Fret buzz is driving me nuts!

[Dee_01]

It seems all I do nowadays is try and combat fret buzz. Damn you, Squier! I really want to like this bass but my enthusiasm is falling off the edge now. The E string is particularly bad. Can I ask you TB'ers how low is your action? What would you consider a low or high action (in milimeters)?

[Indiana Mike]

http://www.squierguitars.com/pdf/man...anty_Sheet.pdf

[kevinmoore73]

Are you still using the factory strings?

I was having some fret buzz problems on my Squier too. I just re-strung it this morning with D'Addario Chromes and the buzz is gone.

(Oh, and hello everyone!)

[GreyBeard]

Originally Posted by Dee_01

It seems all I do nowadays is try and combat fret buzz. Damn you, Squier! I really want to like this bass but my enthusiasm is falling off the edge now. The E string is particularly bad. Can I ask you TB'ers how low is your action? What would you consider a low or high action (in milimeters)?

Most of the difference between a good bass and a crappy bass is the setup. If you like a really low action then the frets have to be really level, even, and perfectly shaped. A good Luthier will tell you what its' possiblities are and will might recommend you have the frets dressed along with a setup. The guy I go to has made some really cheap basses play like butter and he likes a challenge. Do yourself a favor and have it setup by a good Luthier, it'll be money well spent.

[FL Knifemaker]

I've spent a bunch of time learning how to set up basses. I don't claim to be an expert but I'm very happy with my latest results. I've found that the string height at the nut is ultra important. Slighly high and it's hard to finger the first few frets. Too low and you cannot adjust the trussrod or bridge without raising the action too high. It's all very simple mechanical adjustments, nothing magical but it takes a lot of practice and without proffesional guidance, lots of trial and error!!

[lostrings]

Originally Posted by Dee_01

It seems all I do nowadays is try and combat fret buzz. Damn you, Squier! I really want to like this bass but my enthusiasm is falling off the edge now. The E string is particularly bad. Can I ask you TB'ers how low is your action? What would you consider a low or high action (in milimeters)?

About 2 months ago I purchased a Squier Jazz Bass Deluxe 5 string and out of the box it had a decent setup. But I am very particular about my setups. I had to adjust the trussrod, file the nut, and level the frets and now it plays incredible with no fret buzz and very low action. Great bass for the money.

[Dee_01]

I remember your thread, lostrings. I was planning on buying the Deluxe 5 based on that thread, but I changed my mind at the last minute. Now I wish I had the 5! Never mind.

Originally Posted by kevinmoore73

Are you still using the factory strings?

I was having some fret buzz problems on my Squier too. I just re-strung it this morning with D'Addario Chromes and the buzz is gone.

(Oh, and hello everyone!)

Hello! Yes sir, I am still using the factory strings. They still sound fresh but I'm about to order some DR Sunbeams next week. I hope they get rid of the buzz! Cheers for the info.

Originally Posted by GreyBeard

Most of the difference between a good bass and a crappy bass is the setup. If you like a really low action then the frets have to be really level, even, and perfectly shaped. A good Luthier will tell you what its' possiblities are and will might recommend you have the frets dressed along with a setup. The guy I go to has made some really cheap basses play like butter and he likes a challenge. Do yourself a favor and have it setup by a good Luthier, it'll be money well spent.

I agree, and in fact last week I was talking to Jon Shuker who offered to do a fret level / dress and setup for £35. I will probably go with this option if I can't put things right myself. I'm a little broke at the moment so I'll be doing as much of the setup as I can. If all else fails, I'll remove the damn frets!

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

I've spent a bunch of time learning how to set up basses. I don't claim to be an expert but I'm very happy with my latest results. I've found that the string height at the nut is ultra important. Slighly high and it's hard to finger the first few frets. Too low and you cannot adjust the trussrod or bridge without raising the action too high. It's all very simple mechanical adjustments, nothing magical but it takes a lot of practice and without proffesional guidance, lots of trial and error!!

You're right about the nut. I *think* mine is a little high. If I press the E string down at the 3rd fret, what kind of clearance should I be seeing over the first couple of frets?

[Relayer59]

I wouldn't get too excited about sunbeams or any other new set of strings helping solve your issue in any way at all. Set up takes practice and patience (as pointed out by FL Knifemaker). Start by carefully adjusting your truss rod. Hold down the first and last fret intermitently as you make tiny 1/8 or so turns on the truss adjuster. When you see a relatively even spacing/height space between the strings and all of the frets in between (between 1st and last), stop. Then...check and see if you still get buzz. If you do, slightly raise each offending string at the bridge....just slightly....then try again. Unless your nut is really freaky high, you should be able to, by alternately and gradually raising string height at the bridge and adjusting the truss, find a happy place. If you get that far and you've eliminated most of the buzzing, you'll likely need to adjust the intonation. This can be simply done with an electronic tuner and a screw driver. Get an open string in tune. Then fret at the octave (12th fret). Both should register equally in tune. If the 12th fret of the in tune string is sharp...turn the bridge screw for that string so that it makes the distance between the bridge saddle and the nut longer. If it's flat, turn the screw so the distance is shorter. Re tune the open string and see if open and fretted at the 12th are both in tune. If they aren't, do it some more. Don't be too afraid of set up...you probably can't mess it up so badly that a pro can't quickly fix it.