Fret buzz on a single fret???

BrandonBass · #1 01-25-2011, 09:38 AM

Its really wierd, theres only buzzing on the 16th fret of my A string. My bass is a fender jazz mij with 45-105 fatbeams and abit of relief on the neck.

Previously all my frets were fine except for the 1st fret on my E string which buzzes. So I added alittle relief to the neck, now everything is fine except for the 16th fret on A string that buzzes. It goes away if I raise the action, but its not what I want. I used to have it not buzz with similar action.

xarkon · #2 01-25-2011, 09:42 AM

It's not unusual to have a fret rise slightly, particularly with changing weather (humidity/temp).

Also, are you sure that the buzz is occurring on the bridge side of the string? I ask because I just ran into a similar problem with a guitar a couple days ago, where there was a buzz on only one fret. At first, I thought something in the truss rod might be vibrating. However, I found that it was actually buzzing toward the nut side of the string, behind the fretted note. Taking a little relief out of the neck solved the problem.

Dave

musicelectronix · #3 01-25-2011, 09:44 AM

How often do you use 16th fret on A string?

Seriously though, it is a very common thing, especially (but not necessarily) with import instruments (weather/humidity change). A tiny movement of the fret wire usually cause this.You can have that particular fret dressed if it bothers you that much, but I wouldn't do anything about it.

Edit: Brandon Bass is a professional basketball player who plays for Orlando Magic

plangentmusic · #4 01-25-2011, 09:47 AM

Mildly file the 17th fret.

BrandonBass · #5 01-25-2011, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plangentmusic

Mildly file the 17th fret.

i dont have a file. will sandpaper work?

I also dont wanna add tension to neck else my 1st fret would buzz

BrandonBass · #6 01-25-2011, 10:00 AM

im really beginning to think its the 17th fret, cause when i bend the 15th fret it would get muted halfway

BrandonBass · #7 01-25-2011, 10:33 AM

I jus did the file job with 80 grit sandpaper, and then finish with 320. The 16th fret is fine now, but the note still mute itself when i bend the 15th fret. should i file the 17th fret some more?

BrandonBass · #8 01-25-2011, 10:51 AM

btw it only mutes itself when I bend towards the D string, it reasonates fine if i bend it towards the E string

Pilgrim · #9 01-25-2011, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonBass

I jus did the file job with 80 grit sandpaper, and then finish with 320. The 16th fret is fine now, but the note still mute itself when i bend the 15th fret. should i file the 17th fret some more?

STOP.

NOW.

Take it to a tech, have him check all the frets for level and correct any problems. It shouldn't cost more than $30 or so. When you start asking about filing multiple frets, you are very close to screwing up the frets and needing to have them replaced, which will get expensive FAST.

BrandonBass · #10 01-25-2011, 11:18 AM

alrighty

plangentmusic · #11 01-25-2011, 01:17 PM

The deadness can be lots of things. But buzz occurs when a fret is lower than the proceeding fret. As you found out, a little filing corrected it.

Now I don't want to encourage messing up you bass, but I also think a lot of this stuff isn't rocket science and can be corrected simply enough. And some stuff can never be corrected no matter how good the tech is.

And i sincerely hope you used the finest sandpaper, covered the wood and only filed the tiniest amount.

walterw · #12 01-25-2011, 04:25 PM

yes, stop now.

randomly hacking on your frets is a good way to take a problem that a tech could fix with some minor adjustments and turn it into an expensive fret-leveling job.

the original issue could have even been the string itself!

JLS · #13 01-25-2011, 10:56 PM

This ready, fire, aim, approach, can get you into a world of expensive hurt...

BrandonBass · #14 01-26-2011, 06:44 AM

OK guys, just came back after seeing this 'luthier'. So I told him my problem and whatnot, and he said he would 'try to fix it'

Ive told him I want the same action on my bass, just without the single fret buzz. It can clearly be done as I have similar actions on other bass.

I came back 1 hour later. All he did was raised the action on the saddles with an allen key. (lol? i can do that myself in 1minute). So I told him its not the action I want. And his response. 'If you want the same action but without the buzz it would take ALOT more work'. He had the cheek to charge me 35 bucks for the 'inspection' and whatnot.

I mean clearly he could have told me if wont be achieve the action without extensive work then I wont have to waste my time and money. I wonder if its normal for luthiers to do that, charging 35 bucks to turn afew allen keys.... or did I just run into a completely incompetent one.

bassbully · #15 01-26-2011, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonBass

OK guys, just came back after seeing this 'luthier'. So I told him my problem and whatnot, and he said he would 'try to fix it'

Ive told him I want the same action on my bass, just without the single fret buzz. It can clearly be done as I have similar actions on other bass.

I came back 1 hour later. All he did was raised the action on the saddles with an allen key. (lol? i can do that myself in 1minute). So I told him its not the action I want. And his response. 'If you want the same action but without the buzz it would take ALOT more work'. He had the cheek to charge me 35 bucks for the 'inspection' and whatnot.

I mean clearly he could have told me if wont be achieve the action without extensive work then I wont have to waste my time and money. I wonder if its normal for luthiers to do that, charging 35 bucks to turn afew allen keys.... or did I just run into a completely incompetent one.

I have ran into the same issues at times. There is no way of knowing if a so called luthier is what they claim they are. Some of my worse work has been done by a person like yours and have had a few bad experiences. I do my own now and have had no issues since.

You could return it and see if they will do the proper job and only charge or discount what you already paid, or take it somewhere else and take another chance.

JLS · #16 01-26-2011, 11:16 AM

That should have been your goodbye.

BrandonBass · #17 01-26-2011, 11:19 AM

Yeah, 'should have'. Too late for regrets now. Guess ill some research on my local music forum to filter out the hacks.

BrandonBass · #18 01-26-2011, 11:26 AM

anyways thanks for the help guys

Pilgrim · #19 01-26-2011, 11:52 AM

I'm sorry that this guy wasn't better at his work.

One thing you CAN do to assess the situation: use an accurate straight edge to check the frets for level. If you have a good, accurate edge that will contact three frets at once, you can move it up and down the fret board and see if there's a place where the straight edge either rocks (a high fret) or shows daylight between edge and fret (a low fret).

Even a credit card may work for a quick check - it usually will just cover three frets, which is the minimum you need. A low fret or a high fret could be causing this problem. Those cards aren't a high-tech item, but they're pretty straight when new.

If you find a specific hi/low fret problem, you can (I hope) search for someone more competent. Fixing this problem isn't brain surgery, but when you start filing on frets without very specific knowledge of exactly what you're trying to do, it's easy to do damage that can't be fixed without replacing frets.

What you paid for was his time, and that's probably worth the $35, but he should have given you a better result and specific information about what the facts are and what your options are. In some cases, raising the action IS the most economical alternative, but it's not what you wanted. In any case, I wouldn't let him work on the instrument again.