BTW LG1, you mentioned it being annoying. I feel ya. I really do and I used to get worked up about frets from factory instruments. It is not uncommon for brand new fretted instruments to have such issues. Up until a few years ago I would sometimes see similar on Martins (the instrument brand I know best) costing a few thousand (Martin has added an automated step that helps address that). I suspect that it is likely that a few months ago the banjo did not buzz. As with anything made with wood, it’s gonna change with temperature and humidity. Dropping action in the winter often reveals setup issues that you can’t hear in October.
Some might be thinking “Ahhh, you are just saying that to make him feel better.” Well, yeah I do want to help alleviate some frustration, but what I am saying is also what I find to be common. I don’t get frustrated (like I used to) about fret leveling, nut or saddle height. Here’s a few things I have found to be common:
- new instruments are seldom set up to my preference. Many are ridiculously high
- fret leveling is often not done on many brands. I have found that they can’t add leveling without upping the price
- a fret leveling may be necessary, but here’s the kicker… when you get the frets leveled, it really ups the level of the instrument. It’s like getting a nice upgraded set of tires on a car. More often than not, I will level frets on a new instrument.
- While it seems like a “defect” (and it could be), it is more likely is a slight variation that went unnoticed until the action dropped.
I’ll put it this way… if I were looking at buying a fretted instrument that I liked, but it had the issue that your banjo has, it wouldn’t affect my opinion of the instrument one little bit.
I hope you enjoy your instrument all the more once you get the fret(s) leveled.