Fretless set up squier vintage modified!

[willyf87]

I've always had buzzing up and down the fretboard on my squier fretless but now its really starting to hack me off! I've tried tweaking the neck and bridge. I currently have the E set up about 3mm above the 12th fret, the neck looks pretty straight apart from between the 2nd fret and the nut it starts to bend up a little, not sure if thats completely normal. I was wondering if it is caused by the fret markers? How could I go about sanding them down? The buzzing doesn't seem to come from any particular fret on any set string just random frets on each string. i don't really want to pay £50 -£100 for a bass that cost me a couple of hundred!

Someone help!!

[Beedster]

[quote name='willyf87' post='922491' date='Aug 12 2010, 11:14 AM']I've always had buzzing up and down the fretboard on my squier fretless but now its really starting to hack me off! I've tried tweaking the neck and bridge. I currently have the E set up about 3mm above the 12th fret, the neck looks pretty straight apart from between the 2nd fret and the nut it starts to bend up a little, not sure if thats completely normal. I was wondering if it is caused by the fret markers? How could I go about sanding them down? The buzzing doesn't seem to come from any particular fret on any set string just random frets on each string. i don't really want to pay £50 -£100 for a bass that cost me a couple of hundred!

Someone help!![/quote]

Mmm, if it 'bends up' substantially you might have a problem. A photo would help? Re 'random', I doubt that, there is always a reason and it will be systematic at one level or another. If you spend a little more time and can identify whether it's more pronounced on certain strings, at certain areas of the board, or in certain playing styles, we might be able to offer more help.

An alternative viewpoint: My neck buzzes loads, I've learned to control it when I don't want it and to use it well when I do.

C

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='Beedster' post='922503' date='Aug 12 2010, 11:23 AM']An alternative viewpoint: My neck buzzes loads, I've learned to control it when I don't want it and to use it well when I do.[/quote]
+1. One man's buzz is another man's mwaaah. Taming it when you want to is half the battle of learning to play fretless.

Is the sound still coming through as an annoying buzz when you're plugged in and cranked up (masking the direct acoustic noise off the board)? Or is it just that lovely, throaty growl? Both my fretlesses can sound pretty rank acoustically (depending on how ham-fisted I'm being ), but the rattle and buzz just becomes mwaaah when I plug in.

[willyf87]

[quote name='Beedster' post='922503' date='Aug 12 2010, 11:23 AM']Mmm, if it 'bends up' substantially you might have a problem. A photo would help? Re 'random', I doubt that, there is always a reason and it will be systematic at one level or another. If you spend a little more time and can identify whether it's more pronounced on certain strings, at certain areas of the board, or in certain playing styles, we might be able to offer more help.

An alternative viewpoint: My neck buzzes loads, I've learned to control it when I don't want it and to use it well when I do.

C[/quote]


Yeah it is really strange, feels like hitting my head off a brick wall!! it really doesn't look back bowed to me nor the other way round, it doesn't seem to matter too much how hard or soft i play, it seems to rattle a bit more on or over the marker. From memory 3rd 4th fret seems quite bad on E string, then around the 7th and 12th area same string, 4th 5th on A string along with around the 12th 14th, D was around 4th as well7th 9th 12th, G again around the same. Looking at it there is a slight pattern but its quite even across the fretboard, I'm sure its the markers but don't really know what to do short of masking off the board and gently sanding the markers.

[willyf87]

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='922540' date='Aug 12 2010, 11:42 AM']+1. One man's buzz is another man's mwaaah. Taming it when you want to is half the battle of learning to play fretless.

Is the sound still coming through as an annoying buzz when you're plugged in and cranked up (masking the direct acoustic noise off the board)? Or is it just that lovely, throaty growl? Both my fretlesses can sound pretty rank acoustically (depending on how ham-fisted I'm being ), but the rattle and buzz just becomes mwaaah when I plug in.[/quote]


I think you could be right, its not so predominant through an amp, maybe I need to man up a bit hahahaha. I only really play with it at home through as practice amp, so I'm probably getting that part acoustic part amp sound.

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='willyf87' post='922564' date='Aug 12 2010, 12:02 PM']I think you could be right, its not so predominant through an amp, maybe I need to man up a bit hahahaha. I only really play with it at home through as practice amp, so I'm probably getting that part acoustic part amp sound.[/quote]
If you can, try it loud through headphones!

[willyf87]

yeah I'm gonna give that a go!

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='willyf87' post='922736' date='Aug 12 2010, 01:56 PM']yeah I'm gonna give that a go![/quote]

What strings are you using? I tried DR Hi-Beams recently and they were buzz-crazy (on a fretted bass) thanks to their high flexibility. Same bass with some worn-in, and subjectively stiffer, Black beauties (still Hi Beams underneath I think) is much better.
Fret the string just in front of the nut and again at the end of the board to take the nut out of the equation and see how straight it looks then.

[willyf87]

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='922829' date='Aug 12 2010, 03:00 PM']What strings are you using? I tried DR Hi-Beams recently and they were buzz-crazy (on a fretted bass) thanks to their high flexibility. Same bass with some worn-in, and subjectively stiffer, Black beauties (still Hi Beams underneath I think) is much better.
Fret the string just in front of the nut and again at the end of the board to take the nut out of the equation and see how straight it looks then.[/quote]

Using roto swing 66 rounds, i just replaced roto flats wanted the hear the contrast, but I had the same problems with the flats, i re adjusted the bass for the rounds as well, when i hold first and last fret line there is a small (as in little bit more than piece of paper) gap of daylight all the way along until about 14th fret ish where it starts to decrease.

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='willyf87' post='922911' date='Aug 12 2010, 04:33 PM']Using roto swing 66 rounds, i just replaced roto flats wanted the hear the contrast, but I had the same problems with the flats, i re adjusted the bass for the rounds as well, when i hold first and last fret line there is a small (as in little bit more than piece of paper) gap of daylight all the way along until about 14th fret ish where it starts to decrease.[/quote]

Hmm. Another factor to eliminate is the nut, the slots on my fretless are very low but sometimes you get a nut on a fretless that's meant for a fretted bass, these are a b***h to play no matter how low you set the action at the other end and it always feels too high. Alternatively it could well be the fret lines. Can you feel their ridge if you run your fingers up and down the board? If so they're proud of the neck and need sanding down. A bit of fine wet and dry (400 or higher maybe? I'd probably start with 800) used wet with a firm block should be able to sort that.

Edited August 12, 2010 by LawrenceH

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='922928' date='Aug 12 2010, 05:06 PM']A bit of fine wet and dry (400 or higher maybe? I'd probably start with 800) used wet with a firm block should be able to sort that.[/quote]
Would that be alright on the ebonol (synthetic) board?

[willyf87]

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='922928' date='Aug 12 2010, 05:06 PM']Hmm. Another factor to eliminate is the nut, the slots on my fretless are very low but sometimes you get a nut on a fretless that's meant for a fretted bass, these are a b***h to play no matter how low you set the action at the other end and it always feels too high. Alternatively it could well be the fret lines. Can you feel their ridge if you run your fingers up and down the board? If so they're proud of the neck and need sanding down. A bit of fine wet and dry (400 or higher maybe? I'd probably start with 800) used wet with a firm block should be able to sort that.[/quote]


The nuts about as low as it will go with a little clearance, there would be hardly anything to file down!! Some of the frets are very very slightly out and I mean literally a couple, but doesn't seem to be on the frets I play, not sure if they just ring out further down the line and rattle off. Sand paper and ebanol would probably make for a disaster!!, but what I might do is mask off around the frets and gently sand the plastic markers with fine paper. Before all that I wil try playing it loud through an amp or headphones to see if its so noticeable.

[willyf87]

Well I fiddled with the set up some more and it all seems to be working much better now, don't know how or why but I must have done something right!! Cheers guys!