E string back buzz when played on 8th fret together with the G string

[Anth]

I'm getting back buzz when i play the E string on the 8th fret on my bass together with the G strig. I just adjusted the truss rod for some relief (barely 1/4 of a turn) and i'm gonna do a bit more tomorrow, so far it hasn't gone away. Oddly enough tuning the e string higher gets rid of it so i'm sure it's the relief, it's my first winter with the bass so the neck probably got a bit tighter since it's almost winter, right?

 

[Zooberwerx]

I'm getting back buzz when i play the E string on the 8th fret on my bass together with the G strig. I just adjusted the truss rod for some relief (barely 1/4 of a turn) and i'm gonna do a bit more tomorrow, so far it hasn't gone away. Oddly enough tuning the e string higher gets rid of it so i'm sure it's the relief, it's my first winter with the bass so the neck probably got a bit tighter since it's almost winter, right?

No need to wait a day between adjustments. How much relief do you have on board currently? Yes, the relief will change with the seasons and ambient conditions.

Riis

 

[Turnaround]

Oddly enough tuning the e string higher gets rid of it so i'm sure it's the relief, it's my first winter with the bass so the neck probably got a bit tighter since it's almost winter, right?

Typically the neck will up-bow causing more relief during the drier months. The problem you describe is one of sympathetic vibration. Tuning the E string up or down stops the sympathetic vibration since it is now at a different frequency. Adding relief may help, or you may need to raise the E string at the nut.

 

[Anth]

No need to wait a day between adjustments. How much relief do you have on board currently? Yes, the relief will change with the seasons and ambient conditions.

Riis

Sorry for the late reply, i ended up loosening the truss rod a tad more and it resolved the buzzing issue, when i press down the 1st fret and 17th fret the space at around the 8th fret is the width of a credit card. It's a little higher then i'm used to but for now it's okay.

Typically the neck will up-bow causing more relief during the drier months. The problem you describe is one of sympathetic vibration. Tuning the E string up or down stops the sympathetic vibration since it is now at a different frequency. Adding relief may help, or you may need to raise the E string at the nut.

Thankfully no issue with the nut here. I also think i may have been a bit paranoid about the buzz, it only happened when i strummed hard, but it was there nonetheless. Will the neck continue to move as the weather gets colder through the winter? I think when the summer comes i'll just send it into a tech to tighten her back up, tightening scares me because of all the horror stories of rods snapping, etc. Oh and i'm from Toronto too!

 

[Turnaround]

Sorry for the late reply, i ended up loosening the truss rod a tad more and it resolved the buzzing issue, when i press down the 1st fret and 17th fret the space at around the 8th fret is the width of a credit card. It's a little higher then i'm used to but for now it's okay.



Thankfully no issue with the nut here. I also think i may have been a bit paranoid about the buzz, it only happened when i strummed hard, but it was there nonetheless. Will the neck continue to move as the weather gets colder through the winter? I think when the summer comes i'll just send it into a tech to tighten her back up, tightening scares me because of all the horror stories of rods snapping, etc. Oh and i'm from Toronto too!

A credit's card thickness of relief is a LOT! It should be about the thickness of a business card. And yes, as the weather gets colder the neck bow will get worse. Don't wait until summer to adjust it - keep it properly adjusted so that the neck doesn't develop a set in a bowed condition. Typically you should adjust the truss rod twice a year at a minimum - once in the winter months, once in the summer months, in order to keep the neck in good condition.

 

[Anth]

A credit's card thickness of relief is a LOT! It should be about the thickness of a business card. And yes, as the weather gets colder the neck bow will get worse. Don't wait until summer to adjust it - keep it properly adjusted so that the neck doesn't develop a set in a bowed condition. Typically you should adjust the truss rod twice a year at a minimum - once in the winter months, once in the summer months, in order to keep the neck in good condition.

Yea, i'm not too happy with the action right now, i just don't want that buzz to come back. I'll give it a little tighten tomorrow and see how it goes, thanks for the tips!

 

[Anth]

UPDATE: So, i tightened the rod up a bit to make the action more comfortable, the buzz is still there but only when i pluck real hard on the string with my finger, not lightly, and it's not even there when i use a pick. I'm starting to think i was a bit too paranoid about it. I also think i may just need new strings since these are not wrapped around the pegs enough and are around 4 months old.. i've probably lost some tension, which would explain why tuning up the E a tad bit gets rid of the buzz.

 

[Anth]

UPDATE 2: i tightened the truss rod back to where it was originally when i first heard the buzz, and the buzz is completely gone now. I'm confused as hell but i'll take it. Cheers!