Buzzing sound elimination from saddle springs?

[Bighouse]

OK, I'd previously heard some weird buzzing coming from my bass when playing certain notes, open A most notably, on my 2022 Fender Ultra Precision bass. I finally isolated it and discovered what was buzzing was the spring from the tailpiece to the A saddle. If I pressed on the spring, or spun it around, I could change the buzzing or eliminate it temporarily.

So obviously these springs need a more permanent method for keeping them quiet. Has anyone encountered this issue before and how did you solve it?

 

[C Stone]

I just stretch ‘em out a bit or place a sliver of paper, matchbook biz card ect.

 

[Bighouse]

If I take the strings off to fix it, I think I'll find some thin rubber tubing to insert the springs into first before reinstalling them. Might even look kind of neater than seeing the springs.

 

[Marco Belli]

When I had this problem it was usually caused by the spring touching the string.
if I move the coil that touches the string with my finger nail I was usually able to stop them ringing permanently.

 

[ddnidd1]

If the spring is the culprit, just remove it and stretch it a bit.

 

[Bighouse]

If the spring is the culprit, just remove it and stretch it a bit.

Oh, it's definitely the spring. If I spin it around, I can find spots where it's quiet (as it is now). If it springs back up again, I'll unstring it and stretch it out.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

I'm not exactly sure of what the bridge design is on your snazzy version P-bass, but I'd see if you could just adjust the saddle forward, all the way off the screw, then you could get the spring outa there, stretch it out and then re-screw the saddle back into position.
Dont have to take the string off to do this.

 

[Freekmagnet]

A drop of white glue works.

 

[pfschim]

I'm not exactly sure of what the bridge design is on your snazzy version P-bass, but I'd see if you could just adjust the saddle forward, all the way off the screw, then you could get the spring outa there, stretch it out and then re-screw the saddle back into position.
Dont have to take the string off to do this.

I get what your saying (I think) and it might make it much easier if he loosened the string quite a bit too.

I had a similar problem with another bass I have and ended up using some small cut pieces of a thin foam sheet packing material I had around the house. You just need to damp down the spring in some what to stop the vibration.

For me, it was not a problem when playing live ... too many other sound sources for the buzzing to really matter. Where I find these kinds of buzzes/unwanted vibrations really has a negative impact is when tracking.

good luck OP

 

[cxcxcx]

As already mentioned, remove the springs, stretch them out a bit, and replace. You’ll of course have to re-do the intonation, but the issue will be forever solved and it won’t require any unnecessary parts or glues.

 

[FearNoEvil65]

My MIM Precision was doing that. I just twisted the offending spring around and the vibration stopped

 

[Grinderman]

OK, I'd previously heard some weird buzzing coming from my bass when playing certain notes, open A most notably, on my 2022 Fender Ultra Precision bass. I finally isolated it and discovered what was buzzing was the spring from the tailpiece to the A saddle. If I pressed on the spring, or spun it around, I could change the buzzing or eliminate it temporarily.

So obviously these springs need a more permanent method for keeping them quiet. Has anyone encountered this issue before and how did you solve it?

The sitar effect. Yes, it's a known thing and I've dealt with this before and made a post about it in the Strings sub-forum.

Slightly stretching the spring to deform it a tiny bit may help.

Possibly rotating the string a tiny amount where it passes through the tailpiece may also help depending on how thick, lumpy, or asymmetrical the core twist overwrap is at the ball end.

 

[ximun]

I met the problem and removed the spring.
Solved

 

[bigthemat]

If it springs back up again...

heh. pun intended I hope

 

[kevrex]

do we really need those springs? i accidentally left one off of a guitar bridge i was messing with and haven't had any problems with intonating or moving the saddle on it. honestly curious as someone who's spent decades assuming they're supposed to be there.

 

[ximun]

do we really need those springs? i accidentally left one off of a guitar bridge i was messing with and haven't had any problems with intonating or moving the saddle on it. honestly curious as someone who's spent decades assuming they're supposed to be there.

I find this here : spring on bridge saddle - important? | TalkBass.com

 

[elgranluis]

I believe I added a second spring on one of my basses that had an extra long screw. It looked better than a stretched spring.

 

[aprod]

My '70 P bass had this problem and after searching hi and low for a proper length spring with no success I just removed the spring entirely. Its been that way for 25 years.

 

[allboutbass]

Buy new springs ... they are cheap!