Jump to content
Why become a member? ×
  • advertisement_alt
  • advertisement_alt
  • advertisement_alt

Slightly annoying buzz when I hit open 'A' string


Clarky
 Share

Recommended Posts

I got my old German flatback from being repaired by Malcolm Healey a week or two back and have been playing it like mad since then. Just one thing annoys me a bit (not a lot, as Paul Daniels would say) and thats a buzz from somewhere in the body when I hit the open 'A'. The harder I hit the string the louder the buzz.

Doesn't happen on any other note (open or fingered) and I've checked the soundpost (solid as a rock) and the various seams (all glued). Its difficult to pinpoint where its coming from, just somewhere vaguely in the body.

Is this a problem others have encountered and what did you do about it, if anything? Cheers Clarky

PS, I could of course take it back to Malcolm but its a c2 hour round trip each time I deliver and collect

Edited by Clarky
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are you sure it really is "from" the body? I had something similar a while back with an old Precision, a dreadful rattle near the neck joint when playing open strings, and I was convinced I had a major problem with the trussrod. Turned out to be the old solder on one of the elephant ear tuners! :rolleyes:

What about the nut?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a similar this when I knocked my bridge slightly off centre; strings we flapping against the board as teh radius was off - could try that maybe? Otherwise try damping bits like behind the bridge, tailpiece, wire, spike thingumy (technical term - sorry) tuners as well - mine buzz like hell unless I take the slack up on them

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you gents, didn't think of altering the endpin ... and I have slightly shifted the bridge (as to my eyes it was off-centre) prior to it going to Malcolm Healey so between these I may have a solution. Fingers crossed! And thanks again :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heh. On my double-bass-like upright I've had the A string buzz (it was the tuning peg's wings, as mentioned!), the need to mute the strings below the bridge because they seem to love echoing the notes I play (sigh!), and the mysterious buzz-when-you-fret-a-C (3rd fret on the A string). I want to believe that the latter is just me fretting ineptly, but I'm still investigating... All very intriguing. I so wish I could find the space for a real DB at home.

Edited by bluejay
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]spike thingumy (technical term - sorry)[/font][/color][/quote] Endpin - there you go - one of those,

Thinking about it I sometimes get a really annoying buzzing noise when I'm trying to practice in the evenings as well but if I close the door she goes away and watches Eastenders :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pete Tyler's book 'About the Double Bass' has a section on eliminating buzzes and rattles.

Problems he mentions - old strings where slackness has developed between the centre core and the outer winding, particularly where the string passes over the bridge and the top nut. Loose screws on the machine head, spade winder insecure in its handle. Worn cogs and worn shafts can also cause buzzing.

The metal spike in the end pin unit is a common source of vibration because the shaft becomes loose in its casing. Needs replacing. The wire securing the end pin may vibrate and this can be fixed with gaffer tape.

Bass body - check for open joints, loose ribs, old repairs, splits and that all eight violin corners are okay. If its the bass bar, pressing a finger on the front above the ends of the bar will stop the buzzing - not a cure, but a diagnostic tool. A loose back strut can be identified by tapping the fingers over the back and listening for a change in note or a rattle. If pressure on the back then stops the rattle, you've found your problem.

A worn or warped fingerboard means the string may vibrate against the fingerboard. Also check your bridge is correctly aligned.

Open strings buzz if the the string is not correctly fitted into the groove of the top nut. Glue a small strip of leather in the groove beneath the string until it can be reshaped. You may need a new top nut.

I hope that helps - all power to Pete's book!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

+1 on all those, it can take forever to find it. Beware the 'pressure on seam / rib' as this can fool you, you eliminate the buzz by damping whole bass vibration, even though it's buzzing somewhere else.

Sometimes its the bridge feet not quite flat, quick tap of the bridge can solve it.

Also check the screw head in the centre if the tuner cog.

But if it's on open A and not fifth stop A, it sounds less likely it's bodywork, more likely string height, winding, nut, or bridge notch. Body buzzes respond to same frequency whichever string it comes from.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So far I've checked the headstock (tuners solid, nut good), shunted the bridge 1mm sideways and back and tweaked the bridge feet, checked the Full Circle p/u wires and jack barrel, checked the bridge after-length (which is damped anyway with a piece of rubber tubing) and shifted the endpin into a different position and tightened very hard ...


and you guessed it, yes, the rattle is still there

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p style="margin-left: 40px">The strings are Silver Slaps - my only other set is Kolstein Heritage steels which are utterly different in character. Would swapping the A over tell me much, as their vibration characteristics are likely to be very different?</p>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you checked the 'action' near the nut. I had a similar problem with buzzing from the open 'A' (the A slot at the nut was cut a bit too deep). My luthier took the fingerboard level down a bit near the nut which cured it. You could do it yourself with a file :)

A lot depends on the 'shape' of the fingerboard near the nut in terms of giving enough room for the string to vibrate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Mr Bassman' timestamp='1340283769' post='1702266']
try a bit of thin card under the string at the nut
[/quote]
Bingo! You are the man Keith. This sorts the buzz. As Clouseau would say, ze problem is sol-ved :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like change to thick gut-alike Silver Slaps caused the problem. As these are so thick compared to the Helicores which were on it before, I assume the amplitude of the vibration was bigger than the gap between string and board, near the nut.

So my choices are to swap strings, stick with a shim in the A slot in the nut, or have the nut or board professionally worked on. As I like Silver Slaps and don't want to send the bass away again for work to be done, looks like its the shim!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='sarah thomas' timestamp='1340347632' post='1703023']
If you can get hold of a bit of thin leather, it should last longer than the card. Glad it's sorted!
[/quote]
Thanks Sarah, I will try to do so. Now which pair of Mrs C's shoes shall I cut up? :o

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...