Buzzing, but not fret buzz

sigmafloyd · #1 11-01-2011, 12:37 AM

There is a small amount of buzz coming from the a string on my squier vm jazz. It doesn't sound like what I would consider fret buzz. Almost more like a vibration. Any ideas what this is and how to fix it?

Also, when I play up past the 12th fret on the g there is a weird harmonic or overtone thing happening that makes the note sound out of tune

slaphappychappy · #2 11-01-2011, 12:46 AM

It's not the bridge springs rattling? Spent ages on one of mine and it turned out 2 b the problem.
The harmonic thing?? No idea.

T-Bird · #3 11-01-2011, 01:12 AM

Hi.

For any weird sounds that can't easily be located and remedied by damping the various rattle-prone parts like the aforementioned bridge screws, tuners, covers etc. or by tightening all the screws and nuts, I look for a twisted or otherwise bad string.

About 8 times out of 10 that's the culprit, the other two being a rattling TR or some other internal part.

Regards
Sam

Mickey Mao · #4 11-01-2011, 03:06 AM

Is it the A string rattling between the nut and the tuner? This can happen if there are not enough wraps on the A string on the tuner shaft, which provides downforce against the nut.

aidanmay · #5 11-01-2011, 04:07 AM

No help at all but I was playing a squier vm jazz fretless the other day with this same problem and it's between the nut and tuner because it stopped when I dampened there

96tbird · #6 11-01-2011, 06:40 AM

First the buzz. Strike your A and hold each of your tuners on the clover and see if it stops. If not check that the saddles on th bridge are.all perfectly level. They should not be sloped one way or another. Check that the springs are not loose.
Report your findings. Rattles.will ghost and seem like they are coming from somewhere else.

Next, loosen each string and push the ball end out of the bridge a bit and tune back up. This will fix any twist as long as the string is ok. On the A make sure that it winds around the post as low as possible. Shove it down on the barrel right to the ferrules and tighten it. The tuners they use on these with the concave barrels can cause problems on the A; it needs to be right on the deck. Check for the overtones again. Have you intonated your bass?

Have you adjusted the truss rod at all? If it is rattling it may need to be tightened slightly to snug it up.

dave_bass5 · #7 11-01-2011, 11:19 AM

Just to add to what 96tbird said, another thing to check is the tuner column joint where the cloverleaf part is soldered to it.
I had an annoying buzz on my CV Jazz and although i tracked it down to the tuner everything seemed to check out ok as far as the eye could see. It did go if i held the cloverleaf part and on closer inspection i noticed the solder joint had a very small gap in it, and the vibration from the string was causing both parts to vibrate against each other.

Just a thought if nothing else works.

Johnpjm · #8 11-01-2011, 11:26 AM

Check the tuners, and check the truss rod. A loose truss rod can lead to many a problem.

NKUSigEp · #9 11-01-2011, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sigmafloyd

There is a small amount of buzz coming from the a string on my squier vm jazz. It doesn't sound like what I would consider fret buzz. Almost more like a vibration. Any ideas what this is and how to fix it?

Also, when I play up past the 12th fret on the g there is a weird harmonic or overtone thing happening that makes the note sound out of tune

You can skip all the previous suggestions (except Mickey Mao's). There's not enough downward tension on the A-string to keep it seated in the nut. Next time you restring your bass, cut the A-string a little longer and try to put on a few more winds...this pushes the string down further on the tuning peg and increase the angle coming down over the nut. I guarantee this 100% is the problem and it's an easy fix.

sigmafloyd · #10 11-01-2011, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NKUSigEp

You can skip all the previous suggestions (except Mickey Mao's). There's not enough downward tension on the A-string to keep it seated in the nut. Next time you restring your bass, cut the A-string a little longer and try to put on a few more winds...this pushes the string down further on the tuning peg and increase the angle coming down over the nut. I guarantee this 100% is the problem and it's an easy fix.

Thanks guys. Looks like it was just an issue with the string on the tuning peg. For whatever reason, I restrung it a bit more carefully and it is fine now. Pretty happy I do not have to replace my chromes