Fret Buzz Goes Away When I Press Harder?

[JeezyMcNuggles]

The neck doesn't appear to be twisted. The bass stays in tune. There doesn't seem to be anything alarming as far as bowing. The bass is mostly playable except I get some fret buzz. However, I don't get any fret buzz when I press harder/hold the strings more firmly.

The strings are a little old. The fretboard could maybe use an oiling or a cleaning. Is my action too high? My most comfortable basses seem to have pretty low action. Would new strings, a clean/oiled fretboard, and a slight truss rod adjustment help me enjoy this bass more?

I would say the opposite. Your action is too low. When you push hard, you're creating more tension. Hence why your string doesn't graze the frets.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

New (to me) cheap old bass. So I know there's potential for issues with old and cheap. But like I said, it mostly plays well and comfortably except for the fret buzz.

I only get fret buzz on one of my other basses and that's only around the 12th fret or higher, but that bass has a wonky neck and broken truss rod.

A worn out set of strings (I mean really worn) can cause this issue as well. To check loosen a string, then run your the tip of your index finger under the string lifting up. It should be as smooth as the top side.

Regardless, when I get a new instruments, the first thing I do is change the strings. For three reasons. One, just something about having somebody’s finger crud living in my house-bass gives me the willies. More importantly, I get better results when I set up my bass to my preferences. Finally, I have favorite strings and it’s fairly rare that one shows up with the right one.

Best wishes.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

Sorry if I'm repeating someone else, but my first guess would be your truss rod. If your neck is too "flat" and your action is super low, you're risking some fret buzz (especially above 12th fret). Cheers!

 

[mb94952]

Take it to a set up tech.

Easiest solution and you'll get advice on the next step. A good $60 investment if you don't know how to do it yourself. Good luck on your journey !

 

[Killing Floor]

What kind of frets? Some fret shapes will keep you honest. I can land anyplace between the frets on my Jazz with medium jumbos but with narrow vintage types or mando wire you need to be right under the wire.

 

[MarMar]

The first two pictures are around the 12th fret and the third picture is around the first few frets. I guess there is a little bowing. Like I said, the bass is mostly playable, but it seems I have to fret harder to get the fret buzz to stop. I'd like to not have to do that.

 

[legalbass]

Honestly, I'm surprised you have any fret buzz with action that high. Maybe try a new set of strings and see if the problem resolves? Or quite frankly just take it to a technician and have him/her look at the frets for level-ness.

 

[MarMar]

Honestly, I'm surprised you have any fret buzz with action that high. Maybe try a new set of strings and see if the problem resolves? Or quite frankly just take it to a technician and have him/her look at the frets for level-ness.

That's what I thought. I was hoping to save some money and just restring it myself but the tech in town is always pretty helpful. He should probably look at it. Do you think the bowing is bad? I didn't think it was that bad.

 

[Lobster11]

The strings are a mile high at the 12th fret but are barely clearing the first fret. My guess is that the nut slots are cut too deeply, and the previous owner attempted (stupidly) to compensate for it by raising the strings as high as possible at the bridge.

 

[MarMar]

The strings are a mile high at the 12th fret but are barely clearing the first fret. My guess is that the nut slots are cut too deeply, and the previous owner attempted (stupidly) to compensate for it by raising the strings as high as possible at the bridge.

The previous owner boasted about how he "taught himself to do setups during COVID". That wasn't very reassuring.

 

[AndyPanda]

There is more than one type of fret buzz. The type most people talk about is the vibrating length of string rattling against the frets in the middle of the speaking length of the string - that's the kind you can adjust truss rod/neck bow and/or raise your action.

The other type of buzz is the string rattling against the fret you are fretting. Since the OP says the buzz goes away when he frets harder, I'm guessing this is the buzz in question. I notice this with certain types of strings more than others and on basses with frets that have been leveled and dressed a few times and aren't as tall as new frets - and when not fretting in the right spot.

Are you fretting directly on top of the fret? Are you fretting too far behind the fret? Try fretting directly behind the fret.

 

[MarMar]

There is more than one type of fret buzz. The type most people talk about is the vibrating length of string rattling against the fret - that's the kind you can adjust truss rod/neck bow and/or raise your action. The other type of buzz is the string rattling against the fret you are fretting. Since the OP says the buzz goes away when he frets harder, I'm guessing this is the buzz in question. I notice this with certain types of strings more than others and on basses with frets that have been leveled and dressed a few times and aren't as tall as new frets - and when not fretting in the right spot.

Are you fretting directly on top of the fret? Are you fretting too far behind the fret? Try fretting directly behind the fret.
View attachment 4509528

I'm playing the bass the same way I've played bass for 15+ years now and I don't have this issue on any of my other basses.

 

[AndyPanda]

Then obviously you don't need my help. Hope you figure out your problem.

 

[MarMar]

Then obviously you don't need my help. Hope you figure out your problem.

I'm just saying that you are the 3rd person in this thread to question my technique when I'm saying, for the 3rd time, that it's not an issue of technique.

 

[skycruiser]

With that action, maybe you have a ski slope at the heel. If you shim to tilt forward you may be able to lower saddles and action a lot. Maybe loosen truss rod too to reduce bow.

 

[MarMar]

With that action, maybe you have a ski slope at the heel. If you shim to tilt forward you may be able to lower saddles and action a lot. Maybe loosen truss rod too to reduce bow.

I'm thinking the truss rod is too tight as well thus causing the bow - hopefully not "trashed." I'm hoping this is just a poor setup by someone who didn't know what he was doing. Hopefully, someone who knows what he or she is doing can fix it.

 

[Lobster11]

The previous owner boasted about how he "taught himself to do setups during COVID". That wasn't very reassuring.

If the nut slots are too deep, no amount of tweaking the setup will solve the problem: You need to replace the nut.

@skycruiser has a good idea too: It might be that the neck pocket needs a shim. But based on the third photo in your Post #26, it seems clear that the E string is barely clearing the first fret, so the nut is still my first guess.

 

[AndyPanda]

I'm just saying that you are the 3rd person in this thread to question my technique when I'm saying, for the 3rd time, that it's not an issue of technique.

Not sure how carefully you read my suggestion but as frets wear and get lower you can experience what I described even if you are using the same technique that you've used for years. But you seem to know everything so I won't waste any more of your time or my time.

 

[Lobster11]

Not sure how carefully you read my suggestion but as frets wear and get lower you can experience what I described even if you are using the same technique that you've used for years. But you seem to know everything so I won't waste any more of your time or my time.

Calm down. Look at the photos OP posted in Post #26. The problem is definitely not technique....

 

[MarMar]

Not sure how carefully you read my suggestion but as frets wear and get lower you can experience what I described even if you are using the same technique that you've used for years. But you seem to know everything so I won't waste any more of your time or my time.

Yep that's why I keep posting asking more questions and posting more photos. And that's why I mentioned twice before that this doesn't happen on my other playable basses. But by all means, please continue to troll my thread.