weissenbro - Posted - 03/06/2025:  17:23:13

I just bought a gold tone weissenborn and it sounded great out of the box, however I just put new strings on it (the gold tone weissenborn strings with the gauges they recommend in the warranty card) and I’m getting crazy buzzing from the strings. It sounded just fine before I put the new strings on it, so it doesn’t make sense that it’s any issue with the action, nut, or saddle.



I’m new to resonator guitars/weissenborns but I have played acoustic guitar for 20 years so I just strung it like a standard acoustic and I cannot for the life of me figure out why it would be buzzing so bad on almost every string. Any help would be appreciated.

Edited by - weissenbro on 03/06/2025 17:59:33

MarkinSonoma - Posted - 03/06/2025:  18:37:18

A weissie authority I'm not, but let's start at the beginning: which tuning are you using? 

weissenbro - Posted - 03/06/2025:  19:06:33

So far I’ve tried open B and open C#, both tunings I used with the factory strings with no issues but with the new strings it’s buzzing on each one and I cannot figure out why

i would post a video of it but you're not allowed to do that here since I just signed up for this site 

Edited by - weissenbro on 03/06/2025 19:07:06

Lounge Primate - Posted - 03/06/2025:  19:32:25

What gauges are you using?



I like on mine:



"John Pearse Custom String Set specifically designed for the Iseman Weissenborn Guitars. Allows for a wide range of popular tunings. Includes tunings ranging from low C to G."

String Gauge: 15 17 26 36 46 56



And I play in D:    D A D F# A D



If you use similar gauges, tune up to D and see if the buzz goes away.

Edited by - Lounge Primate on 03/06/2025 19:35:23

weissenbro - Posted - 03/06/2025:  19:35:47

I put on the gold tone .14/.56, the same strings that came installed on it. I want to be able to play in several different tunings, namely open B, open C, and open D, which I was able to with the factory strings.

Clearly I put them on wrong somehow but I don’t understand how. I put them on like I put on acoustic guitar strings except for the first and sixth strings which I put on backwards the way they were when I got the guitar.

Lounge Primate - Posted - 03/06/2025:  19:52:57

quote:

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Originally posted by weissenbro

....... I put them on like I put on acoustic guitar strings except for the first and sixth strings which I put on backwards the way they were when I got the guitar.

---

Backwards? ..meaning you wound them on the other side of the tuning post  (tuning key turns in opposite direction) so they go straighter from the nut?

i do that too. 

weissenbro - Posted - 03/06/2025:  20:22:20

Yeah the headstock is so small, I can tell if I tried to string those 2 the way you do a normal guitar the strings would be crowding each other past the nut

Just cannot figure out what is making the strings buzz so badly.

Lounge Primate - Posted - 03/06/2025:  20:54:15

I suppose it’s possible that a brace became unglued when the guitar was relieved from string tension and then re-tensioned with new strings?
You might put a luthier’s (or mechanics) mirror in there and look around.

weissenbro - Posted - 03/07/2025:  05:52:52

Ugh that’s what someone else said it could be too. Also the 1st tuning peg is extremely loose maybe that is affecting the tension of all the others somehow too?

I literally bought this 2 weeks ago and it sounded great until I put new strings on it this is quite frustrating

Lounge Primate - Posted - 03/07/2025:  06:13:37

If it’s a loose brace, a luthier can fix it.
I had a brace become unglued on a Gibson L-00 in winter (warm-cold-warm etc.).

Hopefully it’s something simple. Good luck.

Dan Mahoney - Posted - 03/07/2025:  06:43:28

You might want to check the ball ends of the strings under the bridge. If they are not tight against the pins they will buzz. Also tighten up all of the tuners because they also can rattle.

SteelHippy - Posted - 03/07/2025:  22:32:27

Does it have a "dot" on the bridge? I had a Gold Tone Weissenborn, and the screw under the dot had a nut inside the guitar. The nut came loose and buzzed like crazy. Removed the nut (and screw) and all is well. Reach inside and see if you can feel it.

BTW - there is no need for that screw, it's some weird miss-conception. Herman did have wood screws under the dot, but it's not structural (at least that's my understanding)

Edited by - SteelHippy on 03/07/2025 22:33:16

weissenbro - Posted - 03/08/2025:  18:11:45

I did take the strings off and I feel that screw on the bridge, but I can’t feel the nut so it doesn’t seem to be loose. That’s the same advice gold tone gave me, actually