• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Bought my first bass yesterday and I think something is terribly wrong

Psyc

Psyc

Jul 27, 2013
13
1
South Africa
#1
Yesterday I got my first bass guitar, a SX FPB62+/FR, along with a 10W VOX practice amp and cable -- of course. I played with it a bit yesterday, learning on it. Everything seemed fine, until I took it out to practice further today. I was playing a bass line -- from an exercise on the Instructional DVD, that came with the bass guitar, that's when I notice when I was plucking the G string that it was buzzing out loudly in a kind of distorted manner:crying:. The distortion was turned off on the amp and the the treble and bass selections on the amp was on zero -- the volume was half way on 5. I then noticed that if I played certain notes, it did exactly the same as on the G string. One of the notes was on the third fret of the A string. My finger was placed correctly just behind the third fret -- I know this as I also play the acoustic guitar. This is the first time using an amp and an electric bass guitar. Am I doing something wrong or is my amp or bass guitar faulty?:confused:. I would really appreciate your assistance on this matter. Oh, I bought the Bass and Amp from the local guitar shop where I usually go to, when I tested the bass out in the shop (just plucking the strings a couple of times) and it was working okay and I took extreme care when traveling home with it and moving it around. When turning one of the knobs on the bass -- it also made a scratching sound.:help:
 
#2
The bass may just need set up properly. Do the notes buzz when you play them lightly, or all the time?

The knob may just have a dirty pot. If it doesn't go away with use, have it cleaned.
 
#3
Temperature and air humidity combined with the playing means it has to settle the first days. That is also the reason having a setup done at another location often prove to be less than ideal for the new environment.

In your case I suspect loosening the truss rod tension may help, providing a bit more neck relief.

And by the way: Did you install new strings? Factory installed strings may have all kinds of issues.
 
#4
The notes buzz all the time, I'm pressing down hard on them. The strings are the same strings that came with the bass. It is raining down hard over here. Thanks for the advice -- I really appreciate it. Do I have to take it in to get the truss rod loosened or is it something I can try doing myself?
 
#5
A little buzz is fine, but a setup is normal to get it working nice. This can be a simple action/relief/intonation, or may need a fret leveling. A cheap bass might be okay to buy new with crappy fretwork, but if I paid over 500 I would expect at least a decent setup from the factory.
 
#6
You mentioned you play guitar. Do you have any experience maintaining the acoustic? If so, surf the Internet and you'll find gobs of YouTube videos to teach you how to perform basic maintenance on your bass.

Getting it set up by a tech is first choice, but you'll need to learn how to troubleshoot it yourself if you plan on playing for a while. Good luck and let us know what happens.
 
#9
The bass needs to be set up. Take it to a music store and ask for one. As for the scratchy potentiometer, that means that it's been unused and dirt has collected inside. If you twiddle it enough, for long enough, it will stop scratching. Worst comes to worst, you could spray some electrical contact cleaner into the knob and that will solve it once and for all!
 
#12
If you have even a little knowledge maintaining an acoustic, read the stickies, search youtube and try your own set up, there is some great info out there on the subject. Only go it if you feel comfortable doing so.up until a couple months ago I sent everything out at about 100$ a pop to have it set up.thanks to the good folks here, I do it. All myself now, good luck and let us known how it turns out
 
#15
Sx basses typically need fret leveling. An easy job for pros since sx frets are softer then better basses frets. Have bass checked by a pro for fret level and action setup.The little combo bass amp your using if is bass isntead of guitar amp, prob wont do well with low bass, so muddy or distorted sound is somewhat expected. Diff expect bad sound if its a little guiar combo. Theyre not capable of handliing bass well.
 
#16
Hey, everyone. Sorry for only replying now -- varsity has been hectic these pass few days, I haven't even had time to practice the bass or just play. The amp I am using is a VOX Pathfinder Bass 10. According to the box it came in and the sales person who sold me the amp and bass at the music store. The sales person said that between the SX bass amp and the VOX -- the VOX was the better brand. I hate to think what the SX bass would, if that is the case.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back