Solution to fret buzz from playing first three frets of G string?

AdamK

AdamK

Jan 24, 2015
449
221
4,551
Virginia
#1
So I picked up a used bass fairly recently that came with extremely low action and when I brought it in to GC to have my Chromes flats put on it, he noticed it was SUPER low action and that the couldn't really change that for me. It's been a week and I just noticed tonight that when I play one of the first three frets of the G string (but especially the 2nd fret) a fret a little bit higher up causes a buzzing noise. I definitely need to fix this and if I am to fix it myself I'll very likely need to buy a certain tool that I don't have. Any help/advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
#3
Schlyder said:
a little tweak of the truss rod to add just a little bit more relief... and/or, a slight raising of the bridge saddle should get rid of the buzz.
Click to expand...
Alright that's what I expected. So I'll need to figure out what kind of tools I need for that job. And the process because I'm sure you want to do one before the other to be correct and prevent any sort of damage.
 
#4
What kind of bass is it? If its a Fender style most likely its just an allen wrench. Some use a nut driver like my Rick. You would have to do some major turning to screw anything up! You will more than likely have to loosen the truss rod about 1/4 turn to fix it. There is plenty of info on talkbass on proper truss rod adjustment and checking neck relief and its really very easy and nothing to fear. Nothing magical or mystical about it.
 
#5
1stnamebassist said:
What kind of bass is it? If its a Fender style most likely its just an allen wrench. Some use a nut driver like my Rick. You would have to do some major turning to screw anything up! You will more than likely have to loosen the truss rod about 1/4 turn to fix it. There is plenty of info on talkbass on proper truss rod adjustment and checking neck relief and its really very easy and nothing to fear. Nothing magical or mystical about it.
Click to expand...
Wait a minute, it's probably either your Jack Casady or VM Squier Pbass! If so I believe the Pbass is probably a 3/16" Allen wrench and the Casady is probably in the neighborhood of 9/64". At the headstock on the Casady and probably the Pbass is a cover with 3 screws. Remove that and then inside is the truss rod.Verify the wrench fits before making adjustments. If it does go lefty loosy about 1/4 turn tune up and check for buzz. That is if you already checked the neck by capo on first fret and holding string at last fret then checking clearance at fret 9 between top of string and bottom of fret. Try for right around the thickness of a business card. If string is touching you have backbow and need to go as stated above. If much more than a business card go righty tighty same amount and check again. You got to get the relief before anything else. After that check for fret buzz. If the relief is good and it's still buzzing you may need to raise string height at the bridge. If nothing helps then you may need to level the frets and check for loose fret. Bring that in to a guitar tech not GC to have done. Good luck with your mission! It 4AM and bedtime for me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: punchdrunk
#6
Hold on there.......If you have buzzing on the first three frets of the G string, that usually means that the slot in the nut is cut/worn too low. Fix that first before you go messing with the truss rod. Adding relief isn't going to correct for a low nut.

So, the tech at GC didn't understand that, and said that he couldn't change super-low action??? Groan.....

The quick temporary fix for a low nut slot is to cut a little sliver of Scotch tape and put it down in the bottom of the groove. The correct fix is to carefully put a small drop of Superglue down in the slot and re-file the slot to the correct depth. There are hundreds of threads here on TB about filing and correcting nut slots.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MCF, hintz, DavC and 1 other person
#8
1stnamebassist said:
Wait a minute, it's probably either your Jack Casady or VM Squier Pbass! If so I believe the Pbass is probably a 3/16" Allen wrench and the Casady is probably in the neighborhood of 9/64". At the headstock on the Casady and probably the Pbass is a cover with 3 screws. Remove that and then inside is the truss rod.Verify the wrench fits before making adjustments. If it does go lefty loosy about 1/4 turn tune up and check for buzz. That is if you already checked the neck by capo on first fret and holding string at last fret then checking clearance at fret 9 between top of string and bottom of fret. Try for right around the thickness of a business card. If string is touching you have backbow and need to go as stated above. If much more than a business card go righty tighty same amount and check again. You got to get the relief before anything else. After that check for fret buzz. If the relief is good and it's still buzzing you may need to raise string height at the bridge. If nothing helps then you may need to level the frets and check for loose fret. Bring that in to a guitar tech not GC to have done. Good luck with your mission! It 4AM and bedtime for me.
Click to expand...
Gotcha. Thanks! Lots of good info right there. It is indeed the Squier VM Pbass. But, I may have to get the wrench for the Casady too since it's action is a little high. I assume it's the same process, but I may look for a little bit more detail on doing that sometime.
 
#12
Bruce Johnson said:
Hold on there.......If you have buzzing on the first three frets of the G string, that usually means that the slot in the nut is cut/worn too low. Fix that first before you go messing with the truss rod. Adding relief isn't going to correct for a low nut.

So, the tech at GC didn't understand that, and said that he couldn't change super-low action??? Groan.....

The quick temporary fix for a low nut slot is to cut a little sliver of Scotch tape and put it down in the bottom of the groove. The correct fix is to carefully put a small drop of Superglue down in the slot and re-file the slot to the correct depth. There are hundreds of threads here on TB about filing and correcting nut slots.
Click to expand...
This... Don't mess with the truss rod yet. It sounds like your bass is set up nearly perfectly and you just need to adjust the g string with a little Allen at the bridge a tiny bit or try and fill in the slot on the nut first. If that doesn't fix it take it somewhere other than guitar center or look up how to perform a proper set up if you feel confident enough.
 
#13
alltomorrowsparties said:
This... Don't mess with the truss rod yet. It sounds like your bass is set up nearly perfectly and you just need to adjust the g string with a little Allen at the bridge a tiny bit or try and fill in the slot on the nut first. If that doesn't fix it take it somewhere other than guitar center or look up how to perform a proper set up if you feel confident enough.
Click to expand...
Well loosening the screw on the saddle did absolutely nothing.
EDIT: Adjusting the bridge worked!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: alltomorrowsparties and 1stnamebassist
#14
Bruce Johnson said:
Hold on there.......If you have buzzing on the first three frets of the G string, that usually means that the slot in the nut is cut/worn too low. Fix that first before you go messing with the truss rod. Adding relief isn't going to correct for a low nut.

So, the tech at GC didn't understand that, and said that he couldn't change super-low action??? Groan.....

The quick temporary fix for a low nut slot is to cut a little sliver of Scotch tape and put it down in the bottom of the groove. The correct fix is to carefully put a small drop of Superglue down in the slot and re-file the slot to the correct depth. There are hundreds of threads here on TB about filing and correcting nut slots.
Click to expand...

He said it buzzes when he plays one of the first 3 frets on the G string.. The depth of the nut slot only affects buzzing for the open string, because once you fret any note above the nut, the vibrating part of the string is between that fret and and the bridge. Or did I misunderstand what you were saying?
 
  • Like
Reactions: carl h., GregT, lz4005 and 1 other person
#15
thebrian said:
He said it buzzes when he plays one of the first 3 frets on the G string.. The depth of the nut slot ONLY affects buzzing for the open string, because once you fret any note above the nut, the vibrating part of the string is between that fret and and the bridge. Or did I misunderstand what you were saying?
Click to expand...

I believe what he said is he has buzzing further up the neck when he plays on the first three frets. I always check neck relief before I touch anything else, then when I'm sure that's good then set bridge, check nut etc...
 
#16
1stnamebassist said:
I believe what he said is he has buzzing further up the neck when he plays on the first three frets. I always check neck relief before I touch anything else, then when I'm sure that's good then set bridge, check nut etc...
Click to expand...

That's how I understood it too. And I would also try giving it more relief first. I'm guessing Bruce must have thought he meant the string itself buzzes on the first 3 frets when its played open (and in that case the nut slot depth would be relevant).
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1stnamebassist
#19
BassFishingInAmerica said:
If it is buzzing behind the fretted note, the nut is worn.

If it is buzzing in front of (higher than) the fretted note, it needs a bit more relief.
Click to expand...
Yeah it may need a bit of relief. But from raising the bridge it seems to have fixed it. But I can tell you that a number of lower frets buzz a little occasionally on some strings because of the low action. Soo not sure if I'd want to raise the bridge on that too or if that would also involve giving relief to trust rod as well. Not gonna do that now though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1stnamebassist
#20
AdamK said:
Yeah it may need a bit of relief. But from raising the bridge it seems to have fixed it. But I can tell you that a number of lower frets buzz a little occasionally on some strings because of the low action. Soo not sure if I'd want to raise the bridge on that too or if that would also involve giving relief to trust rod as well. Not gonna do that now though.
Click to expand...
Yeah I would check the relief at your convenience, but if your happy with the way its playing now then all's good!
Congratulations on your first adjustments!
 
  • Like
Reactions: AdamK
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back