Ibanez SR500 Buzz...

Cz93 · #1 11-14-2009, 03:58 PM

Ok. So as of today I am a very happy and very proud owner of an Ibanez SR500

I was messing with the action and i seemed to get it right as in it doesnt buzz all over the bass exept when i hammer on to higher frets (frets 10-24) i get this weird buzzing sound, but if i just played the note normally it would not buzz. So basically what im saying is if that i just use my left hand to play and i just hammer on to a high fret it sounds dead, but it sounds fine on lower frets.

Any ideas? could it be the truss rod? thanks!

Cz93 · #2 11-14-2009, 04:11 PM

DRN-PWNS · #3 11-14-2009, 04:29 PM

My sr400 does this. if determined that the strings catch o the higher frets.

Cz93 · #4 11-14-2009, 04:37 PM

what do u mean if the string catches?

Mr_Sore_Fingerz · #5 11-14-2009, 04:43 PM

Wow, that's really weird....mine was bought new and played phenomenal out of the box (still does). It could be your truss rod, but check and make sure all your frets are level.

Cz93 · #6 11-14-2009, 05:00 PM

yea it is.. ill try loosening the truss rod a little but the neck seems to be pretty good where its at

DRN-PWNS · #7 11-14-2009, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cz93

what do u mean if the string catches?

it vibrates more then hits the fret use higher tension strings

ByF · #8 11-14-2009, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cz93

yea it is.. ill try loosening the truss rod a little but the neck seems to be pretty good where its at

The truss rod has no effect on the frets above where the neck is attached to the body. I assume that's what you're calling the "upper frets." If the neck seems to be pretty good, leave it alone.

It doesn't sound like a neck or bridge set-up problem, if it only buzzes when you hammer on. Any instrument will buzz if you play it hard enough.

My SR505 had several high frets, and eventually I ended up dressing and recrowning them. But they were only a problem on the low notes, and it gave an obvious buzz no matter how softly I played.

Also, if your pickups are too close to the strings you can get some weird resonances because the magnetic field affects the string vibration.

Ed

Hugh Jass · #9 11-14-2009, 08:09 PM

If you are getting fret buzz only when playing high up the neck your problem is this:

Your neck has too much relief (curve) and your saddles are too low.

tighten your trussrod to get the neck a bit straighter and raise your saddles a bit. If you do it right your action will stay the same and you won't get the buzz.

Cz93 · #10 11-14-2009, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh Jass

If you are getting fret buzz only when playing high up the neck your problem is this:

Your neck has too much relief (curve) and your saddles are too low.

tighten your trussrod to get the neck a bit straighter and raise your saddles a bit. If you do it right your action will stay the same and you won't get the buzz.

so ur saying i should make the neck more straight?

Hugh Jass · #11 11-15-2009, 11:00 AM

Try fretting the strings around the 12th to 17th fret. While they are fretted do they clear the 24th fret or are they pretty much touching it?

If the higher frets (closest to the body) are choking off the strings then you need to do as I suggested. If there is still room for them to vibrate then you may need a fret level.

Write down any adjustments that you make (i.e. tightened trussrod quarter turn) that way they can be undone should it make things worse.

Cz93 · #12 11-15-2009, 08:13 PM

the high frets arent choking the strings off there room for them to vibrate. it sounds ok if i play the not regularly but if i hammer on it has extremely bad buzz. i have no idea whats goin on but its pissin me off

ByF · #13 11-16-2009, 08:35 AM

Make some measurements and tell us the results. Read the stickies at the top of this forum about how to measure relief.

Measure the relief, the action at the 12th fret, and the distance from the E string and the G to the pickups. Measure the height of the nut using the "capo at 3rd fret" method.

Use a steel ruler to look for high and low frets. Write everything down.

Then we can probably help you. Don't get pissed off; take action.

Ed

Cz93 · #14 12-15-2009, 09:39 PM

OK so i just took it to guitar center the other day and found out the truss rod was broken! how about that, well they gave me a completely new sr500 and it sounds great

Benjamin Strange · #15 12-15-2009, 11:11 PM

Good that they gave you a new bass, but for the record let's set some facts straight:

The truss rod has almost no appreciable affect on action anywhere other than the middle of the neck. Once you've gotten above the 12th fret it doesn't affect much, and beyond the 15th almost none at all. Cranking on your truss rod to fix fret buzzing above the 15th fret is a waste of time, and potential damaging.

Many, many, many instruments have necks that are far from perfect, usually manifesting in rises (kicks) as the neck reaches the body. Without fretwork, a bass with this kind of problem will not set up perfectly, no matter what you do to the truss rod or how you adjust your bridge saddles. A proper fret level will get most instruments playing clean even with the action super low.

Moral of the story: don't go twisting on your truss rod unless you know how it works.

Solarmist · #16 12-15-2009, 11:14 PM

All the Ibanez SR's I've seen have good fretwork, but come setup with near zero relief, and very low action.

Nice bass, and don't you just love the feel of the neck?

Benjamin Strange · #17 12-16-2009, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solarmist

All the Ibanez SR's I've seen have good fretwork, but come setup with near zero relief, and very low action.

I've seen almost none. It all depends on how one defines "good fretwork".

Jamie_Funk · #18 12-16-2009, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

Good that they gave you a new bass, but for the record let's set some facts straight:

The truss rod has almost no appreciable affect on action anywhere other than the middle of the neck. Once you've gotten above the 12th fret it doesn't affect much, and beyond the 15th almost none at all. Cranking on your truss rod to fix fret buzzing above the 15th fret is a waste of time, and potential damaging.

Many, many, many instruments have necks that are far from perfect, usually manifesting in rises (kicks) as the neck reaches the body. Without fretwork, a bass with this kind of problem will not set up perfectly, no matter what you do to the truss rod or how you adjust your bridge saddles. A proper fret level will get most instruments playing clean even with the action super low.

Moral of the story: don't go twisting on your truss rod unless you know how it works.

+100 - My Ibanez ATK was OK but once I had a fret levellking done it was perfect - can dial in any action I want now. The truss can only do so much, and if the frets aren't level (most basses come new with a need for at least minor levelling, even expensive ones), you are up against a wall.

J

Solarmist · #19 12-16-2009, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

I've seen almost none. It all depends on how one defines "good fretwork".

In that price range Ibanez does good fretwork when compared to some other brands. l've setup all my Ibby SR's pretty low as there aren't any high frets. Sure they're off a little, but not enough to make any difference playing for me anyway. I have a low setup without buzz, and had no fretwork done. Sure you can do some fret work, and get it closer to perf, but out of the box; they're pretty good.