buzz when left hand releases a note

amorena1 · #1 10-29-2006, 01:44 PM

Hi all...
I've had my Ibanez SR 405 for at least a year. Here's the prob:
When I have a string depressed onto the fretboard- everything is ok, but when I let the string go, it buzzes as I release the pressure on the string. This happens no matter how fast I make the release of the note. I read the links about the set-up and I tightened the truss rod a little bit, but it did not do anything, so I assume that is not the problem. I'm not sure though, since I haven't been able to find any description or solutions to this particular problem.
Thanks!

vindy500 · #2 10-29-2006, 01:46 PM

does it happen on other basses

amorena1 · #3 10-29-2006, 01:49 PM

No- I've played 2 other basses that belong to my friend and the other ones don't do it...

pkr2 · #4 10-29-2006, 06:49 PM

Does your bass do it when someone else plays it? Sloppy tecnique with the fretting can cause pretty much what you describe.

Does it do it all over the neck or just on certain frets/strings?

spudmaster34 · #5 10-29-2006, 07:05 PM

yeah, tecnique would be my guess, mabeye it is something you only do on your bass

amorena1 · #6 10-30-2006, 11:04 AM

I don't think it's the technique- it doesn't just happen when I'm playing something fast or complicated. It happens all the time. I'll play one note- say 3rd fret on the low E string- and when I let the note go with my left hand- no matter how fast or slow I release it, the string buzzes at a certain point as I release it. I've played other basses and not had this problem. There is no buzzing as long as the note is held down.

The problem seems to happen all over the fretboard.

It's driving me crazy.

Recording is almost impossible because the buzzing comes in louder than the sound of the bass notes.

aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

pkr2 · #7 10-30-2006, 02:42 PM

[quote=amorena1]I don't think it's the technique- it doesn't just happen when I'm playing something fast or complicated. It happens all the time. I'll play one note- say 3rd fret on the low E string- and when I let the note go with my left hand- no matter how fast or slow I release it, the string buzzes at a certain point as I release it. I've played other basses and not had this problem. There is no buzzing as long as the note is held down.

The problem seems to happen all over the fretboard.

It's driving me crazy.

Recording is almost impossible because the buzzing comes in louder than the sound of the bass notes.

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Can you post a sound clip of it?

I would still get someone else to play it. I'll be honest, if I was trying to set a bass up to intentionally make it do what you describe, I wouldn't have a clue where to start. And it's odd enough that I definitely would remember.

Buzzes come in all colors and flavors. Simple buzzes are easy to take care of but every so often one comes along that require some pretty elaborate/inventive means of locating them. A stethoscope is really not very expensive and can really help find elusive buzzes. A piece of garden hose about 15" long held up to your ear at one end and as the other end of the hose gets near the buzz, you can really hear it.

Untill you know what's buzzing, you can't fix it.

Either way requires an extra pair of hands so the tecnique question can be answered too.

Or maybe I'm overlooking something that should be obvious. ?

amorena1 · #8 10-31-2006, 10:55 AM

I'll try to put a sound clip up this weekend or before if possible. Can I do that on this thread, or do I have to post it somewhere else?

I'm pretty sure the buzz comes from the fret that I am playing the note on (no matter what fret it is). Let me give you a way to experience it the way I am:
Play any note on your bass. Slowly release the note you're playing. As you slowly release it, you will obviously get to a point where the string will start to buzz because the pressure on it is no longer strong enough to keep it from vibrating under your finger. OK- now do the same thing but release the note faster- just as you naturally would to play an arpeggio for example. I'm assuming that you did not hear that buzzing from one note to the next as you released each note. I still get the buzzing. I just went to my friend's house yesterday and played his basses again. His don't do it anywhere near to the extent that mine does. Like I said earlier, it's so bad, that when I record with it, the buzzing makes it impossible because it comes in just as loud as the note that I play! Each note is clean---bzzz, clean---bzzz, etc. A buzz at the end of each one.

I hope all of what I wrote made sense.

Thanks so much.

I'll try to get a sound clip up soon.

vindy500 · #9 10-31-2006, 10:57 AM

get your friend to play your bass...

amorena1 · #10 10-31-2006, 10:58 AM

next time I go over to his house, I'll bring my bass with me so he can try it out.

amorena1 · #11 11-04-2006, 08:37 AM

I took the bass to my friend. He played it and said that part of it was my technique, but that those basses generally do have a tinny type of buzz. I mostly play easy pop music bass lines, so maybe this is the wrong bass for me in the first place (soundgear 405)? Should I go get it set up by a professional, or get a different bass?

**Rune Bivrin** · #12 11-04-2006, 09:13 AM

Check out Todd Johnson's section on YouTube. There's a short segment there on fretting techique, taken from his "Technique Builders" instructional DVD.

From your description, I'd guess you're not pressing the string close enough to the fret. If you press in the middle of the space between the frets, you're almost sure to get a buzz. Try to put your fingers almost on the fret, and see if that doesn't make a difference.

Rune

amorena1 · #13 11-04-2006, 10:22 AM

Thanks everybody.

I looked at those threads at the top a while back and I tightened the truss rod a few days ago. I'm going to keep tinkering with it until I get it right or give up and take it somewhere.

Like Joshua said, I figured a bass, no matter what kind, should be playable. I'm a guitar player who only occasionally plays bass. Is hand strength a big issue? Or should a properly set up bass be pretty easy to play?

Rune thanks for the youtube advice- i'll go check it out.

SurrenderMonkey · #14 11-05-2006, 05:29 PM

I have a similar problem on my K5, and I'm frankly worried. The sound comes from inside the neck, I fear my trussrod may be a tad ill. It's got a sympathetic resonance with the open D string.

I'm gonna have to get it looked after by a pro. It's got a dead spot I can't get rid of with trussrod adjustments and bridge settings around the 14-17th fret.

redhawk · #15 11-05-2006, 07:49 PM

I'm having a similar problem with my Ibanez SR500. I hit the open E and it does it...I feel your pain.

Bassist4Life · #16 11-05-2006, 09:09 PM

Perhaps your action is set too low? I'm not sure, but it's possible.

Joe

Basshole · #17 11-05-2006, 09:41 PM

Check for:

Truss rod too tight
Action too low
Strings with loose outer windings

amorena1 · #18 11-05-2006, 10:21 PM

Thanks for the interest. Not to dismiss the problems you guys are having w/ your basses, but my problem doesn't seem to resemble any of yours. My open strings don't have any problems. I do believe my problem is that I was being a little to obsessive over the natural buzzing that happens when you play one note, release it, pause, and then go to another one. I'm gonna keep fiddling with it though. I wish you all good luck with yours and hope that they will be fixed soon! not too expensively!