All strings Buzzing 5th fret to 19th fret

MicG · #1 03-04-2009, 08:01 PM

Hey guys, need some help...

Just bought a Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazz and I love the thing! Decided to do some standard tweaking i.e. lower action to my liking, intonation, relief,etc. I tune to standard tuning and have not changed the factory strings.

The neck was a bit too straight so I added some relief. Using the string as a straight-edge, the space at the 8th fret is no thicker than a credit card. The first 5 frets on all strings play like butter and are buzz free but from the 5th to the 19th fret on all strings, there is a mosquito like buzzing- some frets a bit worse than others and it gets more noticeable going up the neck.

My question: does this mean I need to add more relief? I thought the "8th fret credit card thickness rule" was one of those hard and fast rules to be followed... what gives?

kevinmoore73 · #2 03-04-2009, 08:08 PM

Sounds like a string height issue to me. I would raise the strings at the bridge.

Turnaround · #3 03-04-2009, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicG

Using the string as a straight-edge, the space at the 8th fret is no thicker than a credit card.

That's a bit too much relief for me. I would go with just over half that amount and raise the bridge saddles a bit.

xgator4u · #4 03-04-2009, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turnaround

That's a bit too much relief for me. I would go with just over half that amount and raise the bridge saddles a bit.

YUP, I would eliminate some of the relief, and raise the saddles a bit.

MicG · #5 03-04-2009, 10:43 PM

Hey thanks guys! I've got a feeler gauge around here some where.. .012" (0.3 mm) is what Fender recommends, just so I can be more precise about the discussion...what do you guys think about these numbers? I heard somewhere before that factory specs are a good place to start but not necessarily keep.

MicG · #6 03-05-2009, 12:10 AM

So I did a quick search and it looks like .010" - .015" is the range people generally go for, guess that answers my own question. I'll make the adjustments tomorrow and repost, I just hope its not nut or fret issue..

j0n0j0n0 · #7 03-05-2009, 12:19 AM

Just go to a repair/tuning guitar place and just tell him to set it up with no fret buzz. That should solve your problem.

JustDavid · #8 03-05-2009, 04:57 AM

You are measuring the neck relief with the string fretted at 1st & last frets, right?

MicG · #9 03-05-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustDavid

You are measuring the neck relief with the string fretted at 1st & last frets, right?

Yes thats right.

vejesse · #10 03-05-2009, 11:47 AM

How much buzz are you willing to accept? I've worked on several of these instruments at this point. You'll need to have the frets over the tongue leveled for sure. If you have the neck dead straight you'll find even more work to do. You can't 'set up' this new bass for low string height without dressing the frets. The Indonesians are still getting it together. When you're making $.50 a day how can you blame them. With the rising unemployment in California,Fender should bring all production back to the US. Keep it here where it belongs.

MicG · #11 03-05-2009, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vejesse

How much buzz are you willing to accept? I've worked on several of these instruments at this point. You'll need to have the frets over the tongue leveled for sure. If you have the neck dead straight you'll find even more work to do. You can't 'set up' this new bass for low string height without dressing the frets. The Indonesians are still getting it together. When you're making $.50 a day how can you blame them. With the rising unemployment in California,Fender should bring all production back to the US. Keep it here where it belongs.

While I won't deny the fact that my MIA '08 P is better with regard to attention to detail, i'm broke and in school, I needed a jazz bass and didnt have another $600 - $1500 Fender is asking for (new or used). I agree w/ you about bringing work back this direction, believe me, living in Michigan I have seen the effects first hand as well.

To answer your question, I really prefer zero buzz but I can live with a small amount. Still, I'd rather have less than what I have now. I'm really digging the bass, but I think you might be right...Around my neighborhood thats a $60- $75 job

Solarmist · #12 03-06-2009, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicG

The neck was a bit too straight so I added some relief. Using the string as a straight-edge, the space at the 8th fret is no thicker than a credit card.

That's how you do it!, but you don't really need any gauges - most can guess that distance pretty accurately. Just a very slight gap.
You did fret the 1st & last simultaneously when you measured - right? A business card < credit cards thickness is good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicG

My question: does this mean I need to add more relief?

I wouldn't give it any more relief, but like Kevin said you might raise your saddles slightly. Relief, and action height are two separate adjustments that work together. Once the relief is set correctly - that part is done - move on to the action height [saddles]. I use a Stew-Mac string action gauge - there about $24 with s&h, but well worth it.

Here's some good setup sites:
http://www.tunemybass.com/bass_setup/
http://www.fender.com/support/basses.php
http://garywillis.com/pages/bass/bas...tupmanual.html
http://www.sadowsky.com/media/suppor...bass_setup.pdf

JLS · #13 03-06-2009, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicG

While I won't deny the fact that my MIA '08 P is better with regard to attention to detail, i'm broke and in school, I needed a jazz bass and didnt have another $600 - $1500 Fender is asking for (new or used). I agree w/ you about bringing work back this direction, believe me, living in Michigan I have seen the effects first hand as well.

To answer your question, I really prefer zero buzz but I can live with a small amount. Still, I'd rather have less than what I have now. I'm really digging the bass, but I think you might be right...Around my neighborhood thats a $60- $75 job

...and now, consider the money you're going to have to put into it, finishing it up right. YGWYPF.

IMO, Indonesian instruments are disposable; I've seen too many of them with terrible necks.

MicG · #14 03-06-2009, 12:33 PM

wow...no love for squier on this forum. Are you guys referring to the affinity models, vintage modified, or (what I have) the classic vibe series? Thought they were highly regarded on these forums, right up there with SX basses...

vejesse · #15 03-06-2009, 01:20 PM

Regardless of the price, if the frets are level, the pickups sound good and the neck feels right it's a good instrument. These days the pickups are usually fine even in cheap basses but the necks aren't. Soft wood, bad fretwork, etc. This is why the replacement neck market is crazy.

MicG · #16 03-06-2009, 02:17 PM

So its really a discussion of consistency as well then? For example, I was thinking about it and for the price of doing all the work on this bass, I could possibly get a MIM Fender? But arent there MIM Fenders with the same issues as well? At what point do you call an instrument "cheap"? Isnt that everyone's own subjective opinion? Apologies, I'm just thinking out loud before I do something rash like return my bass out of anxiety about the neck...

vejesse · #17 03-07-2009, 08:33 AM

If you want the neck to play right, plan on putting $75-$100 into it. Or, do the work yourself. Or, if you'd like a nicer neck look at one from Allparts, WD, Mighty Mite, Warmoth or one of the other producers of aftermarket parts. By the way, did you replace the strings? The strings that come on those instruments are very stiff, and the buzzing could be aggravated by that.

wildhorse · #18 05-03-2009, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vejesse

How much buzz are you willing to accept? I've worked on several of these instruments at this point. You'll need to have the frets over the tongue leveled for sure. If you have the neck dead straight you'll find even more work to do. You can't 'set up' this new bass for low string height without dressing the frets. The Indonesians are still getting it together. When you're making $.50 a day how can you blame them. With the rising unemployment in California,Fender should bring all production back to the US. Keep it here where it belongs.

First off the Squier Classic Vibe 60's Jazz is made in China not Indonesia. It is well built and I had absolutely no issues setting mine up with low action and no fret buzz without dressing the frets. Everyone I've ever picked up has been very consitent. And they have all felt better than any MIM Jazz I've played as well and many MIA basses. Production wise a CNC machine is still a CNC machine regardless of what country it sits in. And labor costs are not necessarily relevant to education or the desire to peform. When you make .50 cents a day what do you suppose your cost of living is? With the rising cost of unemployment in California and all the unnecessary taxes we are burdened with here, what do you suppose this bass would cost to buy then. Oh wait it would then say Made in USA on it wouldn't it. And no better quality to the bass because of it, with exception to the pickups that is. But that's a relatively inexpensive upgrade.
The tuners are good on this bass and the bridge is virtually identical to a Gotoh. People have to face that we now live in a Global economy and companies are going to do what they have to in order to compete.

P.S. Some have said the strings that come on these are bad. Mine came with D'addario on them.

wildhorse · #19 05-03-2009, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicG

wow...no love for squier on this forum. Are you guys referring to the affinity models, vintage modified, or (what I have) the classic vibe series? Thought they were highly regarded on these forums, right up there with SX basses...

So MicG what did you end up doing? Did you give into all the Squier haters or end up keeping an otherwise excellent instrument. Did you keep it and get the kinks out?

MicG · #20 05-03-2009, 10:08 PM

Wildhorse,

You made a few great points. I actually ended up exchanging the instrument for a yamaha acoustic guitar. I'm primarily a bass player but also have ties to acoustic guitar from my beginning years. Funny thing you should ask, I was just in GC yesterday browsing and came across a few more of those squier's. I gotta say, they all played wonderfully. I've been into flats recently and just put some on my P bass, wonder how they'd sound on a jazz i.e. squier?

All in all, a solid instrument to say the least; looking for a jazz bass again, cant decide between a 4 or a 5. this one's still a strong contender in my book.