StingRay clunk on E string

[highwayman]

I've found my StingRay (new) Classic creates a pronounced rattling 'clunk' when I'm playing the E string with anything more than a light touch (it's not an issue on A, D or G) - suggestions please?

[XoSo]

Could it be bouncing because there isn't enough break angle past the nut?

[highwayman]

Thanks for the reply XoSo . I've just had a look and the string's wound from the bottom upwards as low as it can go, though that's not to say that it's not the case. 
I'm wondering if adjusting the pickup's height is going to be remedial - any 'Ray players experienced this?

 

[nilebodgers]

What lowest string width are you using? Have you changed gauges?

[stingrayPete1977]

I'd just raise the E a little bit on the saddle, measurements are all well and good but feel, sound and playability are more important. 

Fwiw I clank on all five strings on mine, lol.

The EQ can boost the issue too, how have you got the bass /treble set? 

It might also need a tiny bit more relief in the truss rod but it's hard to say without it in my hands. 

[Doctor J]

When you say "clunk", what does that mean. Is it a metal-on-metal sound or an electronic noise? Do you hear it if you play without being plugged in? If it's only when plugged in, have you got the preamp turned up full?

[kodiakblair]

I don't "clunk" but the E string is far too loud compared to A,D & G.Changing pickup height made no difference.

It's a Sub Ray 4 so I asked the company what to do. The CEO got in touch and told me to return it  I'd prefer not to,not if I can solve it.

 

Any ideas folks and sorry to piggyback on @highwayman 's thread

[Treb]

If it's fret-clunk you raise the saddle a bit at a time though I must say that IMO a wee bit of fret-clunk is the salt & pepper in a great bass tone.

Listen to Dance Me Home by John Scofield. Nice Stingray sounds (slap and fingerstyle) by Gary Grainger, I would love to own his old Stingray. For some it is Bernard Edwards, my Stingray hero is Gary.

Edited December 5, 2017 by Treb

[stingrayPete1977]

There's a mod I believe for those to stop the preamp being so hot but I'm not familiar with the non USA SUB. Maybe have a google for it? 

[drTStingray]

5 hours ago, highwayman said:

I've found my StingRay (new) Classic creates a pronounced rattling 'clunk' when I'm playing the E string with anything more than a light touch (it's not an issue on A, D or G) - suggestions please?

What a nice bass you have there - the white  pick guard looks great with black as well. 

If this is a metallic sound of string on fret it sounds like it could be a set up issue to me. When the weather turns cold I find that any bass with lowish action needs a tweak on the truss rod - we have recently had a cold spell - I played a gig at a club a week or so back and all of the guitars went out of tune between sound check and start of gig - someone left a door open via the stage to the car park and the back of the stage was freezing cold (around 0 degrees outside) compared with a warm room full of people in front of it.

A tweak of the truss rod on a Stingray is a very simple task. The other thing, if you're not used to a Stingray - you don't necessarily have to play the bass as hard as some other makes - and if you do, you would need to have a higher action to avoid rattling the frets when digging in - similarly too trebly an EQ setting on amp or bass would also highlight this. Finally, as Pete said, the saddle heights need to compensate for the fretboard radius and difference in string guages - whilst EBMM have, in my experience always shipped basses with nigh in perfect set up, some dealer staff do like to fiddle with them. As has been said many times before, poor after market set up often causes grief. 

 

 

 

Edited December 6, 2017 by drTStingray
Ludicrous English US auto correct

[drTStingray]

3 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

I don't "clunk" but the E string is far too loud compared to A,D & G.Changing pickup height made no difference.

It's a Sub Ray 4 so I asked the company what to do. The CEO got in touch and told me to return it  I'd prefer not to,not if I can solve it.

 

Any ideas folks and sorry to piggyback on @highwayman 's thread

Take great care - this could simply be caused by the resonance of the room you're playing it in combined with your amp and bass guitar EQ settings. Boomy rooms can cause major problems. 

I played with a keyboard player on Sunday whose EQ choice along with the resonance of the room caused his left hand chords to cancel entirely the sound of his right hand - this was resolved by him cutting both the bassiest and adjacent low mid fader on his amp EQ considerably - this completely resolved the problem - had to cut the bass slightly on my amp EQ also - similarly on the PA for the bass drum. Prior to this the boominess on the band's sound was awful. 

[highwayman]

Thank you all for your considered and helpful replies. Having a play around this afternoon through my newly acquired Roland Micro Cube RX (brilliant!) I've learnt:

- It's a physical and not electrical problem as it rattles when played sans amp.

- I've played with the bridge (screwing the saddle closer to the tail raises, right?) but no improvement; while everything's fine past the nut.

- Looking vertically down as I fret the E I don't see the string bouncing of any other frets but she still rattles away. I slid a fine polishing cloth between the strings and fretboard (from first to seventh frets) and the rattle stopped.

- I considered loosening the truss fractionally but it seems awfully stiff and - being no expert - I didn't want to force it. Do they usually take a bit of muscle and is inserting a slim allen key ok?

(BTW, I use Rotosound 45 65 85 105)

Edited December 6, 2017 by highwayman

[HowieBass]

If the saddle is moving closer to the tail (back of the bridge) then it sounds like you're adjusting the intonation screw and not the saddle height adjustment. From what you've described you might have too little relief but also the action might be a bit low for the E anyway.

[highwayman]

1 hour ago, HowieBass said:

it sounds like you're adjusting the intonation screw and not the saddle height adjustment.

Thanks for that, yes you're correct. That's a tiny allen key required - any idea of the size? Do you loosen it evenly on both sides of the saddle to raise the action?

[Chiliwailer]

2 hours ago, highwayman said:

.

- I considered loosening the truss fractionally but it seems awfully stiff and - being no expert - I didn't want to force it. Do they usually take a bit of muscle and is inserting a slim allen key ok?

That’s usually a sign of a rod that’s too tight, this colder time of year doesn’t help. They can be very stiff, often I’ve had to give some heft to budge them first time, don’t be worried if it makes a loud noise either.

Try a 1/4 turn at a time, if you’re confident, and can measure the relief.  If not, I think there’s a thread in the repairs section about basschatters willing to offer local help for such like things. I’d check out the rod before saddle height. 

Good luck 

 

[Chiliwailer]

 

[Treb]

50 minutes ago, highwayman said:

Thanks for that, yes you're correct. That's a tiny allen key required - any idea of the size? Do you loosen it evenly on both sides of the saddle to raise the action?

You need a 1/16 inch allen key for the saddle height screws on a USA made Stingray. Turn clockwise to raise.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Treb

[kodiakblair]

18 hours ago, drTStingray said:

Take great care - this could simply be caused by the resonance of the room you're playing it in combined with your amp and bass guitar EQ settings. Boomy rooms can cause major problems. 

I played with a keyboard player on Sunday whose EQ choice along with the resonance of the room caused his left hand chords to cancel entirely the sound of his right hand - this was resolved by him cutting both the bassiest and adjacent low mid fader on his amp EQ considerably - this completely resolved the problem - had to cut the bass slightly on my amp EQ also - similarly on the PA for the bass drum. Prior to this the boominess on the band's sound was awful. 

Afraid "boomy room" plays no part. Just played through the mixer with headphones on. Any note played on A,D,G and the levels hovered around -10. Any note played on E string the level jumped to over 0 / +3.

[nilebodgers]

1 hour ago, Chiliwailer said:

That’s usually a sign of a rod that’s too tight, this colder time of year doesn’t help. They can be very stiff, often I’ve had to give some heft to budge them first time, don’t be worried if it makes a loud noise either.

Try a 1/4 turn at a time, if you’re confident, and can measure the relief.  If not, I think there’s a thread in the repairs section about basschatters willing to offer local help for such like things. I’d check out the rod before saddle height. 

Good luck 

 

If it's the first time the truss rod has been adjusted there can sometimes be a pretty alarming cracking noise when the nut starts to move. Worrying if you aren't used to it!

Some basic setup tools make it much easier - a capo to hold the strings down at the first fret when measuring relief, a set of feeler gauges, a ruler that can measure action height and the right allan keys for the truss rod (or whichever tool fits your bass) and for the bridge saddles.

[linear]

On ‎05‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 21:23, kodiakblair said:

I don't "clunk" but the E string is far too loud compared to A,D & G.Changing pickup height made no difference.

It's a Sub Ray 4 so I asked the company what to do. The CEO got in touch and told me to return it  I'd prefer not to,not if I can solve it.

 

Any ideas folks and sorry to piggyback on @highwayman 's thread

This is an issue that's common with these basses, mine was exactly like yours.  There was a long thread about it on Talkbass at launch where the CEO (I think) acknowledged that the preamp design they had commissioned was perhaps not as good as it could have been.  They suggested a preamp mod that moves the volume pot from a pre-gain to post-gain position and that supposedly helps, but I have not tried it.  I don't have mine atm, but if I did I'd be replacing the preamp altogether.

[LITTLEWING]

Can someone local PLEASE nip round to Highwayman's house and help out. I admire anyone having a go at setting up, but it sounds like he's unfortunately not very knowledgable where essential tweaks are concerned (no offence honestly, I was there once) and the whole very fine guitar is sadly going to be way out and unplayable in no time.

Hope it's sweet and dandy very soon Mr H.

[highwayman]

Littlewing, thanks for your concern! Don't worry, I've not gone near the truss rod but have found that (1/16th allen key purchased) adjusting the saddle height has alleviated the issue considerably. She's playing fine for now but I shall (probably after I next change the strings) get her set up by an expert and ask to sit in on the process.

[fretmeister]

Heavier e string might help too, stop you banging it into the frets quite so much.

[fretmeister]

I solved my clank in a slightly different way.