Fret buzz

[tjclem]

Well this is a new one on me so I will ask the experts. I am getting fret buzz behind the fretted note. In between the fretted note and the nut in 2 places on an e-string. I have no idea why after all the basses I have built this is happening any clues?

[Musiclogic]

Twist or flattening on the bass side of the neck would be my first thought, Second would be to warp the headstock with a towel and see if it quits, if it does, the neck is resonating enough to create string buzz, lastly look to the fit and finish of the E slot on the Nut. .001 elevation can stop this if it is the nut.

[mikeyswood]

How is the action? My first theory is the nut being too low.

[tjclem]

Thanks guys it is a zero fret bass i wonder if the nut slot isn't deep enough?

[Musiclogic]

Ahhh...Zero Fret....Definately nut slot is first....should have mentioned that...LOL

[tjclem]

OK will attack that I may be trying to go with too little relief too..t

[Musiclogic]

relief shouldn't effect behind the string, only forward, once fretted the relief takes no effect, with a zero fret it all about angle

[jworrellbass]

Hey Tom, I've found that if I don't slightly angle my file when sloting the nut, I'll have buzzing issues when it's all strung up. Just my 2 cents.

[tZer]

Originally Posted by tjclem

Thanks guys it is a zero fret bass i wonder if the nut slot isn't deep enough?

That's exactly what happened with my last build. The nut slots for the A and D strings were not allowing the string to fully rest on the zero fret and providing a nice little sitar-like buzz.

I opened up those slots a bit and installed string retainers and all my buzzing went away.

[()smoke()]

Originally Posted by Musiclogic

relief shouldn't effect behind the string, only forward, once fretted the relief takes no effect, with a zero fret it all about angle

i've thought that relief will effect the buzzing behind the stopped note?

picturing it, i imagine a negative relief situation (back bow), with string height at the bridge high enough that a fretted note rings but the string behind the note is laying on the frets

just friendly conversation, i might learn something

[tjclem]

Thanks all I am heading off to play her out in a few hours to see how she does I think I have it fixed....t

[Rob17]

When I read thread's like this, I always wonder if I'm gonna be able to pull off that bass I'm trying to build.
There are so many details which can ruin a bass.

[tZer]

Originally Posted by Rob17

When I read thread's like this, I always wonder if I'm gonna be able to pull off that bass I'm trying to build.
There are so many details which can ruin a bass.

Embrace the challenge. There are many things that can 'go wrong' - and believe me, they will - but each time something goes wrong, I've found it opens the door to figuring out how to fix it which leads to a much better understanding of building basses. What I've also found is that almost no mistake "ruins" a build. I've had some mistakes that I thought were utterly catastrophic - like messing up the taper cut on my neck and cutting too deeply - seemed like that pretty much put the final nail in that build's coffin - but it didn't. It lead me to hit the drawing board and devise a way to salvage the work that I'd already put into it and I ended up with a neck that I consider to be an upgrade from my original design.

Call it making lemonade out of lemons - or call it part of the bass building process - the bottom line is that things will happen that cause you to up the ante on your creativity and will ultimately lead to enhancing your abilities as a builder. If you built a bass perfectly every time, there would be no reason to improve. Now you may end up being the most popular builder on the planet due to your perfection, but I think you'd also end up bored with the whole thing.

The OP's issue is probably very fixable. While it's true that after spending hours, days, months, building to have the finished product come up with problems is very frustrating, that's part of the process.

I don't want to speak for others, but I know from my two builds that, while I am very proud of them, as the guy who knows every millimeter of each, I am always keenly aware of the each builds 'mistakes' or 'flaws'. If I wasn't, I wouldn't want to build more. Each build and each build's mistakes serve to inspire me to build one more and improve upon those areas.

Two things that are absolutely certain - 1) If you build a bass, there will be aspects of that build that you'll wish you did better - and 2) if you don't build a bass, there won't.

[Musiclogic]

You are a true sage Tony, just not sure if you're flat leaf or curly...LMAO

Still a great perspective.

[tZer]

Thanks, JC, and you and all the other denizens of Luthier's Corner who have been kind enough to share your wisdom and experience are my heroes and gurus.

As for curly vs. flat leaf -

Some time ago, I was most definitely curly:



However, as time passed...



...I don't know if that qualifies as 'flat leaf' as much as it does 'leafless', but you get the picture!

[Musiclogic]

see what kids do to you...very cool Tony

[tZer]

JC - well, the hair went before the kids showed up - but if it was still around, it'd have definitely fallen out shortly after!

@ Tom (tjclem) - GREAT looking basses in your gallery!! You do beautiful work, man!

[Musiclogic]

trust me Tony, I know the feeling, mine was stick straight, and down past my belt at 30, by 35 I was billiard ball smooooooth...LOL

[tjclem]

Originally Posted by tZer

JC - well, the hair went before the kids showed up - but if it was still around, it'd have definitely fallen out shortly after!

@ Tom (tjclem) - GREAT looking basses in your gallery!! You do beautiful work, man!

Thanks sounds like both of you had more hair that I did. This photo is 25 years ago and mine was long gone then.

[tjclem]

And big shock now it is even worse.