Odd clicking noise when playing

The Bassmonkey · #1 09-09-2010, 05:05 PM

Hey everyone,

As some of you may have read i recently became the proud owner of a MM Ray.

No aside from the FAT assed neck it plays well, sounds great etc....

Thing is i have a bit of a problem. Because the pickups are so much better than my other cheap basses i can now hear a really annoying clicking noise when im playing and i have a horrible feeling thats im fingering the strings too hard.

I think that the strings are hitting the fret prior to the one im playing. The notes come out fine, but the clicking is getting annoying, especially as its only when im really going for it or playing really fast. Completely threw the drummer when we practiced. Also i have to turn the treble practically to zero to counter it coming through the amp.

Im assuming this is a technique issue hence why i have posted here. I would really appreciate it if you guys and gals would be able to give me any advice.

I have been playing for 10 years now and i have noticed it when im playing without an amp, but with an amp you dont normally hear it.

...confounded/awesome/b***y annoying/clear as crystal stringray!

Lee

bassplayerbob · #2 09-09-2010, 05:08 PM

May sound silly but are your nails trimmed? I know that for a fact that if your finger nails are a little too long they will hit the string and make a clicking sound, happens to me sometimes.....

kb9wyz · #3 09-09-2010, 05:11 PM

I had a similar problem, too. The problem that I had was (and sometimes still is) that I can play sort of hard and I was hitting the magnet poles with the string. Hope this helps.

cableguy · #4 09-09-2010, 05:21 PM

+1 on the above. Maybe try lowering your pickup a smidge if you have a hot enough signal already and cut your nails. And if you play with a pick............

ras1983 · #5 09-09-2010, 05:27 PM

Your action might be a bit too low as well. I have the same problem and I think it's because I tend to play a little harder and fairly percussively so that the strings hit the fretboard when my plucking hand is doint its thing. MM's are very bright basses so they're going to pick up every little hiss and click that your technique is putting out.

thunderstation · #6 09-09-2010, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bassmonkey

Hey everyone,

As some of you may have read i recently became the proud owner of a MM Ray.

No aside from the FAT assed neck it plays well, sounds great etc....

Thing is i have a bit of a problem. Because the pickups are so much better than my other cheap basses i can now hear a really annoying clicking noise when im playing and i have a horrible feeling thats im fingering the strings too hard.

I think that the strings are hitting the fret prior to the one im playing. The notes come out fine, but the clicking is getting annoying, especially as its only when im really going for it or playing really fast. Completely threw the drummer when we practiced. Also i have to turn the treble practically to zero to counter it coming through the amp.

Im assuming this is a technique issue hence why i have posted here. I would really appreciate it if you guys and gals would be able to give me any advice.

I have been playing for 10 years now and i have noticed it when im playing without an amp, but with an amp you dont normally hear it.

...confounded/awesome/b***y annoying/clear as crystal stringray!

Lee

I have the same issue - I solved it by doing 2 things...one. I lowered my pickups.
& two...I tried to use less attack when I play (difficult to do because I play rather hard)
the tips of my fingers were strikeing the strings and the strings were hitting the pole pieces - it's especially annoying on my Specter because the pickups are hotter than on my precision bass. - also using the "meaty" side of your fingers tend to bring the string away from the pickup - it's a little more bassy/rounded tone but with a little eq"ing you can get some of the treble back (if you want)

Skitch it! · #7 09-09-2010, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ras1983

Your action might be a bit too low as well. I have the same problem and I think it's because I tend to play a little harder and fairly percussively so that the strings hit the fretboard when my plucking hand is doint its thing. MM's are very bright basses so they're going to pick up every little hiss and click that your technique is putting out.

+1 difficult to hide anything behind the Ray sound.

The Bassmonkey · #8 09-10-2010, 04:25 AM

ha ha thanks everyone for your input!

My nails are indeed short, so i guess its the pickup lowering then......

So how does one go about that? :/

tlr1293 · #9 09-10-2010, 04:44 AM

It's a left-hand thing.
I have the same problem and I've lowered my pickups, put cloth over them, etc... It wasn't my strings hitting the pole pieces...
It was a distinct sound of string contacting fret.

I've roamed about these forums for a couple of years now, always in hope of someone asking this question in such a way as to have someone, anyone understand and provide a good answer.
...still hasn't happened.

At least you didn't get the normal reply of: "must be fret buzz - you need a truss rod adjustment." Although I think someone did mention action?

Anyway - I cannot fret my strings with a feather and get the note to ring, nor can I fret any harder without getting the 'tink'/'clack'/'click' of the string and fret.

I do think it has something to do with fret materials, strings material, setup, action, and percussivness of technique - not all basses I play have this annoying noise (oooh - good excuse for GAS?).

I am just so perplexed that with a whole world of bass players at our fingertips - not one seems to "get" this question, no matter how many times it is asked.
I'll be watching - hoping that one amazing player of understanding comes along and confirms a good solution for you (us).

The Bassmonkey · #10 09-10-2010, 05:42 AM

Ha ha, woooo at least im not alone, or just a really bad player.

Its a shame as i dont enjoying playing the (massively heavy huge fretboarded) stingray as much as i could now. The others i can sort of get away with.

Ah well.

Your definetely right though, its the string hitting the fret. Not the pickup i played all 4 basses last night to try to see and they all have different pickups and placements. So its def the fret hitting.

tlr1293, if i figure some magical special way of getting rid of this noise....other than you know, playing like a wuss

ill let you know ha ha.

Ill keep the treble down

AltGrendel · #11 09-10-2010, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bassmonkey

tlr1293, if i figure some magical special way of getting rid of this noise....other than you know, playing like a wuss

ill let you know ha ha.

Ill keep the treble down

You could always swap out the neck and go fretless.

The Bassmonkey · #12 09-10-2010, 06:31 AM

Ah, see i could......

However i like to think im pretty good on bass, I am however....not THAT good ha ha!

makkE · #13 09-10-2010, 06:31 AM

I'd say either:

1. Raise the action
2. Lighten your touch, refine your technique.
3. Or both of the above

Higher tension strings might solve the issue a bit too, allowing you to have lower action before the frets start clacking.

Make sure you strike the strings as paralell to the fretboard as possible.

DWBass · #14 09-10-2010, 06:44 AM

I have the same issue but it's due to my playing style. It's more apparent on my Laklands with the mandolin size frets than on my Fender with jumbo frets. I really don't hear it much in the context of band play so I ignore it.

christoph h. · #15 09-10-2010, 07:39 AM

i think a recording/sound clip would be useful.

there are so many noise than can be described as "clicking".

JimmyM · #16 09-10-2010, 08:05 PM

bass is just a bit noisy by nature. we try to get rid of what we can, but there's always going to be some noise because of big fat metal strings hitting into big fat metal frets. fortunately, it gets eaten up in a mix and it's hardly ever noticeable in a playing situation. my advice: don't worry about it.

Skitch it! · #17 09-10-2010, 08:13 PM

Stingrays are sensitive cats, treat with respect

BeeJay · #18 09-15-2010, 06:15 PM

Just got my 50th birthday present - SBMM Ray 34, to replace my beginner Ibanez. I had the same problem, and for me I realized it was two things - setup and technique. I'm originally a guitarist just now switching over to bass (where I should have been all along), and a lot of my left hand technique (like hammer-ons) was causing the strings to hit the next fret up, mostly on E and A strings. I was also digging in too much with my right hand, pushing the strings down on the fretboard and causing the clanking. Had a good local tech raise the action slightly on E and A (and raise the pickup to compensate for the notoriously weak G on MMs), and I'm paying more attention to my technique now. Still getting used to the sensitivity of the Ray but sounding much better now.

daflores · #19 09-15-2010, 07:17 PM

I have the same problem with my new Sadowsky 24f 5. The Jazz style pups seem to be a bit hotter than my Sadowsky PJ. For me, it's definitely a right hand problem. I've been working through it by lightening my touch and trying to be more conscious of how I'm striking the string. I've virtually eliminated the noise with this technique alone and I'm pleased with the resultant improvement in tone.