Learning to like fret buzz

[Twincam]

I've as an experiment lowered my action. Normally I play with a medium to high action as I normally hate fret buzz, even the slightest. And the fact my right hand loves to really dig in.

I've lowered the action were I get a decent amount of fret buzz unplugged, too much for my liking but when amped loud enough not to here the bass itself, it's not to bad. Sounds ok but I'm not sure what a good amount of fret buzz is?

Anyhow I'm enjoying playing with a very low action it's much easier and I'm enjoying kinda not caring about getting a clean tone if that makes sense.

Anyone else like fret buzz? and is there any vids on YouTube with a good level of fret buzz and too much. I know it's kinda subjective though.

[Silvia Bluejay]

I like low action, but I also like low-tension strings, and sometimes the two simply aren't compatible, as you need a higher action when you dig in a bit on floppy strings. With medium-low tension strings I try to keep the action as low as possible, at the same time minimising fret buzz.
It's a balancing act. Usually, the first fret to buzz is the low F, so I stop lowering the action as soon as I hear a tiny little amount of buzz when fretting the F and plucking with medium strength. I imagine it's possible to cut out the buzz frequency altogether using filters, if you can be bothered to...

[Annoying Twit]

How do you know which strings to buy if you would like higher tension?

I've just been playing three basses (4, 5, and 6 string), and the one I'm liking best is the one with the highest action of the three. But, I think a lower action but high string tension might be interesting to try.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Annoying Twit

[Prime_BASS]

People who say it's low with no buzz either don't have it low enough or aren't playing hard enough.

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1394142044' post='2388485']
How do you know which strings to buy if you would like higher tension?
[/quote]

Usually bigger gauges have higher tension when tuned to pitch. For example a daddario 100 tuned to E has tension X but a 110 tuned to E has a Y (a few lbs more) but tuned to Eb has the same tension as a 100 tuned to E.

Daddario publish there tensions on their website. And for multiple tunings..

[Myke]

Lo-Riders have a high tension

[Silvia Bluejay]

Sometimes it has to be trial and error. Or you simlpy tap into Basschat's immense collective experience, like I did

[HowieBass]

On the topic of what's actually happening with 'healthy' fret buzz, am I right in thinking that when a string's been plucked/struck there's momentary contact with the next fret along which adds some higher harmonic component to the actual played note?

[yorks5stringer]

I concur, I used to hate it but once amplified on my latest Bass, it becomes unnoticeable. However wasn't it Steely Dan who said , "I'm through with Buzz"?

[Twincam]

I play shortscale basses and .95 gauge so the strings do tend to move around. So really low action and avoiding fret buzz is certainly more difficult anyhow.
One thing I noticed is my fret clank has gone I must be playing lighter already.

The only real problem is that to not hear my bass buzzing in itself at all, I have to turn the amp up to a level where the neighbour may not be happy with. Time to invest in headphones.

[Twincam]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1394142064' post='2388486']
People who say it's low with no buzz either don't have it low enough or aren't playing hard enough.
[/quote]

I'm actually going to start saying that.

[Handwired]

[size=4]Making sure the truss rod's adjusted correctly helps.[/size]

[Evil Undead]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1394142064' post='2388486']
People who say it's low with no buzz either don't have it low enough or aren't playing hard enough.
[/quote]

I don't think that's a fair analysis. What's "hard enough"? Surely a matter of taste? Personally I've learned to play with a light touch because it sounds how I like. We don't all like to pound away on the strings

Sorry OP for the detour...

I use 40-95 gauge NPS rounds, so they're really low tension. I have almost no relief (around 0.1mm) and action at around 1.5mm and I get no buzz when playing normally (for me). However sometimes I feel like I wanna hear a bit of buzz or clank so I just move my right hand towards the neck.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Evil Undead

[Pinball]

There isn't a right answer as playing style and personal preference are a big part of the equation. That means finding the action that suits you.

Also do your setting up at a decent volume. You may find that although the frets seem to rattle a before you plug in that doesn't effect the amplified sound. This seems to vary a bit with different pups, my EMG's pick up more fret and finger noise than the others-which is part of their character.

[xilddx]

I like a bit of fret buzz too. It feels more lively. I set my bass up so that it's clean when I play gently, and buzzes a bit when I play hard. I've also been dialling in more dirt for my amplified sounds, which sounds very unpleasant on it's own, but when it's with the band it sounds so warm, whatever that means, but I've had three people tell me how warm my tone is recently, so it must mean something. Some buzz and dirt lends a bit of character I reckon.

[EMG456]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1394178768' post='2388671']
I like a bit of fret buzz too. It feels more lively. I set my bass up so that it's clean when I play gently, and buzzes a bit when I play hard. [/quote]

Exactly this - I started playing in the era of Chris Squire and you couldn't tell where the fret buzz ended and the distortion began!

Whilst that sound doesn't generally work for every kind of music, my basses are all set up to buzz when I want them to for a bit of growl.

Also, where would a fretless be without buzz?

Cheers

Ed

[Sammers]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1394142044' post='2388485']
How do you know which strings to buy if you would like higher tension?
[/quote]

From my experience, strings with hex core's are generally higher tension than those with round cores.

My actions pretty low but I get buzz on the E towards the low G/F# area, bugs the hell outta me acoustically but amped up sounds no different.
So I guess it's a love hate relationship with me

[maldy]

Coincidentally I have been having exactly the same thoughts as the OP. I've been setting my basses up and on one of them I can't get a decent action without fret buzz (when not amplified). This really bothered me for a while, but after asking around it seems my situation is quite normal. The next thing I was going to do, to try and reduce the buzz was get heavier gauge strings. But for now I'm experiment with a little buzz.

Watch the video of billy sheenan talking about his bass set up on YouTube. He says he doesn't like too much buzz. Then when he plays his bass at the end, it buzzes loads more than mine! So I'm figuring my action is not that low and the buzz not too bad!

I also asked this question of fret buzz to Scott Devine in one of his bass hangs. He plays his bass acoustically to give an idea of how his bass sounds. I know it is subjective, but it's good to have some bench marks.

[Maude]

Flea plays with a very low buzzy action which adds character to his sound.

Lots of isolated bass tracks on youtube,

eg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoeLpv8-l1I

[Maude]

Or the intro to this,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbIhw_36vNA

Sounds awful on it's own but in the mix sounds great, a great example of what works at home doesn't always work in the band

[Twincam]

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1394220547' post='2389356']
Or the intro to this,

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbIhw_36vNA[/media]

Sounds awful on it's own but in the mix sounds great, a great example of what works at home doesn't always work in the band
[/quote]

Very true

[ambient]

[center]I think after you've played with a low action for a while, then you'll gradually adjust your playing style and the fret buzzing will stop.[/center]

[center]My Modulus has extremely low action, and the strings I'm using are a low tension balanced set with gauges 118, 90, 67, 49, 35, 22. You can just about get my bank debit card under the strings at the 12th fret.[/center]

[center]A lot of people find it unplayable to start with, but soon get the hang of it.[/center]

[center] .[/center][center]​It all depends what you want to achieve. If you want to use a pick and really dig in when playing then you'll need a high action, I just don't like making things hard for myself [/center]

[Guest bassman7755]

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1394133140' post='2388342']
I've as an experiment lowered my action. Normally I play with a medium to high action as I normally hate fret buzz, even the slightest. And the fact my right hand loves to really dig in.

I've lowered the action were I get a decent amount of fret buzz unplugged, too much for my liking but when amped loud enough not to here the bass itself, it's not to bad. Sounds ok but I'm not sure what a good amount of fret buzz is?

Anyhow I'm enjoying playing with a very low action it's much easier and I'm enjoying kinda not caring about getting a clean tone if that makes sense.

Anyone else like fret buzz? and is there any vids on YouTube with a good level of fret buzz and too much. I know it's kinda subjective though.
[/quote]

I normally have my action low enough so that I get some fret buzz if I "dig in" thus I've got another tone dynamic I can use or not as the situation dictates. Most people don't realise that fret buzz is about 80% acoustic - only a portion of it actually gets transmitted up the string into the pickup.

[Guest bassman7755]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1394501864' post='2392072']
[center]I think after you've played with a low action for a while, then you'll gradually adjust your playing style and the fret buzzing will stop.[/center]
[/quote]

Indeed - depends on the angle you pluck the string, with a low action you can still get a clean sound by pulling the string parallel to the body rather than towards it, although the latter is there if you want that steve harris style "clank" of the string against the fretboard on the note attack.

Edited March 11, 2014 by bassman7755

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1394133140' post='2388342']
And the fact my right hand loves to really dig in.
[/quote]
Then have a word with your right hand and ask it to [i]stop really digging[/i] in.

Nothing stops you adapting and [i]changing[/i] your playing style, in fact the ability to to [i]assimilate different approaches[/i] will make you much [i]more resourceful [/i]as a player.