Relief Issue? Micro Tilt? Action?

[DavePlaysBass]

I just setup my MIM 50’s Precision with 45-100 DA XLs. The relief is fairly low (0.012” to 0.015”). The action is set medium low. I get no buzzing and it plays great.

Except, when I slap it buzzes. I can pluck the string hard and I get no buzz. But slap it and there is a buzz. Also if I am playing on the E string and jump over to A, the slightest hit instead of pluck on the A string results in a nasty click / pop sound. I can play the same riff on another bass (50-105 EB flats, low action) and I do not have the same issue at all.

Does this sound like micro tilt time? A while back the neck was set with more relief (around 0.020”) and it slapped without issue. But I have never experienced a setup where it was fine for heavy handed finger style but would not slap and was so sensitive to my bad technique .

[dbcandle]

I don't think neck angle will help. There may be some techs here that have additional insight, but from my understanding, neck-angle only compensates for a bridge where the saddles are bottomed-out or topped-out.

Since your string-height seems OK (presumably measured at 12th, 17th or last fret), I don't think adjusting the neck angle will help. I'd sooner think that the increased relief you had previously is better for your playing style (higher string-height mid-neck).

[lonote]

Originally Posted by dbcandle

I don't think neck angle will help. There may be some techs here that have additional insight, but from my understanding, neck-angle only compensates for a bridge where the saddles are bottomed-out or topped-out.

Since your string-height seems OK (presumably measured at 12th, 17th or last fret), I don't think adjusting the neck angle will help. I'd sooner think that the increased relief you had previously is better for your playing style (higher string-height mid-neck).

I agree.

[DavePlaysBass]

Thanks. That was were I was heading next. Then I got distract by another bass...

[SDB Guitars]

How close to the strings are your pickups set?

Fret the highest note, and measure the gap between the strings and the pole pieces. It may be that when you are slapping, the string is contacting the pickup.

Strings don't vibrate in just one plane... however, depending on how you play, they *oscillate* in a different ellipse. Basically, when you pluck with a finger or a pick, the string oscilates in an oval that is oriented horizontally in relation to the plane of the neck/pickups. When you slap, the strings oscillate in an oval that is oriented vertically in relation to the plane of the pickups.