)))))help please(((((((

[foxhound240]

i got a question about a new bass i just got its a engelhardt E100 i took it out of the box put the bridge on and its buzzing like crazy is it the strings? bridge place ment ?cause i moved it up abd down about 50 times and dosent seam to help. i play fast bluegrass and do lots of slapping when i play the slower stuff and play easy or hit the open cords G D A its ok can anyone help ???

[carteru93]

Your bridge feet should go directly between the inside nicks on the F holes. Also, does your bridge have adjusters? Try raising the string height slightly with those. Was the bass set up before you got it? the fingerboard may need planing. If properly placing the bridge and raising the adjuster doesn't help, take it to a luthier.

[bonaventura]

get a grip on yourself and listen to it and then try to describe to us WHERE the buzz is coming from. is it the strings on the FB or the foot of the bridge on the top? your initial question is like trying to fix your car by telling the garage over the phone that it's making a funny noise...

[Mike Goodbar]

My first thought is that it might be the endpin. The Kay/Engelhardt endpin is notorious for making noise, especially if it is less than halfway extended.

[Steve Killingsworth]

What Mike said about the endpin. Another possibility is that the fingerboard needs dressing. In fact, since you don't notice the buzzing when playing open strings, I would say some high spots on the fingerboard is most likely the culprit.

I once bought a new E'hardt and had the same problems. A professional setup (fingerboard dressing, adjustable bridge, nut adjustment, soundpost adjustment, decent strings) by a bass luthier cured most of it. I still had occasional problems with the endpin but ended up with a pretty good bass.

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Originally Posted by foxhound240

........ i took it out of the box put the bridge on and its buzzing like crazy ............................

That's the problem exactly!
Take it to a luthier and invest in a good setup.

"Doctor, I'm having chest pains!!!! Just tell me what to do!!!"
"No, I can't afford your services!"

[vejesse]

From what I understand, Here's the way Kay/Engelhardt surfaces the fingerboard. Before the fingerboard is glued to the neck it's put in a fixture that holds the ends. Then a screw pushes the fingerboard and deflects the middle. Then the fingerboard is pushed into a sander, scooping out the middle and creating some relief in the board when it's released. Sometimes it works surprisingly well and sometimes it doesn't.

Makes you smile anyway.

[bonaventura]

so that's it.

it's suddenly so clear.

it's the:

endpin
bad strings
strings too low
fingerboard's camber (scoop)
bridge feet fit on the top
slots in bridge or nut
and I suspect need for a soundpost adjustment.

maybe getting a luthier to do a set up wouldn't be a bad idea...

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Most slabbers know you can't buy a bass off the store rack and expect it to play as well as it would with a proper setup.

Why would someone expect a double bass to play right out of 'the box'?

[drurb]

Originally Posted by foxhound240

...i took it out of the box put the bridge on and its buzzing like crazy....

Originally Posted by clink

That's the problem exactly!
Take it to a luthier and invest in a good setup.

Indeed, so many things may be the problem and there's really no way to diagnose what's happening from your limited description. An Engel out of the box can't be expected to have anything like the individual setup you'd get from a good luthier. Again and again, the advice given here is that the price of a good setup has to be part of the budget if you're gonna buy a "bass in a box." Run, don't walk, to a luthier!

Edit: If you tell us where you live, someone may be able to direct you to a luthier near you.

[Eric Swanson]

I don't know. How about taking your bass to a good luthier?

[bonaventura]

so the consensus of all who've taken part here (where did foxhound go?) is clear: get thee to a good luthier, amen.

[foxhound240]

i think you guys have the right idea iam going to take it to some one that knows what there doing

[Bass]

Originally Posted by foxhound240

...iam going to take it to some one that knows what there doing

This is good advice for so many things in life.

[fdeck]

At least one thing can be checked easily: The peg, if it can be taken all the way out. The peg on my Kay buzzed until I cut a couple inches off the portion reserved for people who are seven feet tall.

[gbaker]

Originally Posted by foxhound240

i got a question about a new bass i just got its a engelhardt E100 i took it out of the box put the bridge on and its buzzing like crazy is it the strings? bridge place ment ?cause i moved it up abd down about 50 times and dosent seam to help. i play fast bluegrass and do lots of slapping when i play the slower stuff and play easy or hit the open cords G D A its ok can anyone help ???

A couple thoughts. If it doesn't buzz on the open strings then it is the string against the fingerboard causing the problem - right? Possible causes:

(1) If you are migrating to DB, you may have to press harder than you are accustomed to. I had this problem with my little finger.

(2) The nut may be too high. It should be grooved low enough that a business card or playing card just clears between the string and fingerboard close the nut. Really - it may seem strange but this makes a big difference and should not be ignored.

(3) If you are pressing hard and the nut is OK then the string height is too low. Since this is a new bass this just should not be. If is it is then either the neck angle (unlikely) or the bridge is out of specification (too short) and the manufacturer or retailer really should be responsible for fixing it. You should not be expected to buy a new bridge (or pad the bridge feet) to gain the height needed to prevent string buzz.

While you are working on it, adjusters are the way to go and could save the bridge.

Hope this helps.