Buzz Feiten

[tot_Ou_tard]

The point is: It's one more marketing tool that sells guitars to people hoping that the iota of "difference" will somehow make them be able to jam with the big-dogs sooner or easier.
You'll see a bunch of "names" hawking the concept but those same "names" don't actually use that miracle technology on their own instruments... like the "names" that take picture after picture holding no-name manufacturer's products, (for some healthy payola,) and then grab their perked Fender/Gibson/Taylor and go back to work.
Ok, I'm a cynic... but that's how the market really spins!

That may be what motivates Buzz, but none of it matters a whiff to me.

Since noone that has experience has made a strong argument for the system, it probably matters little. I'm not going to go out of my way.

I'd still be interested in some science. There is an answer. It's an easy experiment.

Take a nicely intonated guitar and fret every note: measure the pitch.

Now install Buzz Feiten & intonate & tune according to the system.

Now measure the pitch of every note.

Compare.

Now do this for say 100 guitars & average .

So who's up for a little home science in the name of truth ?

 

[just strum]

T
Now do this for say 100 guitars & average .

So who's up for a little home science in the name of truth ?

I'm just up to playing - if it sounds good and feels good - play it.

 

[Kodiak3D]

I'm just up to playing - if it sounds good and feels good - play it.

Amen, brother!
:rockon:

 

[oldguy]

That may be what motivates Buzz, but none of it matters a whiff to me.

Since noone that has experience has made a strong argument for the system, it probably matters little. I'm not going to go out of my way.

I'd still be interested in some science. There is an answer. It's an easy experiment.

Take a nicely intonated guitar and fret every note: measure the pitch.

Now install Buzz Feiten & intonate & tune according to the system.

Now measure the pitch of every note.

Compare.

Now do this for say 100 guitars & average .

So who's up for a little home science in the name of truth ?

Tot, it'd be easier to just listen to, say, 100 clips or videos on youtube, maybe SRV, Hendrix, EVH, or whoever your favorites are.
Make sure they DON"T have Buzz Feiten systems, then listen for out of tune notes as they're playing.......ancake:

 

[Dreadman]

The BF system is nothing more than a novel method of compensating a nut - which will improve intonation - albeit a very small amount. similar to the Earvana and others it's a "generic" or "production line" method and doesn't focus on an individual guitar.

The kicker is that any luthier or competent tech can custom compensate any existing nut for $50 or less.

 

[Dreadman]

I didn't read this whole thing but at a glance it looks like it describes the procedure pretty well.

http://www.mimf.com/nutcomp/

 

[Katastrophe]

I don't know anything about the BF system, since I've never played on a guitar with it installed.

I do know that there are countless guitars out there without it, and seem to be doing just fine.

Most bridge systems allow for different string lengths in their design for intonating the guitar. It would seem to me that this would take the need for a compensated nut out of the equation, for the most part. Is it going to be perfect? Nope. Is $139.00 for the BF system worth it to get a teensy bit closer to perfect? Not for me.

My prescription for overcoming intonation problems:

1. Grab string.
2. Shake like hell.
3. Make really cool guitar face.
4. Repeat as necessary!

Marnold: :rotflmao:

 

[hubberjub]

I used to have a Musicman John Petrucci model which came with a compensated nut. There was a fairly noticable difference in the intonation of the lower frets. By the way, fretting a note does not take the compensated nut out of the equation because you are physically changing where the frets fall under the string in relation to the string length. The way a standard guitar is set up it will never be in perfect tune. Look at how far out of tune the seventh (or 19th)fret harmonics are compared to a fretted note. However, this raises a real question. How can it really be rock and roll if your guitar is in tune? I noticed a difference and I didn't run out and retrofit my other guitars. I even sold the Musicman. Not because of the nut, the neck was just too thin. Intonation problems are very common in musical instruments. The piano uses a tempered tuning. That's why they don't tune them with a tuner, they just tune by ear. A fret being a few cents off here or there isn't going to have a huge impact on someone listening to the music.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

I didn't read this whole thing but at a glance it looks like it describes the procedure pretty well.

http://www.mimf.com/nutcomp/

Thanks Dreadman! I'll go read it.

Tot, it'd be easier to just listen to, say, 100 clips or videos on youtube, maybe SRV, Hendrix, EVH, or whoever your favorites are.
Make sure they DON"T have Buzz Feiten systems, then listen for out of tune notes as they're playing.......ancake:

I'll see you in a coupl'a weeks Old Guy .

I used to have a Musicman John Petrucci model which came with a compensated nut. There was a fairly noticable difference in the intonation of the lower frets. By the way, fretting a note does not take the compensated nut out of the equation because you are physically changing where the frets fall under the string in relation to the string length. The way a standard guitar is set up it will never be in perfect tune. Look at how far out of tune the seventh (or 19th)fret harmonics are compared to a fretted note. However, this raises a real question. How can it really be rock and roll if your guitar is in tune? I noticed a difference and I didn't run out and retrofit my other guitars. I even sold the Musicman. Not because of the nut, the neck was just too thin. Intonation problems are very common in musical instruments. The piano uses a tempered tuning. That's why they don't tune them with a tuner, they just tune by ear. A fret being a few cents off here or there isn't going to have a huge impact on someone listening to the music.

Very clear! Thanks Hubberjub.

It handles all the points.

1) Yes it affects intonation.

2) Physics says fretting does not bring the nut out of the equation.

3) Personal experience: it changes things but who cares.

But I disagree that it can't be rock n' roll if the intonation isn't off .

Besides guitars can be used for other types of music as well.

Thanks for all the great discussion everyone.

 

[mark wein]

I've just read through all of this...

I have 2 Suhrs that have th Buzz Fieten intonation and several other guitars without. I am not really hip to the science, but the Feiten guitars that I own really are better intonated throughout the whole instrument. I don't think that I would retrofit a guitar that didn't come with it, though. I know someone who had it done and it didn't turn out the same as my guitars.

I really think that guitars that have the process done in the manufacturing process (for whatever reason) really benefit from the system....I love it and wouldn't order another Suhr without it but do I miss it on my Les Paul? no....

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Thanks Mark, I was gonna ask you about your Suhr.


I didn't realize that you had two!

So here's what we do, you send me one of yours & I'll let you know whether I like the system or not .

 

[mark wein]

Thanks Mark, I was gonna ask you about your Suhr.


I didn't realize that you had two!

So here's what we do, you send me one of yours & I'll let you know whether I like the system or not .

I don't think so