Help with Strange Noise on Squier Classic Vibe Mustang

[Blackfunk]

Hi everyone!

I have a Squier Classic Vibe Mustang Bass, and I'm dealing with a strange noise that I can't figure out. It's not fret buzz because I've already adjusted the string action, the truss rod, and the intonation. The bass holds its tuning perfectly.

I've also checked and tightened all the screws, the bridge, the pickups, the electronics, and the tuners, so I don't think it's coming from there.

The noise is hard to describe, but it sounds like a subtle vibration underneath each note. It's more noticeable from the 12th fret upwards, though it's present across the entire neck.

I'm sharing a video where you can clearly hear the noise. If anyone has experienced something similar or has any ideas on what it could be, I'd really appreciate your help!

Thanks in advance!

 

[kevrex]

to me it sounds like your nut slots are too low or aren't angled back toward the tuners.

 

[Blackfunk]

to me it sounds like your nut slots are too low or aren't angled back toward the tuners.

Thanks for the suggestion! I thought about the nut too, but since the noise happens when I'm fretting notes (especially past the 12th fret), I wasn't sure if the nut would still have an impact. Do you think it could still cause issues even when I'm not playing open strings?

 

[MotorCityMinion]

Lower the pick ups.? Make sure all the screws around them are tight.

 

[Boneless]

It might be bridge-related. I have a similar issue (but much subtler) on my Guild Starfire I with some strings. I find that I need to "pad" the tailpiece a bit with a spacer of sorts to stop it from happening. Does the noise get amplified too? If it doesn't you might as well just not bother. (Mine unfortunately does).

 

[sacreddog717]

Check to make sure the tuner pegs aren't slightly rattling. I chased a weird noise on me CV P bass and found it to be a loose tuner peg. Drove me nuts for a while.

 

[kevrex]

Thanks for the suggestion! I thought about the nut too, but since the noise happens when I'm fretting notes (especially past the 12th fret), I wasn't sure if the nut would still have an impact. Do you think it could still cause issues even when I'm not playing open strings?

it's happened to me before. maybe try putting a fretwrap or scrunchie or whatever up near the nut and see if that stops the noise that happens when you play a fretted note. if it does, my vote is for a nut issue. just an idea.

 

[PizzaBall]

Seems like the nut is too low. If you adjust the relief, does the noise lessen or go away?

 

[iiipopes]

The last time that happened to me a couple of decades ago it was the truss rod vibrating in the channel. This vibration manifested exactly as the OP describes and demonstrated on the video. I don't know if the truss rod can be removed, sleeved, and remounted without taking the fingerboard off on this particular instrument. To double-check, put a piece of foam under the strings at the bridge Motown style, then under the strings on the headstock above the nut, to see if the noise still occurs. If the noise goes away, you know where to check next. If it doesn't, the next thing to do is to tighten the truss rod slightly, but not enough to foul up the string relief. Then you can see if the vibration noise changes pitch or intensity. Collateral question: do you have any dead spots in the neck? The classic P-bass dead spot is on the G-string somewhere between the 8th and 11th fret, depending on the bass. The vibration and the dead spot may be related. I mitigated my dead spot, again, by slightly tightening the truss rod, but not enough to foul up the relief.

 

[Blackfunk]

Seems like the nut is too low. If you adjust the relief, does the noise lessen or go away?

The relief doesnt make any change i already check the nut and it seems fine. Not low. One of the strings has the problem with the angle of the tuner but i fix that with some rubber pushing it down

 

[PizzaBall]

The relief doesnt make any change i already check the nut and it seems fine. Not low. One of the strings has the problem with the angle of the tuner but i fix that with some rubber pushing it down

Dang. Well, if you can't return the instrument, a professional luthier would probably be able to identify the issue. That's probably the route I'd go, but I'm also not comfortable doing anything more than a setup, string change, anything other than basic maintenance really.

 

[DanAdams]

Although I doubt it's the issue on a common bass, make sure the string tree and tuners are tight, shove some cloth or foam under the strings on the headstock. Check too see if the strings are properly seated in the nut if you put on fatter than usual strings.
I had one bass that had strange resonance that was corrected by dampening the strings on the headstock.
(the video won't play on my compy)

 

[KJMO]

I would say less than 1% this is it, but I had a tuning peg where the flat part you touch that had been welded on came loose, so it was rattling on certain notes. It was really hard to figure out what it was because it sounded like it was coming from the frets, and I couldn't feel it when I tuned. Anyway, just a mention.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Thanks for the suggestion! I thought about the nut too, but since the noise happens when I'm fretting notes (especially past the 12th fret), I wasn't sure if the nut would still have an impact. Do you think it could still cause issues even when I'm not playing open strings?

No it's definitely not the nut when it happens with fretted notes.

My first guess would be rattling tuners, or to be more specific, rattling tuner "ears". That's unfortunately very common with the cheap tuners Fender use on Squiers. Did you check this?

My second guess would be a rattling truss rod. Is the truss rod by any chance loosened all the way? If yes, try tightening the truss rod just a tiny bit. If the truss rod is NOT loosened and it still seems like it might come from the truss rod... return the bass for a refund. That's a serious flaw and absolutely not acceptable.

My third guess would be the pots. Those CTS "dimple" pots that Fender use on many of their instruments can rattle sometimes. I honestly don't understand why they keep using them. Standard CTS pots are much better. If the buzzing is coming from the pots, it should disappear if you put you hand firmly on the knobs.

My fourth guess would be one of the height adjustment screws at the saddles. But it doesn't sound QUITE like that...

Of course it could be something else too. Maybe something really silly like a wire vibrating against the pickguard. SOMETHING is definitely rattling somewhere, and it's definitely not fret buzz or the nut. The absolutely worst scenario is the truss rod. Anything else can be fixed (but if it's something faulty like the tuner ears it should be covered by warranty).

 

[Blackfunk]

The last time that happened to me a couple of decades ago it was the truss rod vibrating in the channel. This vibration manifested exactly as the OP describes and demonstrated on the video. I don't know if the truss rod can be removed, sleeved, and remounted without taking the fingerboard off on this particular instrument. To double-check, put a piece of foam under the strings at the bridge Motown style, then under the strings on the headstock above the nut, to see if the noise still occurs. If the noise goes away, you know where to check next. If it doesn't, the next thing to do is to tighten the truss rod slightly, but not enough to foul up the string relief. Then you can see if the vibration noise changes pitch or intensity. Collateral question: do you have any dead spots in the neck? The classic P-bass dead spot is on the G-string somewhere between the 8th and 11th fret, depending on the bass. The vibration and the dead spot may be related. I mitigated my dead spot, again, by slightly tightening the truss rod, but not enough to foul up the relief.

To me seems like the truss rod also. It feels like it comes from inside the bass and it kind of change in sound deppending on the string, i dont feel like adjusting the truss rod change the sound that much cause its like follows the pitch of the string. I try the motown trick and the noise its still there. Not dead spot on the G string where you mention. The bass its new, i buy it from thomann online. I was expecting to be a minor setup problem but seems more complicated than that. Im thinking on returning the bass cause the truss rod could be to expensive to fix.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

...and one more thing: Are you sure the strings aren't vibrating against the pickup covers? It's hard to judge from the video, but the pickups seem like they might be a bit high, and that would explain why it seems to be worse in higher frets.

 

[Blackfunk]

...and one more thing: Are you sure the strings aren't vibrating against the pickup covers? It's hard to judge from the video, but the pickups seem like they might be a bit high, and that would explain why it seems to be worse in higher frets.

Pretty sure that its not the pickups. They are between 3 mm and 4 mm away from the strings freeting in the last fret

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Hi everyone!

I have a Squier Classic Vibe Mustang Bass, and I'm dealing with a strange noise that I can't figure out. It's not fret buzz because I've already adjusted the string action, the truss rod, and the intonation. The bass holds its tuning perfectly.

I've also checked and tightened all the screws, the bridge, the pickups, the electronics, and the tuners, so I don't think it's coming from there.

The noise is hard to describe, but it sounds like a subtle vibration underneath each note. It's more noticeable from the 12th fret upwards, though it's present across the entire neck.

I'm sharing a video where you can clearly hear the noise. If anyone has experienced something similar or has any ideas on what it could be, I'd really appreciate your help!

Thanks in advance!

dumb question, but in the above video are you playing through an amplifier?

 

[Blackfunk]

No it's definitely not the nut when it happens with fretted notes.

My first guess would be rattling tuners, or to be more specific, rattling tuner "ears". That's unfortunately very common with the cheap tuners Fender use on Squiers. Did you check this?

My second guess would be a rattling truss rod. Is the truss rod by any chance loosened all the way? If yes, try tightening the truss rod just a tiny bit. If the truss rod is NOT loosened and it still seems like it might come from the truss rod... return the bass for a refund. That's a serious flaw and absolutely not acceptable.

My third guess would be the pots. Those CTS "dimple" pots that Fender use on many of their instruments can rattle sometimes. I honestly don't understand why they keep using them. Standard CTS pots are much better. If the buzzing is coming from the pots, it should disappear if you put you hand firmly on the knobs.

My fourth guess would be one of the height adjustment screws at the saddles. But it doesn't sound QUITE like that...

Of course it could be something else too. Maybe something really silly like a wire vibrating against the pickguard. SOMETHING is definitely rattling somewhere, and it's definitely not fret buzz or the nut. The absolutely worst scenario is the truss rod. Anything else can be fixed (but if it's something faulty like the tuner ears it should be covered by warranty).

Thanks for the suggestions! I've already checked the tuners, pots, and the bridge, and everything seems fine. It looks like the issue is coming from inside the bass, so it could be the truss rod or some loose part.

At this point, I'd rather have Thomann take a look at it since I believe they have good customer service and can handle it better.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[Blackfunk]

dumb question, but in the above video are you playing through an amplifier?

Noup. Unplugged