Click-clack on the frets

[Busker]

Hello,

I have a Highway One Jazz and an American Series P, both 2006 models. The string height is about the same on both, neck relief similar on both. The P has string-through body, the Jazz is a top loader w/ Badass II. Each has Fender roundwound strings, medium gauge, although different model numbers on the string sets.

I notice I get much more click-clack on the frets with the Jazz. Is it string tension? Is the P, with through body stringing, naturally going to have higher tension?

[conqr]

May not apply, but sometimes old clacky can be eliminated with technique. I used to inadvertently fret more than one string, which produces unwanted clacking on strings not actually plucked. Lots of factors can aggravate it, like aggressive technique, low action, low tension etc. I eliminated it by cleaning up my LEFT hand so I fret only the note I'm playing. Like I said, may not apply but just tossing it out. The clack is usually produced as your plucking finger comes to rest on the string next to the one plucked - that in turn causes that string to hit the fretboard.

[prokfrog]

sloppy technique, and / or not enough neck relief

[dmusic148]

Very common for the strings to hit the neck pup on a Jazz. Might be what you're hearing.

[Relic]

"technique" is all relative.
if it's hitting the neck pup creating annoying "popping" noises, there's an old trick that I use to help cut down on it:
remove the pickup, carefully remove the cover, cut and place a few very narrow strips of cardboard type paper (think playing card thickness) along the length of the pup and on either side of the pole-pieces. Place the cover back on and tighten up the screws.
What this will do, is to pull the pole-pieces deeper into the cover so when a string slaps it, it's not hitting the metal pole-piece which can be noisy as hell but rather the plastic of the cover which is nowhere near as loud.

[Steve]

all things being equal, a bridge pickup is going to accentuate the noise a little more than a bass without one. Assuming of course that it's coming from the frets and not a pickup being smacked.

[Busker]

I dunno. Maybe I can't have identical setups on these basses. Different bridges, different strings, top loader vs. string-through....

Anyway, I raised the strings a bit at the bridge saddles on the Jazz. It plays just about as well as before, but with much less clack.

I believe the Jazz has lower string tension than the P, and I was using the same setup and same right hand attack as on the P, and getting more noise. That's my theory anyway.

Thanks a lot

[joeyl]

Originally Posted by Busker

top loader vs. string-through....

should not make a difference in tension (pitch and tension depend on the length of the string between nut and saddle)

[elBandito]

Use stiffer strings, raise string height, adjust your plucking. Clickclack-b-gone

[dmusic148]

Originally Posted by joeyl

does not make a difference in tension (pitch and tension depend on the length of the string between nut and saddle)

Fixed....

[joeyl]

Originally Posted by dmusic148

Fixed....

thanks.