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Disturbing noise at 12th fret on E string

B

Bassinat66

Jan 19, 2008
13
0
Hawaii
www.future-link.us
#1
hey someone!

I have two 4 string bassess, a Fender American jazz and a 4003 Ric running through a GK Gold Line 2X10 cab and a Behringer 180 watt head.

Both basses have a 'noise' problem at the 12th fret on the E string. On the A & D strings at the 10th thru the 13th frets the sound is tight smooth clean and clear, move to the E on the 12th LOOK OUT, irretating sounds! The E sounds fine below the 9th fret and above the 13th.

Can anyone help with this?

bassinat66:crying:
 
#5
The string isn't hitting the pickup, is it?

Often with bolt on necks, the end of the fingerboard swells and the frets get higher up near the end of the neck. The usual fix is to ramp the frets down.

But it sounds like you have a high fret after the 12th.
 
#9
Son of Magni said:
Since you have two basses doing the same thing at the same frequency it makes me wonder if maybe it's something else. Two possibilities I can think of off hand.

- "Slightly" blown speaker

- Tube amp with microphonic tube
Click to expand...

He didn't say it was the same E in the same octave on other strings though.

But those would do it.

Also if the pickup is too close to the string you can get wolf-tones from the magnet pulling the string out of tune... normally known as "stratitus". The reason it might happen when you play up the neck is the string is closer to the pickup then.
 
#10
DavidRavenMoon said:
He didn't say it was the same E in the same octave on other strings though.

But those would do it.

Also if the pickup is too close to the string you can get wolf-tones from the magnet pulling the string out of tune... normally known as "stratitus". The reason it might happen when you play up the neck is the string is closer to the pickup then.
Click to expand...

I think it probably has more to do with ratios of lengths than being closer to the pickup. (probably some of both though). I had this problem in a big way on the bass I built.

Maybe describe the sound a little more? Are we talking about fret buzz, or is it a wah,wah,wah, kind of like a mistuned interval, but on a single note?

-Nick
 
#12
ehque said:
Or maybe he is simply not muting the string properly and hearing the 12th harmonic?

Why is this in luthier's corner again?
Click to expand...

Because most of the guys in here are smarter than elsewhere ;)
I just re-read it and noticed that I mis-read the first time. He's having thet same problem on 2 basses. I'd say clearly the cabinet or amp has a problem. I'd guess something is loose, and resonating, or the speaker is torn. Without a better description (or recording) of the sound, it's anyone's guess.

-Nick
 

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