buzzing agraffes

[Dennis Johnson]

At  6:23 PM 6/27/95 -0600, richard west wrote:
>Since agraffe problems have come up, I've heard agraffes can buzz.
>I've never run into the problem but it seems to me that there is too much
>tension on an agraffe to allow the base or threads to buzz against the
>plate.  I know "buzzes" can come from poorly leveled strings, but I
>wouldn't call that an agraffe buzz.  Anyone out there fixing agraffe
>buzzes?
>
_________


These buzzes are most easily proved by prying up on the wire behind the
agraffe, and fixed by replacing it.  Once you start looking for bad
agraffes, you seem to find them just about everywhere.  After years of
tuning the wire will wear away the top of the hole where it is thin due to
the countersink from each side, and then start to buzz. Even when this is
subtle, as is often the case, it is still devastating to the harmonics. It
is surprising how often original agraffes were defective and not even
countersunk. Agraffes should routinely be replaced whenever you are
restringing, and each hole inspected with a looking glass before installing
it. I use Harts agraffe tool, and highly recommend it.


Dennis Johnson
St. Olaf College