Bass string setup

[Stealth57]

I am just starting out with the bass. I checked out the action out of the box and seems to have some fret buzz. I looked at the strings and the first fret has significantly lower action than the stings closer to the body.

I watched a video on how to adjust the truss and bridge but I still get fret buzz. I stopped there as I didn't want to screw anything up by making too big of an adjustment on the truss.

The distance from the bottom of the strings to the first fret bar is about 1mm, 2mm in the middle, and the last fret bar is about 3mm. Also, the strings are currently all in the same plane, but the finger board is slightly convex.

Any suggestions to get less buzz would be greatly appreciated. By the way, I am currently going for a clean sound vs. slappy.

 

[RSBBass]

If you are getting fret buzz at the first fret the problem is most likely the nut is cut too low. It however is normal to have more relief at the end of the neck than at the first fret. It gives room for the string to vibrate. The string vibrates the most in the middle and the least at the ends.

 

[Stealth57]

If you are getting fret buzz at the first fret the problem is most likely the nut is cut too low. It however is normal to have more relief at the end of the neck than at the first fret. It gives room for the string to vibrate. The string vibrates the most in the middle and the least at the ends.

I suspected that the nut was too low. Now the question is there anything I can do about it save for send the bass back?

 

[Vinny_G]

If you haven't already, watch the video series in the link below before returning your instrument.

ALL BASIC SETUP QUESTIONS ANSWERED HERE

 

[Turnaround]

If you have 1mm clearance at the first fret, the nut is NOT too low, in fact it's a bit high. And the strings should be closer to the frets at the nut than at the body. Sounds like you need a proper setup - follow Vinny_G's suggestion.

 

[Stealth57]

If you have 1mm clearance at the first fret, the nut is NOT too low, in fact it's a bit high. And the strings should be closer to the frets at the nut than at the body. Sounds like you need a proper setup - follow Vinny_G's suggestion.

I'll look through all those. My concern is currently when I use the first fret on the finger board the E string touches higher fret bars (3rd or 4th fret) causing the buzz.

 

[Turnaround]

I'll look through all those. My concern is currently when I use the first fret on the finger board the E string touches higher fret bars (3rd or 4th fret) causing the buzz.

As I said, you really need a setup. The nut is NOT too low - it only affects open strings. Once you fret a string, the nut is no longer relevant. Start by getting the relief right, then adjust the bridge height.

 

[Stealth57]

As I said, you really need a setup. The nut is NOT too low - it only affects open strings. Once you fret a string, the nut is no longer relevant. Start by getting the relief right, then adjust the bridge height.

Yes, I am working on the relief right now. Trying to put in more of a convex bow but not getting much movement on the neck. I did about a 1/2 turn last night and another 1/2 this morning. Strings are loosened and then retuned. 0.010" feeler gauge still pushing up the strings on the 8th fret. More work to do.

 

[Stealth57]

I finally got the relief where it should be and no buzz. Took close to 1.5 turns on the truss nut. I then went on to intonation and it is pretty much dead on. Next was pickup height and it is pretty good out of the box, except I noticed that the lower neck pickup is not aligned to the strings. The other two pickups have the strings going dead center between adjacent pickups, but the bottom neck pickup is shifted towards the A string.

Any thoughts on if this will cause me issues? There isn't any easy way to fix this.

 

[scottfeldstein]

I wouldn't worry about it. Just get the height right and call it a day.