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Fret buzz on one note only.


dave_bass5
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Having got my Jack Casady bass set up to just how i want it (more or less), im getting fret buzz at the 5th fret on the A string, and only this one note. its quite loud when playing in isolation, although masked when the band are playing. All other notes seem fine.

Ive tried to find an issue with the frets but cant see anything. Going to run a straight edge over it later but its strange that its just that one note.

Any ideas what could be causing this?.

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Thanks for the reply.

The buzz sort of goes away with a higher action, but if i strike each string with more force it will come back at that one point if that makes sense. I play with a pick which seems to make it worse. it seems to only be there at the attack part of the note, it doesn't happen once the string is ringing. .

I agree, it sounds like an uneven fret, either 5th or 6th, so ill need to put some straight edges on them. ive never had this happen on just the one string before.

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Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

its a new bass (Nov 2018) so not likely fret wear, but i do think it might be uneven.

im on my second set of strings so its not that.

If i press down really hard i can avoid it, same with plucking very softly, but thats not the answer. if increase the neck bow it does make a difference, but again, thats not the answer as the action then changes.

Might take it to the Gallery and get them to have a look. i think it could do with a check up anyway, some of the fret edges are quite rough.

 

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I'd try a proper fret rocker rather than a straight edge, that way you could assess the frets over the whole neck.

I had a similar problem with a newish bass bought from here, fret buzz on the low C on the A string.

The 4th fret had not been filed correctly, so the C note buzzed, but only that one note, on that string.

Then found the same thing way up the neck on one note on a string at the 10 or 11th fret.

So on my bass raising the action at the bridge was not the answer, and adjusting the truss rod would just confuse the issue.

Recommend using a fret rocker as a first step to solving the problem.

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On 16/01/2019 at 14:19, dave_bass5 said:

Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

its a new bass (Nov 2018) so not likely fret wear, but i do think it might be uneven.

im on my second set of strings so its not that.

If i press down really hard i can avoid it, same with plucking very softly, but thats not the answer. if increase the neck bow it does make a difference, but again, thats not the answer as the action then changes.

Might take it to the Gallery and get them to have a look. i think it could do with a check up anyway, some of the fret edges are quite rough.

 

Happy to take a look at it Dave, if it's only one fret, can soon get that sorted for you.

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On 16/01/2019 at 21:50, blisters on my fingers said:

I'd try a proper fret rocker rather than a straight edge, that way you could assess the frets over the whole neck.

I had a similar problem with a newish bass bought from here, fret buzz on the low C on the A string.

The 4th fret had not been filed correctly, so the C note buzzed, but only that one note, on that string.

Then found the same thing way up the neck on one note on a string at the 10 or 11th fret.

So on my bass raising the action at the bridge was not the answer, and adjusting the truss rod would just confuse the issue.

Recommend using a fret rocker as a first step to solving the problem.

 

5 hours ago, MoonBassAlpha said:

I use an old credit card as a fret rocker. It's free and does the same job. I'd keep current ones away from the pickups though!

Cheers guys. I do have a proper fret rocker somewhere, i just cant find it at the moment. Like i say ive not exhausted the fault finding yet, but i have a feeling ill let a pro do the fixing if it needs it. Ill only mess it up. 

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On 15/01/2019 at 13:42, dave_bass5 said:

Having got my Jack Casady bass set up to just how i want it (more or less), im getting fret buzz at the 5th fret on the A string, and only this one note. its quite loud when playing in isolation, although masked when the band are playing. All other notes seem fine.

Ive tried to find an issue with the frets but cant see anything. Going to run a straight edge over it later but its strange that its just that one note.

Any ideas what could be causing this?.

It's not so unusual for there to be an isolated high spot.  As @gary mac says, not a big job when done by someone who knows what they are doing.  Would be worth popping it over to him rather than messing about too much.

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Is the fret seated right down properly? Is there any movement when you press it down?

A mate of mine was struggling with his 8 string last week having replaced a dodgy nut. Turned out the fret wasn't seated properly and needed a bit of superglue wicking in and clamping down 

Edited by Norris
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On 26/01/2019 at 10:10, Norris said:

Is the fret seated right down properly? Is there any movement when you press it down?

A mate of mine was struggling with his 8 string last week having replaced a dodgy nut. Turned out the fret wasn't seated properly and needed a bit of superglue wicking in and clamping down 

I have checked the surrounding frets. All look like they are seated ok. I’d expect at least the outer string to have an issue if it was raised, not just the second one in. 

Cheers.

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