hello all i'm new to this so thanks in advance i have recently purchased an epiphone eb-3 5 string it's straight from the musicians friend warehouse nothing upgraded i am getting a ton of buzz from the low b and moderate buzz from the other 4 none buzz when open buzz up to the 5th fret or so and gradually lose the buzz as you go up the board the strings are whatever round wounds come from te factory is this a bridge issue or a truss rod issue (the neck is dead straight) any help would be greatly appreciated
This may help you find and correct your problem. If it is a problem with your necks relief. But we dont really know if our relief if good or not just by looking. Just eyeing the fretboard to see if its right is a bad way to guesstimate if you have a problem. The strings and frets create an optical illusion when you site up the neck (unless of course there is a severe or very noticable bow in it) I couldnt get the link to work, so I cut and pasted instead. Basic Tools 6" ruler with 1/8", 1/16", 1/32", and 1/64" increments A large quick-release capo, such as a Kyser Feeler gauge with a range including .010"-.025" (available at auto parts stores) Allen wrenches in metric and standard measurements Small flathead and phillips-head screwdriver set Tuner Specialized Tools Radius gauges (check fingerboard curvature) Straightedges of various lengths Multimeter (checks for ground continuity and pickup output) Caliper (measures thickness) Measuring relief. Place the capo right behind the 1st fret and hold down the last fret of the string closest to you. Slip a feeler gauge between the string and the 8th fret. Increase the feeler-gauge size until the string moves slightly. Return to the previous gauge and double-check. To measure relief on the treble side, flip the bass over with the strings facing toward you and repeat the process. A good amount would be .015"-.020" on the bass side and a little less on the treble side Intonating your bass. Plug into a tuner and play the 12th-fret harmonic, and then fret the note; if they register different pitches, the bass isn't intonated properly. If the fretted note is flat, move the saddle forward (toward the nut); if it's sharp, move it back (toward the butt end). Measuring action (string height). Hold a ruler upright behind the string at the 12th fret. Don't let the ruler rest against the stringthis could affect the height. Measure from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string. Medium action heights would be around 3/32" for the B or E strings gradually descending to 1/16" for the G. Measuring pickup height. Hold down the outermost strings at the last fret and measure the distance between the bottom of the string and the top of the pickup. Begin with1/8" and adjust to suit your playing style. Checking for high or low frets. A precision-ground straightedge should not rock on the frets. When working on your bass, remember to tune it up between adjustmentsstrings over or under pitch will change the amount of relief due to different tensions. Take measurements while holding the bass in playing position. Adjustments to relief, action, and intonation can affect each other double-check all measurements. I included everything after "measuring relief", because if your relief is off you are going to have to adjust your truss rod, which in turn will make you have to do all the other things listed, with the exception of checking for high low frets, thats just usefull info to know. Especially for more expensive basses imo.
A dead straight neck is ok. How is the action? I tend to get picky and change the strings straight away. keep the factory set, they're good for emergencies. Check string height and your intonation. Do the easy things before the truss rod. Merls
50watts, Did you try to raise the string height a little bit from the saddles? i should've pointed that out myself. no, i just use this nickname in forums and chats most of the time.
no, i haven't tried anything yet the action feels pretty nice where it is i didn't want to raise it much more maybe i'll have to
oh, it said on the warwick famous users page that the bassist from the band groovaholic played their basses
Gradually all the way up? Or gradually from 5th to 9th? If it stops at, say, 7th, you may have one high fret, namely the next. A ruler, three frets long, must never rock on a fret.
well i tried adjusting the trust rod today less than a quarter turn clockwise (at headstock) to add some relief it does not turn easy i don't want to force it it's a few hours after the adjustmant and i see and feel no difference should i send this one back and try again? or should i try adjusting again tomorrow?
If you're turning clockwise (as you look into the fitting) you will be tightening the truss rod and straightening (or causing back-bow). Lefty-losey, Righty tighty. At least on every bass I've ever owned.
my mistake i loosened the rod (turned counter clockwise) not clockwise like a said earlier and it's sat overnight and no sign of added relief i don't want to damage it and risk not being able to return it
I suffer from same thing. I took my bass to pro and he couldn't do much about it. When the neck is reliefd last frets don't sound good.
