Action/Buzzing

[dolce1109]

I'm just starting bass (I've played piano all my life, never guitar), and I'm having a tough time getting a clear tone - there's a lot of buzzing from the fretboard every time I lift a finger off of a string on my left hand....I've heard that the action can be adjusted and this may help - is that true, and if so is it difficult to do? Should I get a professional to show me how before trying on my own?

[ChaosGwar]

more of a setup question, but I'll answer it anyway.

It's not hard if you know what you are doing. Since you are new to bass, I suggest taking it to a pro. Ask if you can watch him work, and have him explain what he is doing and what it does. A setup should run you anywhere between $30 and $80, depending on what all they do. If new strings are included, expect the price to be more.

Typically, a setup consists of raising your action with the saddles screws, checking proper intonation, and making necessary adjustments, adjusting the truss rod if there isn't enough neck relief, or if there is too much, setting proper height on your pick ups.

Thats pretty much all there is to it. Tricky and potentially harmful if you have no idea what you are doing, but not really all that involved.

[dolce1109]

thanks - one other thing, i read that when you place your finger on a fret, it's supposed to be a little bit behind the fret - what do they mean by that? are we not supposed to finger the fret directly in the center of it?

[Hugh Jazz]

Originally posted by dolce1109
thanks - one other thing, i read that when you place your finger on a fret, it's supposed to be a little bit behind the fret - what do they mean by that? are we not supposed to finger the fret directly in the center of it?

What that means is that your finger should be right behind the "metal" fret, which means it's toward the end of the fret space. When most people on this site use the word "fret," they are refering the actual metal thing itself, not the space on the fretboard that you physically fret with your fingers, if that makes sense.

Dang, that's a lot of use of "fret."

[dolce1109]

thanks!