you want to stand out—and actually fix guitars and have happy, loyal customers, instead of chasing problems—