Musicman stingray buzz (sound

[songoan]

Hi everyone,
I'm new here. I just got a musicman stingray.
I bought it used but it's like new, it's a 2009 model.
After I got it, I cleaned it and restrung it and a buzz started to appear after that. It got worse and worse and I don't know where it's coming from so that's why I'm here.
Wherever I put my ear, it seems to be where it's happening but it's still louder between the neck joint and the bridge.
As you can hear it happens even if I play very softly. Off course this is not fretbuzz, I'm sure of it.
Here's the soundclip:
http://tootiny.net/u8tlsk
What do you think?
Thanks in advance for your help.

[songoan]

I forgot to mention that when I play the strings open there is almost nothing.
It's when I play them fretted that it appears.
The bigger the string is the louder is the noise...

[swmmojo]

I'd get it professionally set up. I've owned a Stingray for almost two years now and just got it professionally done last week. It was good before but now it's playing in insanely nice. I thought I could do all work myself but boy was I wrong.

[harmendebresser]

I don't own a Musicman but how is the neck curve looking?
(if you don't know how to check; Fret the 1st & 14th fret (with index finger of left hand & thumb of right hand) and then check with your right index finger roughly in the middle of that if there is any room between the frets & string. About a creditcard should be able to fit in between... If not, than there is the problem - lower string tension could cause the neck to be too straight - it should bow a little in order to let the strings 'breath'. )

[songoan]

Thanks guys. The neck is well bowed and wherever I fret the strings they don't touch the following frets while resonating. The action being too low is not the problem here. I really don't have any fretbuzz at all if I don't play too hard.
This is not fretbuzz as I said. It sounds like something vibrating inside the bass. It could just be the strings themselves since I hear that buzz even if I play the strings very softly.
I read some people having similar issues because of bad strings making some kind of rattling.

[harmendebresser]

It may very well be the string set indeed... What's the brand?
I mean, I've had my share of 1 weird string (in a set of 4) from even the more expensive brands. Elixir, Rotosound & D'Addario all seem to have had at least once. But if it's every string... I did listen to your sound sample, couldn't figure it out man!

[songoan]

Yeah it's very weird and it's like getting worse everyday...maybe as the strings stretch more and more...? It's a set of GHS flea signature, 45-105 I beleive.
The mistake I did was to throw awya the old strings.
I could have put them back to see the difference.
The previous owner tells me he never had any buzz and I beleive him.
I'm gonna get a set of earnie ball's to see if it solves the problem.
I'll let you guys know.

[NicJimBass]

Originally Posted by swmmojo

I'd get it professionally set up. I've owned a Stingray for almost two years now and just got it professionally done last week. It was good before but now it's playing in insanely nice. I thought I could do all work myself but boy was I wrong.

I did this a couple weeks ago myself on my SR5.. my guitarist noticed my intonation was off, even after I'd done it myself (which admitedly, I am no good at). Took it to a local tech, and now, it's like a new bass! Feels great, sounds great. It was definitely money well spent.

[air_leech]

from what I've found Stingrays seem to be very sensitive to old strings and climate changes.
I'm pretty sure it's the oiled neck as my lacquered 30 years old pre-EB doesn't move at all where my '95 fretless had a most unusual buzzing when strung with an older used set of rounds and my '00 fretted sounds like a million bucks when strung with a fresh set of nickel rounds and is immediately reduced to a pretty lifeless tone when the set starts dying (unlike my other basses which gradually loose the crispiness in their tone).
I could be wrong though but my '00 really can go from being my favorite bass to my least favorite in the two months the set that works the best on her (Roto 66 nickel) takes to age and start dying.

[lethargytartare]

Few things to check --

bridge saddle height screws -- you can get one in a pair a bit loose, not notice much playing difference, but that screw will vibrate audibly.

Those big round things at the top and bottom of the bridge are threaded inserts/screws -- make sure they're tight too

check the screws in the pickguard

check the nuts on the pots

check the screw in the string tree.

while playing, grip all of the tuner heads -- sometimes they can get loosened a tiny bit and vibrate maddeningly when playing -- and manually wiggling them might not reveal the looseness. But if you hold them all, you'll dampen any vibrations. I've only had that happen with really cheap basses or badly abused tuners.

check the neck mounting screws

So basically, check every physical connection, joint, mounted anything. That sounded to me like an edge of a pickguard flapping slightly...but I wouldn't expect that with the shape of a stingray pickguard...but you never know.

Especially after doing a lot of "break it down and clean it up" you can get loose bits here and there that get a wee bit noisy.

Post you findings, and good luck!

ltt

[songoan]

Thanks for ll your advices.
Since the buzz doesn't really happen when I play the strings open but only fretted I don't thing it's the tuners or any screw. I'm gonna check the 2 round things at the bottom and top of the bridge.
I strongly suspect the strings themselves.
I ordered some earnie ball 45-105.
I hope the problem will be fixed once restrung.
Not sure I mentioned but the strings I have right now are new.

[songoan]

Ok so since the bass was less than a year old and under warranty it went back to the factory.
They said ok your bass is ready we replaced the neck but I got it back and they didn't.
They over tightened the truss rod to kill the rattling but then I had fret buzz instead...quite logical.
I untightened it thinking the neck was too straight(it was actually bowed) and the rattle came back.
I then realized the neck was the same...just the same.
Why I didn't noticed? The bass was less than a year old and really mint with no fret wear or anything.
The neck looks like new.
That's my experience with musicman so far...

[bovinehost]

Originally Posted by songoan

I bought it used but it's like new, it's a 2009 model.

Originally Posted by songoan

Ok so since the bass was less than a year old and under warranty

Warranty is not extended to used instruments. Your bass was certainly NOT under warranty, was it?

Originally Posted by songoan

it went back to the factory.
They said ok your bass is ready we replaced the neck but I got it back and they didn't.

Except they did. I have seen photos of the old neck and the new neck together on the workbench. And the new neck doesn't even look like the old neck, does it?

Originally Posted by songoan

They over tightened the truss rod to kill the rattling but then I had fret buzz instead...quite logical.
I untightened it

The new neck was set up to factory specifications. I suspect the problem is user error.

[bovinehost]

There are the two necks. If you can't tell the difference between those two necks.....

[FunkMetalBass]

Can you re-host the sound clip? I'd like to take a stab at this one.

[songoan]

Alright bovine the neck was replaced. I could have looked for pictures of the headstock to find out. But the new one has the same problem at the same place: the truss rod is loose inside the neck causing some big rattling. I simply didn't use this bass since I got it back 2 weeks ago. I run a studio and I take the bass out when some bass has to be recorded.
Look I did a new sample just now:
http://www.toofiles.com/en/oip/audio...aultyneck.html

My apologies for doubting about the neck replacement but the probability of getting 2 faulty necks in a row was just impossible to me.
By the way I bought this bass from a friend I was working with on a project. I said used but he got that bass for that specific project and then I got it from him. It was still under a year old and bought new.

[tommixx]

Originally Posted by songoan

Alright bovine the neck was replaced. I could have looked for pictures of the headstock to find out. But the new one has the same problem at the same place: the truss rod is loose inside the neck causing some big rattling. I simply didn't use this bass since I got it back 2 weeks ago. I run a studio and I take the bass out when some bass has to be recorded.
Look I did a new sample just now:
http://www.toofiles.com/en/oip/audio...aultyneck.html

My apologies for doubting about the neck replacement but the probability of getting 2 faulty necks in a row was just impossible to me.
By the way I bought this bass from a friend I was working with on a project. I said used but he got that bass for that specific project and then I got it from him. It was still under a year old and bought new.

LOL...It should have been very obvious that the Factory replaced that neck! Even though they had absolutely NO obligation to do so since it was a used instrument...I like how you are trying to trash EBMM both over at the Ernie Ball Forum and now here but you look like a COMPLETE idiot on both Forums. You even tried to extort EBMM into giving you a THIRD neck for FREE after you most likely damaged the neck to start with.

You said in an email which I saw that either they give you ANOTHER neck (ON A USED INSTRUMENT NO LESS) or you were going to tell everyone about the bad customer service you got...LOL ! Hey dude, they REAPLACED THE NECK FOR YOU FOR FREE ALREADY ON A USED INSTRUMENT!!! How is THAT bad customer service??? Are we to believe that it left the factory buzzing like that? HE77 NO! I guarantee that it was fine when it left the shop...I would bet my life on it and for some reason you screwed this one up to...Get over it man! I would not waste any of my time on you if I were an employee over at EBMM and I doubt they will either. ESPECIALLY now that you have tried to extort them and now bad mouth them here and there...I understand you are French and maybe there is a language barrier but certainly you can't be THAT stupid..Can you? My advice to you is chalk it up to an expensive lesson that from now on you take your instruments to someone that KNOWS how to actually set them up and DON'T try to do it yourself...I mean after all you have broken 2 of them now...

Peace,

T

[air_leech]

not doubting you or anything but based on the sound clip I'm not sure that problem is on account of the truss rod.
maybe the neck needs a shim as it sounds more like upper fret buzzing. shimming is not uncommon with MMs and is usually addressed at the factory.
did you send them only the neck or the whole bass?

btw, I have two EBMMs and have two guitar playing friends who play EBMMs and I must say their quality is top notch. I dare say they have the best fit and finish in the business and from what I've seen to date they hold their own pretty well not only in comparison to other mass production instruments but to custom ones too.

[tommixx]

Originally Posted by air_leech

not doubting you or anything but based on the sound clip I'm not sure that problem is on account of the truss rod.
maybe the neck needs a shim as it sounds more like upper fret buzzing. shimming is not uncommon with MMs and is usually addressed at the factory.
did you send them only the neck or the whole bass?

btw, I have two EBMMs and have two guitar playing friends who play EBMMs and I must say their quality is top notch. I dare say they have the best fit and finish in the business and from what I've seen to date they hold their own pretty well not only in comparison to other mass production instruments but to custom ones too.

According to this email he sent to EBMM he sent the entire bass...Based on my experiences with EBMM there is NO WAY they would NOT have fixed this before sending it back to FRANCE....

Here is PART of what he sent...

FROM STERLING BALL POST ON THE EBMM FORUM...

Here is the back story...

A french person bought a bass from a Guitar Center within the last year. When he got home to France he had a buzzing problem. He couldn't go to his distributor for help as he circumvented the distribution process.

He contacted AJ...We said we would replace the neck and only charge him the difference in freight from if he was in New York....SO this Jack ass gets a new neck for half freight....

THE BASS WAS MADE IN 2007....We have no idea if it was in fact new or second hand. WE bent over backwards to make it right.

Now comes the first email

To: aziah@ernieball.com
Subject: problem
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:08:25 +0000

Hi,

I've been dealing with A.J. about my stingray. I sent it back and he said you guys replaced the neck. I was happy until I got the bass and found out it was a lie.
I explained everything in this little video:

YouTube - MUSIC MAN STINGRAY truss rod/customer support issue


You don't really want that video all over the web, posted as video responses or on all forums.
Send me a neck asap please.
As soon as I get it I remove that video.

Julien.

STERLING's POST - WE did replace his neck....here are the pics of his neck....not the 2007 pencil marking


Then we get this email......

[color="blue"][color="blue"]From: Julien XXXXXXXXX <
To: aziah@ernieball.com
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:23:32 +0000

Hi again,

I'm writing you because when I wrote A.J. I got an immediate answer saying he's off to the namm show. I don't know if A.J. knew the neck wasn't replaced at all but instead "fixed" by over tightening the trussrod to kill this rattle.
This tightening thing attenuated or even stopped the rattle but the bass was fret buzzing. I released it and the rattle came back and the evidence was here.
Look I forgot to include in the video a screen capture with the message of A.J. writing me about the neck replacement but I send it to you. This is quite an embarrassing evidence...
So now I'm thinking he lied to me or the guys who fixed the bass lied to him about the neck replacement.
He really sounded like a nice guy on the phone, very sweet and all that but I never trust in humans. I only trust in God.
All I want is a piece of wood called neck to get this bass working as it should.

Was it really a big deal for a factory to put me a new neck when you are producing thousands of them every week?

yours sincerly,

Julien

STERLING BALL POST - Now here is a guy who bought a bass made in 2007 at best it was a shop worn scratch and dent...probably used. He cannot tell the difference between a new neck and an old one and is basically extorting us in the court of public opinion.....

From his video he has misadjusted the truss rod......



TOMMIXX POST - I hope it is pretty obvious EXACTLY what is going on here...You have been outed dude!!!

There is more about this over on the EBMM forums...He is posting here just to stir up the pot...He already got a free neck and got the bass repaired but somehow has managed to screw up another one! Maybe he over tightened the truss rod A G A I N!!! ????

Peace,

T

[Musiclogic]

Too much relief creates lower string tension, creating larger circular vibration of the strings when fretted, get a dress and full set up done!!!