Is it all in my head?

[leonmada]

I recently started hearing this slapping sound coming from my bass (fender jazz american deluxe) every time I depressed the strings. Especially around the center of the neck and mostly coming from the E and A string. I have never noticed this sound before but it is driving me nuts. I just changed the strings to a heavier gauge and thought that may be the reason so as you would I adjusted the neck to account for the heavier gauge. I must also mention that I just started recording some tracks and this is really where I am noticing the slapping sound (metal on metal slapping sound). It is so bad that I have had to completely change the way I play just to get the sound to go away, (softer, quieter, less movement, less fun). Plus I am plugging right into the computer through an interface box and not playing through an amp, maybe recording through the amp would be better cause it does seem that the sound is not as pronounced when I am playing through the amp. Anyway if someone could give me some advice or maybe has experienced the same sort of thing and could just let me know I am not alone in this please drop me a line.

[jtc_hunter]

possible answers:
a. are your strings too close to your pickups, as in action too low or pickups too high?
B. have your saddles on your bridge "settled " down lower from vibration over time, changing your string height. This happed to me.
C. Are you using flatwound strings? I get alot of metal to metal if I use flats. I prefer semi-flatwounds, S.I.T. Silencers strings to eliminate string noise such as slapping metal.
I am sure there are other possibilities that some other members can add.

[steve4765630]

You are probably hearing the string buzzing behind the note. Obviously that note is not buzzing through the pickup or we'd assume you need a fret job. If you are playing a C on the E string you are in the middle of the fingerboard. Because there is a slight curve to the neck the string can still sound between the nut and the C. That's what it's been for me anyway. If you have a very straight neck it'll probably happen on a few notes.

[varunkapahi]

check if your strings are touching the poles on the pickups. if yes raise the height of the string but imo that sound isnt a slapping sound to me so i might be off track

[rosanne]

Maybe with changing to flats you changed the angle of your attack. That might account for it.