Raise E string just a tiny bit?

[basslust]

I have a Yamaha BB614 that is setup really nicely from the guy I got it from (claims it was that way when he bought it new). When I got it a few months back I noticed that I was having difficulty not buzzing on the E string occasionally if playing high frets and fingerstyle over the P pup. I vowed to work on my lighter touch and I have improved upon it, however I still notice that I'm having to play more over the J pickup to not buzz if playing faster. The only way I can play very quick strokes is with a bit more pressure and it seems impossible to not make the E string buzz when playing this fast. The added tension over the J pickup makes it easier to play quickly but sometimes I want that extra thump from playing over the P pickup.

I was thinking of adjusting the E string action to be ever so slightly higher... What do you all think of this? All of the other strings are perfect and the E is close to perfect... I think a very slight adjustment would potentially make my life a lot easier. I want to hear opinions before just doing this though, thanks for any help.

[berwick63]

Just raise the E string saddle a bit and see if it stops the buzz..

[SurferJoe46]

There are adjustments to do this - and they can go both ways - UP and DOWN - so if you get too high, you can always go back. The saddle too.

Easy-peasy.

[darkstorm]

Of course adjust each string individually. Going by some written measurements etc is just nonsense when it comes to getting best for the player action setup.

[seanm]

Go for it!

[john grey]

With the Bass amplified (yes, some people test the thing when it's not plugged into an amp...) Move your finger within the boarder of two frets that produce the problem. IF the "buzz" is eliminated by finger placement, plucking tension, etc - consider working on technique w/ perhaps a very modest raise in relief or string height.
Look very carefully when fretting the note and notice if the string is depressed tightly to the fret wire. On occasion there are guys who love to play with no relief in their setup. They have a good comfortable feel for that. A guy who has no experience playing a stone flat neck will buzz & become bewildered.
But if the thing buzzes through the amp with no differentiation as to finger placement, technique, plucking energy - then try a fret dressing.

[elgecko]

[warnergt]

There is certainly nothing wrong with raising your E string.
You can always change it back.

For a buzzing problem of unknown cause, you should check
your relief (neck curvature). It is easy to get a general
estimate of this even without any equipment/gauges/etc.
Press the string down on your first and last frets (sometimes
helps to have a third hand or capo here) and check the
clearance at the 8th fret. It should be about the width of
a business card (0.010" to 0.015").

If the relief is lower, you're going to have buzzing problems.
If it is higher, it might not play as nicely/easily as you like
(strings will be unnecessarily high toward the pickups).

What is best is what works best for you. Find what
you like best through a little experimentation.