clack clack clack

[Billy K]

My E and A strings seem to be "clacking" on the 1st fret closest to the pickups.At the end of the neck if you will.Sound comes right through the amp I tried raising the strings a bit because I am a bit heavy handed but still it seems to be hitting that last fret.Technique or adjustment.My other 2 basses dont do this so I kinda ruled out technique .....

[jacobrownoly]

Sounds like a truss rod problem...I think you might just need to tighten it a little, but I'm not 100% sure.

Other uses might need to back this up for you!

[Jools4001]

Originally Posted by jacobrownoly

Sounds like a truss rod problem...I think you might just need to loosen it a little, but I'm not 100% sure.

Other uses might need to back this up for you!

Fixed it for ya...

Have a read of the stickies and seek out the Jerzy Drozd setup guide

[mongo2]

Could be a few things or any combination of: raised fret, setup, mismatched setup and technique, neck tilt, fingerboard ""ski jump". You might want to have a tech look at it.

I've fixed a few like that using a reverse tilt shim in conjunction with a full pocket flat shim (to maintain the saddle height).

[ehque]

Could be a badly cut nut.

[kalle74]

Originally Posted by ehque

Could be a badly cut nut.

I doubt. If it´s clacking at the last fret, I can´t really see how the nut could affect it.

I´m guessing technique and setup mismatch.

[CapnSev]

Are you talking about the last fret, as in the fret at the end of the fingerboard, where the neck joins the body? (i.e. 20th/21st/24th fret)

If that's the case, how often do you really spend time on the fret? I would think that would be the last fret that would clank, because there's nothing beyond it to clank against.

[toobalicious]

sometimes it is difficult to get low action for a player with a heavy right hand technique (or left, if you are wired that way). about the only sure cure (provided there isnt some other, more serious problem) is to raise the action and/or relax the truss rod (more relief) if your neck is very straight.

[toobalicious]

Originally Posted by Jools4001

Fixed it for ya...

Have a read of the stickies and seek out the Jerzy Drozd setup guide

FWIW, one big problem i have with jerzy drozd guide is that his method of "winding" the new string will always twist the string. avoid this by taking up *all* of the slack with the tuning machine, and *dont* just wind it around the post like a coil. a twisted string can cause all kinds of weirdness, *especially* if you are trying to set up your instrument. maybe i just misinterpreted the jerzy drozd thing? #4 on page 17.

[Billy K]

could be I am a bit heavy on the playing technique seening that I am4 months into bass playing.It is only E and A strings and it gets better when I raise the string but it is a bit hight now perhaps a thrust rod adjstment is in order. thank you

[Randall]

A good tip to lighten your attack is to turn up your amp quite loud and let it do the work- not your right hand diggin in. Of course some songs require that type of touch

[floatingaxe]

I used to have a similar problem until I moved my right hand closer to the bridge pickup. Now I usually play just in front of the bridge pickup and if I get heavy handed it doesn't matter as much. Sounds better too. Sometimes I'll slide up to the neck pickup for tone and then I remind myself to play a little lighter.

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by Billy K

now perhaps a thrust rod adjstment is in order.

It's actually "trussrod"