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05-20-2010, 02:48 PM
| | | | Just Don't Get It
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Hi, I'm having a weird problem with my bass/amp, wondering if anyone has any ideas.
When I play an open A strong, or if I fret anything on the A string, I get a buzz/distortion from my amp. When I play just about anything else on the bass on the E, D, and G strings, it's all OK, very clean. Just the A string seems off. For example, I can play an open D, a D on the A string and the same D on the E string, and only the D on the A string will buzz/distort.
I've noticed this with 2 amps now. The first was a Marshall MB30, which I bought 2 days ago. I returned it and got an Fender Rumble 30, and now noticing exactly the same behaviour on the Fender. It's really bugging me. I'm wondering if it can be anything in the setup of the bass. It's a Squier P Special (J/P pups). I only got the bass a couple of weeks ago. I noticed this with either or both of the pups engaged. |
05-20-2010, 02:51 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Nashville | | | Sounds to me like you have a high fret or bad setup on your bass that has the A string to low and hence buzzing.
Try steadily raising the saddle on the A string in increments and see if it goes away. |
05-20-2010, 02:53 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Cleveland, TN | | Quote:
Originally Posted by stflbn  Sounds to me like you have a high fret or bad setup on your bass that has the A string to low and hence buzzing.
Try steadily raising the saddle on the A string in increments and see if it goes away. | +1
Sounds like the bass, not the amp.
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05-20-2010, 03:02 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Eugene, OR | | | Take the bass to your local music shop. Someone will know.
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05-20-2010, 05:02 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Long Island | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Hinto Hi, I'm having a weird problem with my bass/amp, wondering if anyone has any ideas.
When I play an open A strong, or if I fret anything on the A string, I get a buzz/distortion from my amp. When I play just about anything else on the bass on the E, D, and G strings, it's all OK, very clean. Just the A string seems off. For example, I can play an open D, a D on the A string and the same D on the E string, and only the D on the A string will buzz/distort.
I've noticed this with 2 amps now. The first was a Marshall MB30, which I bought 2 days ago. I returned it and got an Fender Rumble 30, and now noticing exactly the same behaviour on the Fender. It's really bugging me. I'm wondering if it can be anything in the setup of the bass. It's a Squier P Special (J/P pups). I only got the bass a couple of weeks ago. I noticed this with either or both of the pups engaged. | I bought a Vintage Modified Squier that had the same symptom. It turned out to be the string. The outer core was loosely wrapped around the inner solid core so the string would "rattle" a low volumes. One phone call to MF and they sent me a new set of strings no questions asked. That cured it. |
05-20-2010, 05:03 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Eastern Wisconsin | | | It could be loose screws in the cabinet. Or any of those other things.
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Lefty Union #203, SX Club Member Quote: |
Originally Posted by SurferJoe46 Bass tone isn't rocket surgery anyway. | |
05-20-2010, 05:06 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Anasleim, CA | | | Yup...it's your bass or strings. |
05-20-2010, 05:11 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by M0ses It could be loose screws in the cabinet. Or any of those other things. |
Yep, could be something loose in the amp that's vibrating at the frequency of the A string.
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05-20-2010, 05:24 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tampa, FL | | Quote:
Originally Posted by aus_bass Yep, could be something loose in the amp that's vibrating at the frequency of the A string. | If that were the case it would happen at the fifth fret on the E string also and should not affect the A string all over the fretboard... I would check
A) The Nut could be a badly slotted nut.
B) The Bridge Make sure the string is seated properly in the bridge
saddle
C) The String already been mentioned
these are the first things I would look at
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05-20-2010, 05:28 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: New York | | | One amp, maybe; two amps, bass.
I feel like Dr Suess.
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05-20-2010, 05:28 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Princeton New Jersey | | | Had a similar problem. It was a bad E string.
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05-20-2010, 05:34 PM
| | | | I agree... bad string... had the same problem
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05-20-2010, 06:23 PM
|  | Endorsing Curmudgeon: Mal's Kitchen Cruelties ... | | Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Columbia River Gorge | | a Squire with a setup problem ? ...that couldn't be it ... 
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05-20-2010, 06:27 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Boca raton Florida | | | Make sure that the string has lots of windings on the capstan for the A string. Fenders have always had a problem in this area. You need plenty of pressure on the nut or the A string rattles. |
05-20-2010, 07:40 PM
|  | vintage bass nut
John K Custom Basses | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA | | | IMO, the core on your A string has come losse from the wrap. |
05-20-2010, 09:42 PM
| | | | THANKS! Hey guys, thanks very much. I'll start by putting on new strings in the morning, can't hurt anyway, still using the factory strings. I'll double check the nut and saddle while I'm at it. If that doesn't cure it, I'll bring the bass in for a proper setup. Again, that will be good regardless.
Cheers! |
05-21-2010, 07:30 AM
| | | | Saddle screws must be flush with the bridge plate BTW.
And tell us how it works out : )
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05-21-2010, 07:42 AM
| | | | Try this with the head seperated from the cabinet. Put a towel under the head, remove it, see if that does it. Then learn your lesson and don't subject your head to unnecessary vibration just because everyone else does and it looks cool. |
05-21-2010, 07:52 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia | | | needs a setup. normally when you play a note on one string and it is fine and you play the exact same note on another string and there is something wrong it is the bass that has the problem. how does your amp know which string you play something on?
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05-21-2010, 08:03 AM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by uglyrumor Try this with the head seperated from the cabinet. Put a towel under the head, remove it, see if that does it. Then learn your lesson and don't subject your head to unnecessary vibration just because everyone else does and it looks cool. | he said it happened with multiple amps and the same bass
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