Fretless buzzz

odin70 · #1 09-15-2010, 12:34 PM

My fretless buzzes around the 16 - 19 "fret" on the G string. I have set the action higher but it does not solve the problem. Very frustrating..
Can someone help me?

rewopnayr · #2 09-15-2010, 12:43 PM

mine had a slight buzzing between 13 and 18th with c g d a strings.i gave both truss rods a 1/2 turn clockwise and it fixed it. now it plays like its a newer bass.

odin70 · #3 09-15-2010, 12:57 PM

hm...i have adjusted it several times. Its only the G string.

tZer · #4 09-15-2010, 01:08 PM

Could be a bum string or it could be a 'high spot' on the fingerboard. If you can get the thing adjusted so the action is just right for you and it's 99% buzz free aside from the one spot, you may consider a little sanding where the offending buzz occurs. Fretted instruments can have random buzzes due to high/low frets. Same holds true for fretlesses only it's uneven fingerboards or an unevenly finished fingerboard that introducing a high spot and a buzz.

If you are not comfortable with that, take it to a pro and have them evaluate it. It may be that the fingerboard need to be leveled. On my fretless, I had buzzy spots until I resanded and refinished it.

odin70 · #5 09-15-2010, 01:11 PM

Thank you for the tips! The neck is epoxied bu HG Thor so it should be fine, but i will have to check it out. Can i sand the epoxy without ruining the looks?

tZer · #6 09-15-2010, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odin70

Thank you for the tips! The neck is epoxied bu HG Thor so it should be fine, but i will have to check it out. Can i sand the epoxy without ruining the looks?

Yes - but read up on it first. If there's a thick coat on the fingerboard you've got some room to work it and you'll want to polish it up when you're done. But if there is a high spot, it will need to be flattened that that can lead to a slippery slope of going too far - then creating a low spot.

So please - take it to a qualified luthier and have them help you diagnose the problem before breaking out the abrasives!!

I know that my fretless had some high spots - but it's a fretless I built myself and I had no concerns whatsoever about working on it as I did. After I sanded the fingerboard with my radiused sanding block I had to go back and sand certain areas a little more because of miscellaneous, but consistent buzzy spots that were definitely a product of those areas being a little high.

Make sure it's not simply a bum string first! sometimes a string can have a kink or a slight bulge in the winding that make it buzz in that spot.