String tension/action vs clarity/tone

[Ajoten]

Found myself having a bit of a sound crisis here.

 

Put some tapewounds on my Ibanez 5 string, which I really like to play, for general feel to the touch as well as the low tension contributing to a nice low action.

 

However clocked at rehearsal that that means they don't half clatter against the top frets. I've always had a little of this with rounds, but never particularly noticed other than thinking it was a bit Steve Harris. Anyway sounded really grim. More bad techniqueman blaming tools perhaps, but I put some Roto Jazz on, known for high tension, no truss rod tweak, and lo! it stops it happening.

 

But not as lovely and easy to play, especially when the joy of SRs for me was gliding about etc.

 

Of course NOW I'm thinking well, if I have to fight a bit, should reconsider swapping for more appropriate bass (and avoid heroics) as it might be less disappointing. Or just try and improve to get a bit more control. I can't actually work out how much of this is to justify looking at shiny new things to buy rather than a real problem 🙃

[Supernaut]

Have you done a full set-up since switching strings?

[Ajoten]

No coz I assumed getting strings further away from fingerboard was the solution. As well as tougher strings meaning they'd move about less.

[Doctor J]

Yep, set it up for the new strings and your problems will vanish.

[Ajoten]

Not sure how a set up will help. This isn't a rattle due to neck relief. This is me hitting the strings quite hard arguably more down than up.

[Dan Dare]

It doesn't sound like a simple matter of neck relief. A lot of rattle against the upper frets is normally due to the action being too low at the bridge end. You need to adjust the truss rod and the bridge saddles in tandem to ensure evenness throughout, aka a full set up. Doctor J is right.

[Ajoten]

Hmm. So you think a setup is all it'll take to stop this slapping against frets (attached vid... first half is my normal, 2nd me playing near bridge for less string movement, where it's ok ish

 

 

)? Handy if so!

[Dad3353]

2 minutes ago, Ajoten said:

Hmm. So you think a setup is all it'll take to stop this slapping against frets (attached vid... first half is my normal, 2nd me playing near bridge for less string movement, where it's ok ish

 

Both sound fine to me, although I preferred the first half. I think you're over-thinking it. (Disclaimer : I play tape-wound...)

[SteveK]

Generally speaking, if you're getting rattles and buzzes at the higher frets, it's not just an action issue.

If I had that problem, I would give the truss rod a very slight tighten, just a 1/16 - 1/8 of a clockwise turn for now. You will then possibly need to raise the action.

Basically, you want to have buzzes equally over the entire fretboard, and then set the action to taste.

 

Edit: Just seen your comment that it's not a neck relief issue. seeing your video, I didn't really hear anything untoward. As you've found, playing nearer to the bridge will reduce any clank and clatter. It may just be a slight technique adjustment is needed.

Edited June 1, 2022 by SteveK

[Doctor J]

The string is a straight line pulled taught over a curved line and, as a result, action is relative. My own preference is to have very little relief in the neck, to have very little clearance between the bottom of the string and the crown of the 8th and 9th frets when holding the string down at the first and last frets. I believe the more time you spend at the higher frets, the less relief you should have. The more relief you have in the neck, the more likely you are to set the action to suit the lower frets which results in a relatively lower action at the higher frets. Relief is like artificially increasing the action at the lower frets, allowing greater fret clearance. The higher frets do not benefit from relief in the neck, so do not see any additional clearance other than that which the strings get from the bridge. To see it in action, pun intended, try a capo at the 12th fret and see what the action is like at the high frets with much less of the effect of neck relief, or just look at the action at the higher frets in your video when you're holding the strings down high up the neck. Then let the capo off and see what relief does to the fret clearance at the higher frets compared to the lower frets. This is why you get the strings bouncing off the higher frets like in your video.

 

If you change string size or type, set the neck relief to suit. Always the first step. Then set the action. Your problem will go away. I promise.