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Fret Buzz.
- Thread starter mike roman
- Start date
There could be many reasons for getting fret buzz, identifying what's causing it is step one but it does sound like adjusting the truss rod might fix your problem. Sight down the neck of the bass and see the extent of the bow. Is it bowed too much in the middle. If it's lower in the middle, you have to tighten the truss rod, if it's higher in the middle, you loosen the truss rod. Ideally, a very slight relief (slight dip in the middle) close to straight is what to shoot for. Adjust the truss rod carefully or you could snap the truss rod, never force it. Here's a thread that may be of help.
How to Reduce Fret Buzz
Fret buzz high up the neck usually indicates too much relief.
Fret buzz only in the first position usually indicates not enough relief or unproperly cut nut.
Check the following in this order:
Place a capo at the first fret.
Press down at the last fret of your fingerboard.
Now slip a Fender thin pick at between the top of the 8th fret and the bottom of the string. Do this on both the bass side and the treble side.
Does the pick push up the string? Does it fit loosely in the gap. If it fits loosely in the gap, TIGHTEN the truss rod (1/4 turn at time) go real slow.
Repeat until the pick fits the gap perfectly.
If you have a really nice bass with perfect frets..you can replace the pick with a thin business card which is actually closer to actual spec setup.
Voila...
Fret buzz only in the first position usually indicates not enough relief or unproperly cut nut.
Check the following in this order:
- Nut height (you only have to do this once unless you change to a vastly different string gauge)
- Relief
- Action
- intonation
- pick up height.
Place a capo at the first fret.
Press down at the last fret of your fingerboard.
Now slip a Fender thin pick at between the top of the 8th fret and the bottom of the string. Do this on both the bass side and the treble side.
Does the pick push up the string? Does it fit loosely in the gap. If it fits loosely in the gap, TIGHTEN the truss rod (1/4 turn at time) go real slow.
Repeat until the pick fits the gap perfectly.
If you have a really nice bass with perfect frets..you can replace the pick with a thin business card which is actually closer to actual spec setup.
Voila...
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Fenders spec for 9.5" to 12" neck radius basses is .012", make sure it's in spec, if that doesn't help then it's something else. If you didn't get a Set Up Guide with the bass you can download it from their web site.
Zombie topic revival alert so excuse me but it seemed like the best place to ask
- I'm having fret buzz only at the first fret, only in the G and D strings.
I read in other topics that step one to fix it was adding relief so I did, and it did fix the problem but I obviously ended with a massively high action that I didn't like, so high that I broke a string.
So I tightened the truss rod back and relief is fine now (just a tad of relief), the action is on the high-end (about 2.5mm on the low side and 3mm in the high side, for reference one of my other basses measures at 2 and 1.5-2 with the same amount of relief) so something doesn't quite add up.
Could I be in front of a nut problem? fret issue?
- I'm having fret buzz only at the first fret, only in the G and D strings.
I read in other topics that step one to fix it was adding relief so I did, and it did fix the problem but I obviously ended with a massively high action that I didn't like, so high that I broke a string.
So I tightened the truss rod back and relief is fine now (just a tad of relief), the action is on the high-end (about 2.5mm on the low side and 3mm in the high side, for reference one of my other basses measures at 2 and 1.5-2 with the same amount of relief) so something doesn't quite add up.
Could I be in front of a nut problem? fret issue?
There are other possible causes to a 1st fret buzz in addition to what is above. If you have the buzz on only part of one fret I would rule out the truss rod until I investigate further. The first thing I would check for is a lifted or high 2nd fret.
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