Pretty bad "clack" with high action?

[RyRob813]

I've had my action quite high for a long time, the original intent being to avoid that offensive clack noise sometimes associated with low action.

I've recently put a new set of Bartolini pickups in my jazz bass, and even with my (in some people's opinion) crazy high action, that clack is coming through my amp loud and clear. It nearly disappears in the mix with a band, but I play some solo bass stuff as well, with no accompaniment, and I really would rather not hear all those noises.

It is also noteworthy that it's not just the clack I'm hearing, but it's almost as if I'm hearing my fingers physically depressing the strings; every little finger noise comes out.

Is it possible it's these new pickups? I'm really disappointed, hearing those offensive little noises is driving me insane.

Any suggestions?

Thank you!

[Awkwardturtle!]

Hmmm I don't know but I want to know to :/

I'm a high action user because I hate fret buzz with a passion
so for now

bump

[Psycho]

Are they passive? If i'm remembering right, passive pickups really do pick ups everything. String squeak, fingers touching, releasing, all that.

[JET-1977]

I recently had the same problem. I found that this was caused by not enough tension on the strings. I adjusted my bridge to put more tension on the strings and it eliminated the clack immediately.

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by JET-1977

I recently had the same problem. I found that this was caused by not enough tension on the strings. I adjusted my bridge to put more tension on the strings and it eliminated the clack immediately.

How did you change string tension at the bridge and how did you do it without changing pitch?

To the OP: Clack is often a technique issue that can result when the left hand technique is too heavy and the strings impact the frets enough to sound the clack or the right hand technique results in smacking the strings into the frets. You can try using a softer left hand technique, plucking the strings more parallel to the body, lightening up on the right hand attack, plucking closer to the bridge or any combination of those and see if any of that helps.

[slagbass]

Originally Posted by RyRob813

Is it possible it's these new pickups?

Could be.... Is there any chance that the clack is actually the strings hitting (or coming close to ) the new pickups? If so, check out the thread below for setup advice including pickup height.

ALL BASIC SETUP QUESTIONS ANSWERED HERE

[delta7fred]

Originally Posted by slagbass

Could be.... Is there any chance that the clack is actually the strings hitting (or coming close to ) the new pickups? If so, check out the thread below for setup advice including pickup height.

ALL BASIC SETUP QUESTIONS ANSWERED HERE

I've had this before, when the pickup is too high. The string gets too close to the pole piece and the magnetic field causes it to stick to the pole. You get one clack as it sticks, another as it breaks away. Very annoying. Dropping the pickup slightly cured the problem completely.

[koobie]

Originally Posted by mongo2

Clack is often a technique issue that can result when the left hand technique is too heavy and the strings impact the frets enough to sound the clack or the right hand technique results in smacking the strings into the frets. You can try using a softer left hand technique, plucking the strings more parallel to the body, lightening up on the right hand attack, plucking closer to the bridge or any combination of those and see if any of that helps.

I get more clacking than I'd like and I think a lot of it may be due to my primitive right-hand technique. Plucking closer to the bridge lessens the clack but at the expense of the roundness of the tone. I'm planning on getting my favorite bass Plek'd, will report back on whether it lessens the clacking.

[RyRob813]

Hey guys, thanks for all the advice!

I do know, and probably should have mentioned, that my technique is sometimes to blame, especially when playing with my punk band, I can't help but get intense in certain sections of tunes, and I play more aggressive.

I still have some of those issues when playing softer though. I just had the bass setup, and the strings are definitely not hitting the pickups. The new Barts are passive, but so were the stock Fender pickups I used to have in the bass, and they never had that issue.

I really like the idea about adjusting the bridge to increase tension, does anyone know exactly how to do that without throwing off my intonation?

Thanks again!

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by RyRob813

.I really like the idea about adjusting the bridge to increase tension, does anyone know exactly how to do that without throwing off my intonation?

I'd like to know that bit of magic myself.

[JET-1977]

Originally Posted by mongo2

How did you change string tension at the bridge and how did you do it without changing pitch?

I have to preface this with a little background. I am not an expert. I got a MIM Fender Jazz at a pawn shop for $150. I've been doing a lot of stuff by trial and error on this bass to find what works and what doesn't...and I enjoy "tinkering" with it.

To increase tension I moved the bridge saddles away from the neck by adjusting the screw that runs parallel to the neck. This effectively made the vibrating portion of the string longer. Then I tuned it. Actually a very small bridge adjustment really increased string tension.

[GlennW]

Originally Posted by JET-1977

To increase tension I moved the bridge saddles away from the neck by adjusting the screw that runs parallel to the neck. This effectively made the vibrating portion of the string longer. Then I tuned it. Actually a very small bridge adjustment really increased string tension.

No offense, but that's the wrong way to go about it.

The adjusting screws that run parallel to the neck are for adjusting intonation, nothing else. They should be adjusted so that the 12th fret fretted note is the same as the 12th fret harmonic (non-fretted note). IOW, you deintonated your bass by making the vibrating portion longer (assuming it was intonated before).

[John Wentzien]

Originally Posted by JET-1977

I have to preface this with a little background. I am not an expert. I got a MIM Fender Jazz at a pawn shop for $150. I've been doing a lot of stuff by trial and error on this bass to find what works and what doesn't...and I enjoy "tinkering" with it.

To increase tension I moved the bridge saddles away from the neck by adjusting the screw that runs parallel to the neck. This effectively made the vibrating portion of the string longer. Then I tuned it. Actually a very small bridge adjustment really increased string tension.

DO....NOT...DO ...THIS!

[John Wentzien]

+1000000

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by JET-1977

To increase tension I moved the bridge saddles away from the neck by adjusting the screw that runs parallel to the neck. This effectively made the vibrating portion of the string longer. Then I tuned it. Actually a very small bridge adjustment really increased string tension.

OK, no magic there.

That's called "adjusting the intonation" and is a necessary and standard setup practice. However, if you didn't check the that the harmonic at the 12th fret matches the fretted note at the 12th fret, you're fretted notes will likely be out of tune.

[Frankjohnson]

Honestly - that clack is likely an EQ issue.

try dropping some mid highs....highs....until it fades

[Bruce Lindfield]

Yes that's nothing to do with tension - I'm almost certain this is nothing to do with setup, but is all about technique.

That's the trouble with so many self-taught bass guitarists - no real technique. A few lessons or maybe even one, with a good teacher would immediately sort out what was going wrong - but without seeing what is happening (face to face) then people can only guess...

There are lots of possibilities - but for me, muting of strings is an essential part of good technique...?

[mech]

As stated above this is caused more by technique than anything else.

You could always change the name of the band to "The Clack". Good punk name.

mech

[koobie]

Originally Posted by Frankjohnson

Honestly - that clack is likely an EQ issue. try dropping some mid highs....highs....until it fades

Not in my case, I can hear clacking acoustically, without being plugged in.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by RyRob813

I've had my action quite high for a long time, the original intent being to avoid that offensive clack noise sometimes associated with low action.

I've recently put a new set of Bartolini pickups in my jazz bass, and even with my (in some people's opinion) crazy high action, that clack is coming through my amp loud and clear. It nearly disappears in the mix with a band, but I play some solo bass stuff as well, with no accompaniment, and I really would rather not hear all those noises.

It is also noteworthy that it's not just the clack I'm hearing, but it's almost as if I'm hearing my fingers physically depressing the strings; every little finger noise comes out.

Is it possible it's these new pickups? I'm really disappointed, hearing those offensive little noises is driving me insane.

Any suggestions?

Thank you!

Bad right hand technique, turn down the high end on the amp.

The, "offensive clack noise", you mention, is operator error.