its just so damn clacky...

[rygon]

i got my mim fender jazz about a year ago. the pickups and electronics are fine, but the neck has given me too many problems.
to start off theres a knot in the wood on the rosewood stripe! the neck is pitted right there now, even after many filler jobs.
second, the fretwork sucks. theres one or two popping out and theres always parts of each popping out of the side of the neck, just waiting to slice my fingers. ouch...
and the open a buzzes cause the slot in the nut was cut too wide.

but the most annoying problenm is that theres just so much fret noise when i play. i cant get things to sound good cause every note is accompanied by a sharp clack.
but the neck is straight, and the action is relatively high. oh and the pickups are pretty low too.

any ideas? im thinking just switching the neck but im prettymuch dead on money right now. seeing as its my gigging bass, ive gotta make it work somehow

[Stanley Design]

Take it in for a real setup.

[rygon]

i have. twice... neither time seemed to fix the problem

[dmusic148]

Your neck is probably too straight. Add some relief, then lower the action at the bridge. Carefully file fret ends with a tiny, fine, 3 corner file. Carefully.

[rygon]

hmm ive never considered that. thanks!

[MIJ-VI]

Originally Posted by rygon

i got my mim fender jazz about a year ago. the pickups and electronics are fine, but the neck has given me too many problems.
to start off theres a knot in the wood on the rosewood stripe! the neck is pitted right there now, even after many filler jobs.
second, the fretwork sucks. theres one or two popping out and theres always parts of each popping out of the side of the neck, just waiting to slice my fingers. ouch...
and the open a buzzes cause the slot in the nut was cut too wide.

but the most annoying problenm is that theres just so much fret noise when i play. i cant get things to sound good cause every note is accompanied by a sharp clack.
but the neck is straight, and the action is relatively high. oh and the pickups are pretty low too.

any ideas? im thinking just switching the neck but im prettymuch dead on money right now. seeing as its my gigging bass, ive gotta make it work somehow

Your JB's neck (or any bass/guitar's neck) should not be straight. Instead, it should have a slight amount of relief (bowed slightly forward, towards the strings) to accommodate string vibration without excessive fret rattle.

'Neck relief': Neck relief

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For the price of a replacement neck you could likely buy an SX (Essex) J-Bass: http://www.rondomusic.com/bassguitars4.html

Opinions on SX basses: 'Essex Bass Club (Part 4)': http://72.32.131.249/forum/showthread.php?t=385745

[embellisher]

There are great threads on adjusting the neck and bridge, and also dressing fret ends in our Setup forum. And I am moving this thread there.

[Slax]

Also, maybe it's technique issue? I know I can get some terrible clank out of my basses if I dig in wayyy too far because I like to keep my action as low as possible....