Does anyone else LIKE fretbuzz?

Discussion in 'Hardware, Setup & Repair [BG]' started by momo, Nov 22, 2005.

  1. momo

    momo

    Oct 22, 2005
    Huntington Beach, CA
    Call me crazy, but I like my basses set up with a bit of buzz. It gives my fenders a kind of nice dirtyness and growl, and the growl of the brass warwick frets sounds great. Don't get me wrong, if I lighten my touch a tad, the sound is even, but I like to hear that buzz just a bit when I dig in. I have recorded and played live with these setups and I keep coming back to the buzz. Fretless players love the sound of what is essentally low action buzz, why is it so shunned in the fretted world?

    Any one else feel like this?
     
  2. xbradx

    xbradx

    Oct 25, 2004
    Bloomington, IN
    i like a little buzz and also a little of the clanky sound of the strings hitting the frets when a pick's used. :bassist:
     
  3. Figjam

    Figjam

    Aug 5, 2003
    Boston, MA
    very very little, yes, i play with very little relief so a bit of buzz when digging in around 1-5 frets is inevitable.
     
  4. i can see where it could have its place, but...no thanks, it's just not for me...I go for smooth, round tones...the only time a little buzz is ok is when I'm slapping and then the notes are short and percussive so you really can't distinguish the buzz from other things goin' on.

    I set up my instruments so that I get a slight buzz when I'm playing with my amp turned way down...as the sound comes up (as in a live situation), my fingers get soft (to even out the dynamics), and the buzz disappears completely.
     
  5. lyle

    lyle Guest

    Jan 10, 2004
    Vernon, B.C. Canada
    I like the growly buzz you get when you dig in with low action I wish I had a little less then I do right now but still its a nice characteristic to have, gives it dimension instead of plain old bass bla bla.
     
  6. keb

    keb

    Mar 30, 2004
    Yup, I like a little buzz and clank. I like to have a fairly aggressive tone, and I set my basses up to where I get that buzz and clank when I dig in. Nothing is a technique faux pas when it's done on purpose. ;)
     
  7. Fretless5verfan

    Fretless5verfan

    Jan 17, 2002
    NorCal
    Nuttin wrong with a little buzz. I actually get a little "mwah" out of the upper strings on my roscoe. Good stuff :D
     
  8. JimmyM

    JimmyM Supporting Member

    Apr 11, 2005
    Apopka, FL
    Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
    Fretbuzz...good with rounds, not too crazy about it with flats.
     
  9. WalterBush

    WalterBush

    Feb 27, 2005
    Yuma, Az
    Full disclosure, I'm a certified Fender technician working in a music store that carries Fender, Yamaha, and Ibanez products among others.
    Buzz and clank are good, good things. I don't like a super clean sound, and I'm not wild about distortion, either, so buzz, clang, and heavy compression=good rock tone in my mind. I have a DB and a Hofner for when I want smooth, round bass sound.
     
  10. In short, I hate fretbuzz and even a little drives me nuts.
     
  11. SGT. Pepper

    SGT. Pepper Inactive

    Nov 20, 2005
    Phila,Pa.
    John Entwistle liked his basses to buzz up and down the whole neck evenly. His neck was adjusted almost perfectly straight. Many players like the buzz for that GIANT bumble bee tone.
    Me personally, I hate buzz! It's one of the reasons why I use flatwounds. I could achieve lower action with them and not get a buzz. I prefer a clean round THUMP! :bassist:
     
  12. Hola,
    Just set up my Marcus, and I might be crazy, but I think that's what gives the Jazz it "Sizzle"! I lowered the action to make it more confortable. Yes, there's buzz on the lower fret's, frets 14-18, D and A string's, but it feels better, and through the amp it's not detectable.

    Bobbo 77"
     
  13. tplyons

    tplyons

    Apr 6, 2003
    Madison, NJ
    Love a bit of buzz, but depends on the bass.
     
  14. XIbanez4lifeX

    XIbanez4lifeX

    Nov 15, 2005
    Ohio,USA
    uuuughh. I cant stand fret buzz and the clanky B strings are starting to agrevate me as well. :bawl:
     
  15. Clanky B strings are the reason I don't play 5ers any more.
     
  16. Sorry boys,I dont like the fret buzz either.It doesnt fit the type of music my band plays.I made a few adjustments to my 5 string g l tribite,mainly the A and D strings were a little too close for the way I play ( Pluck hard ) I had to adjust it to fit ME .I,ll admit there would be some jazz that a little buzz sounds good in ;)
     
  17. tiredman9

    tiredman9

    Aug 15, 2005
    New York
    Clanky B Strings are the reason when I play a fiver its with a high C.
     
  18. Never had the opportunity to play a 5er with a high c. Maybe I need to go buy a new set of strings.
     
  19. simenandreas

    simenandreas

    Jan 23, 2011
    I love some fretbuzz! I have the Marcus Miller jazz bass that dose this job perfectly. We do all have our opinions of this, but a nice balanced buzz that you can control with your dynamic is just great. I think that is what gives each bass their character. I think warwick and spectors have some really great low register buzz. Perfect for metal. Jazzes and P`s are great in the higher register. Perfect for funk and jazz.
    Some fretbuzz is referring to a modern type of bass sound, am I right? And the smooth flatstring-sound is a more vintage type? I have never gotten the hang of these consepts
     
  20. Kmonk

    Kmonk

    Oct 18, 2012
    South Shore, Massachusetts
    Endorsing Artist: Fender, Spector, Ampeg, Curt Mangan, Nordstrand Pickups, Korg , Conquest Sound
    +1