Extreme response between 80 and 100 Hz. distortion inherent in range

There is a good bit involved with properly setting up a guitar. I take all my new guitars straight to a luthier for adjustment.
Your problem could be - frets too high at different points, warping of the neck, a worn nut.
Some manufacturers have specific heights for strings above the fret at certain frets. Gretsch being one of them.
Cost in my area is $50.
It's worth it.

okay first you must look at the frets if they are flattened out this is one reason and no matter what you do you will not be able to do it because the flattened frets are now making string contact further up in the scale length instead of in the center of the fret look at your string when you press it down it will be making contact on the very front of the fret making the notes sharp and driving you crazy with repeated attempts at setting the intonation you need a fret dressing if this is not the case and the frets are not worn but the strings are high off the fret board the neck relief needs to be adjusted to much neck curve upward results in higher string travel to be fretted which will add higher pressure to fret a note and making them sound sharp to check the neck take a capo clamp it at 1st fret now go to the fret where the neck joins the body and depress it count back to the halfway point and see how much space is between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string this should be around the eighth fret or seventh take a matchbook cover or a thin piece of plastic like a laminate you cover your pictures or documents with put it between the string and the fret the right height should be that it just fits between without moving the string once you've done this you should be able to intonate but please inspect all your frets first for flattening wear from playing if buzzing occurs after setting the frets in that are higher up the neck need to be dressed because they are not as worn as your regular playing zone which will make them a little taller when adjusting the truss rod do it 1/8 of a turn at a time do not crank it they are very sensitive to torque and the neck will bend backwards you must go slowly restringing and unbolting the neck unless your truss rod is at the headstock these are much easier but still require a little at a time 1/8 turns and patience good luck

Taken from http://www.learnguitarsetups.com


There are a few golden rules when adjusting your truss rod. First, only use the rod to keep your neck as straight as it needs to be...do not use it to adjust your action! Second, only use the proper tools. If you do not know what the proper tool is, check with the manufacturer. Truss rod nuts are easy to strip, and once they're stripped, they are expensive to fix! Finally, do not force anything; an eighth of a turn can make a drastic change. Remember, if the truss rod feels tight or doesn't seem to be doing anything, take it to a professional.

1. Start by sitting with the guitar in the playing position.
2. Tune it to pitch if it is not already.
3. Capo the first fret. If you do not own a capo, you can use your fretting hand.
4. Next, fret the bass string with your picking hand up near where the neck joins the body. This is typically around the 14th fret, but it may be higher up with some electric guitars. In our example, we'll be using the 20th fret.
5. Use the string as a straightedge held against the neck which will either bow away, or against the string. This is how you determine the amount of relief in the neck. You can also use a steel ruler placed along the length of the neck, in the same manor.
6. In our example, the approximate half way point between the 20th fret and the 1st, will be the 7th fret where we will observe the distance between the top of that fret and the bottom of the string (or ruler), as pictured. Notice the gap. Hint: Half way down the neck is often between the 7th-9th frets.
7. If you have a gap between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string, you likely have a bowed neck. If there is no gap, it is likely either dead straight or back-bowed.

HOW MUCH TO ADJUSTThe bigger the gap, the more relief is in the neck. Normally, we want just a small amount of relief in the neck for optimal playing, about the same as the thickness of a business card or less.

If there is a gap, tighten the truss rod clockwise until you have something closer to what we're after. Slide a business card in between the top of fret and bottom of the string (or ruler). Make sure you are placing the card parallel with the string or ruler. If there is no gap, you may be either dead straight or back bowed, so you will need to loosen the truss rod counter-clockwise to get the results we are after. Hint: If the strings are buzzing in the first few frets and open strings, it is often a clear indication of a back bow.

Remember, do not force anything to get the results you are after. If it is hard to adjust or spins freely you may need professional assistance.

The final step in setting your relief is to test it out! If it feels better, you're done! But take note, straightening the neck may actually make your guitar play worse! Consequently, when the truss rod is tightened, the height of the strings are lowered, which can create string buzz if your guitar isn't setup properly to start. Likewise, it can make a poor fret condition more noticeable. So, if your guitar plays worse after adjusting the neck, it is either too straight for your playing style, or it is a sign that more work is needed. Thankfully, you can easily reverse the changes you've just made if required.



For pictures and further info, visit www.learnguitarsetups.com

Have the guitar setup at a reputable guitar repair shop. This is likely a truss rod setup problem which an inexperienced person should NOT attempt on an expensive guitar. It could also be that the slot in the nut is too low for that string. They can shim the nut if needed or replace it. There are several settings that have to be right to have good playability.

If the ringing only occurs with a specific range of notes it may be something rattling in the amp loose or speaker enclosure.
It could also be feedback occurring at certain frequencies - does the ringing stop if you turn the volume down a bit or stand in a different position in relation to the amp?
Could be a problem with your guitar? Maybe the pick up height needs adjusting in relation to the E string or is it the string buzzing against a fret - indicating a need for adjusting the bridge height or trussrod settings?

Considerations:

1. Intonation problems can be due to worn strings even if the guitar is set up properly. New Strings can fix this. This is the most common problem.

2. Also, changing string size may effect your set up too. Typically, new guitars come with lighter strings such as (9's) which the guitar is set up for. The positive is that 9's fret easily. The negative is that they bend too easily for some players who either slightly bend them when chording (accidentally), or press too hard on guitars with jumbo sized frets, which in turn bends the string toward the fret board causing detuning. To fix these items folks may suggest you get a heavier string like a (10), but the problem can often be solved by playing with a lighter hand, pressing only enough to make contact with the fret and not pressing the string all the way to the fretboard. Check your intonation using this light touch method and see if it's okay verses pressing the string all the way to the fretboard. If the intonation is okay with the light touch, the guitar intonation is set up properly. You may want to consider playing with a lighter hand or getting a guitar without jumbo frets such as Fender strats etc...

Putting a heavier string on a guitar set up for (9's) would likely cause the buzzing that wasn't there before. In this case you'd need the guitar and neck set up again to accomodate the 10's. So decide what size string you want and set the guitar up for that size.

These considerations are true for any electric guitars.

After consideration of all of the above, you still feel it's the guitar, I suggest you push for a replacement or perhaps credit toward another guitar.

The frets MAY be worn or the neck truss rod MAY need adjustment, Neither of these is DIY unless yiu have experience in repoairing guitars. Since this is only on the 2nd string, inspect the frets for wear and the only DIY thing to try is to replace that string... DO that first !!!

Have you changed strings on it? Old strings get worn spots in them from rubbing on the frets that will cause these type of symptoms. If you put new strings on and get the same issue, check your neck relief (the amount of bow in the neck) to do this, hold your low E string at the first fret, and at the 12th or 14th fret. The neck should have a slight bow in the middle that puts it between 1/16" and 1/8" or so away from your string. If it does not have enough bow in it, you can adjust the truss rod. Most guitars use an allen wrench for this, it will be inside the soundhole on an acoustic usually, and on an electric it is normally on the headstock under a cover. There are many how-to's online about adjusting a truss rod, the key is to do it very slowly, only do about a 1/2 turn a day, retune, check it again the next day. Loosen the truss rod to put more neck relief, tighten to straighten the neck. If this still doesn't fix you up, let me know, and I'll tell you where to go from there.

I own an Epiphone Casino and if I needed to adjust the truss rod I would take it to a luthier (stinged instrument repair person). There is a good write up on it here. http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/trussrods.htm

Hope this helps.

Bob

If the problem you are having is buzzzing, yes. This height is called the "action" of the bass. You can change either or both the saddle and bridge. I would recommend that you have this examined at a music store to verify that the neck is straight and does not need adjustment too. This is part of normal upkeep for these. Expect an overhaul cost of about $50 if you have it adjusted.

Dan