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Insane string buzz or ringing.
Hi Folks. I have a 2023 Stingray Bass 5 on the table. I’ve set up the thing to spec at 12 thousandths relief capoing the first fret, fretting the 14th at the body and checking at the 7th fret. I have the B string at 9/64ths down to the G string at around 6/64ths. The E string has a constant ringing all the way from the 3rd fret to the last fret that I can’t get to go away. All other strings play well all the way up and down. The neck angle is fine. The frets are level. I filed the saddle slot for the string. The thing has a compensated nut with the correct stock string sizes. I have reset the thing about 40 times by feel starting with the neck dead flat and worked my way adjusting the truss rod down in 16th turn increments all the way to the other end of relief to where the up bow started buzzing and worked my way back to where all the other strings play well and it happens to measure out at around 12 thousandths relief. I cannot go any higher on the saddle adjustment on the E string as the screws are at the top of their adjusting range. That height is at about 9/64ths on that E string. The string still buzzes or more like rings as I don’t thing it’s fret buzz. It doesn’t buzz/ring on short notes but on sustained notes where the ringing fades in from no ringing. It’s driving me insane. I’m thinking there’s something loose somewhere. Has anyone had this issue? Thanks!
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14 Replies
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Hi Tony,
have you checked the pickup height? Try lowering them as much as possible and see if the magnetism was the culprit. Have you tried a different set of strings?
Best
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And……You know this already but I found out that: Newer Music Man bridge saddle assemblies are way too over thought……..They have different length saddle adjustment screws! I was wondering why they were so short on the B string and wouldn’t give me enough throw to get proper saddle height. Figured it was because that is the limit. Beyond that and your too high. So I take the saddle completely apart only to find that there are two screw lengths. Now my powers of deduction kick in and I figure that some one at the factory was having a bad day. They put two sets of long ones where the D and G string saddles are, mixed and matched on the B string with a short and a long, obviously where the long ones should go, and did the same on the E string! After sorting that mess out, voila! I was able to get proper set up heights. I have never seen differing lengths screws on any instrument I’ve worked on. Why they just didn’t put longer length screws in all the saddle barrels is beyond me. Something they missed at the Sweetwater “55 point check” Anyway, fret leveling, your all important string brand recommendation and figuring out the bridge mess worked….Thanks again!
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Hi Evan! Just the man I wanted to talk to…….Yes, lowered the pickups ALL THE WAY DOWN then back again. New strings…..It’s more like an aftershock is how I can best explain it, and when playing heavy handed, as my customer does. Keeping me up nights as I feel inadequate……I see you are on the loothalong. I will see if I can convey better there….
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Hey, Tony,
I would check the string itself, meaning the ball end is seated, the break on the saddle looks ok(no ball end winds breaking over it). If you have another bass string laying around I would swap it out too just to see, sometimes strings are just bad out of the package, not common, but it happens.
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Gosh, thanks so much for getting back. Ya, checked the saddle, break angle, etc. smoothed for fun. Changed out strings. Nothing seems to work. A tough one.
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I would try straightening the neck and see what happens. Did it buzz prior to set-up?
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Ya, It buzzed before, why it was brought in. I’ve basically set the thing up about literally 50 times…..I put it on me and went from dead straight and went all the way to radical relief in 16th turn increments and always came back to it sounding best with least amount of noise where it is currently, which is in the ballpark for set ups on the thing. I also fret leveled it on the jig after all of that and the frets were a bit high in the middle. Thing is dead flat across frets now. And still sets up in the same place for the best sound so far. Even Gluck said to can Ernie ball’s and go to D’Addarios….Lowered the pickups all the way down, polished the saddle slots, neck angle fine……It’s been tough on me, but I’m determined to get the better of the thing….first real challenge of the new shop…..
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stingray…does the bridge have mutes? If so check the screws/springs on that hardware. Maybe coming from the tuner? Not wound with enough break angle? Chasing a buzz can be very frustrating, and some guitars just buzz and the action needs to be higher.
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It could be a bad string, but 34″ low B strings can be a pain. Not sure if it would fix your exact problem, but one thing I’ve learned helps is increasing the nut break angle with a string retainer. I like these Stealth string retainers from Fender. https://www.fender.com/en-US/parts/string-guides-nuts/stealth-bass-string-retainer/0078972049.html?
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Yay! thanks for taking time….Ya, checked the nut although it’s doing this while fretted……
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Have you checked to see if the trussrod itself is rattling in the neck? I had a guitar I built once that the rod was just loose enough to resonate on one string and it sounded like string buzz. Just a thought since you’ve tried everything else it sounds like.
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Yes, checked for rattling, which is difficult! Tapping on the fretboard and I used the old trick of holding a screwdriver to my ear! And thank you for these checks! I just have to show this customer that I’ve checked everything. I’m fairly sure at this point that the neck is wonky. Instruments shipped in from 45% humidity or more to an area of down to 7% or less have a hard time. Most of my work so far has been in dealing with this and customers have a hard time dealing with a new instrument turning into a pretzel so quickly! So now I go to you folks with any and all ideas to make sure I haven’t missed anything. I so greatly appreciate the input!
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Have you tried using a capo or clamp to fret notes while using your fretting hand to “feel” for the source of the buzz? Maybe even getting someone to play the bass as you describe while searching for the source using both hands and a closer ear to the instrument.
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Hi Brandon. Yes, I’m pretty sure at this point that the neck’s tweaked. I’ve spent hours going over everything else to make sure. Most of the work I have so far is from humidity, or lack of. So far, instruments most affected come from online purchases. They come from areas with a humidity of at least 45% or more to a climate that can go as low as 7%. And the instruments are affected instantly. I’ve only been in business for less than four months and most instruments needing fret work are relatively on the new side and I’ve had to do fret work on almost all of them with some outright fretboard leveling. Acoustics come and bodies crack overnight. The customers have a hard time believing it but so far all have been good about accepting that a just purchased instrument has turned into a pretzel. This customer is no exception. Good guy but I’ve had to make sure I’ve done everything to show him that semi major surgery needs to happen. And I want to make sure from all of you who have years of knowledge that I cover all the bases (no pun intended!) and know as much as there is to know about all the quirks of the different instruments out there. This place is awesome that way and the people like you are awesome! My initial investment into tools has served well up to a point. My plan is to continue to add as needed so I don’t continually spend money and start making money. So far so good. I have bought notched straight edges for most scales except for long scale basses. So, now that I have this bass, I just two dayed one from the ever ready Stewmac. I need to make sure there’s enough fret height to overcome any fretboard wonkiness to determine wether a fret level is all that’s necessary. I have measured with a feeler gauge from frets down with a straight edge, but you know better than I that the frets are worn and not a perfect source for accuracy. I’m doing all this because the customer needs to be shown. Thank you for reaching out! I’m trying everything you guys are giving me!
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