I just got myself a new fender jazz bass opal white. It's very nice but my E string has alot of fret buzz. If I play on the bridge pickup it's fine but if I play on the neck pickup the buzz is very intense. Is it normal or should I go see someone to adjust it?.
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As a rule of thumb, never trust a factory setup. If you don't have the time or the tools to learn all the setup basics to do it yourself, then seek out the best tech/luthier in your area and have the bass set up for your preferences/technique/style/brand of strings. It makes all the difference in the world.
I tried changing the truss rod but it didn't help and it felt wierd so I changed it back. I don't havee the tools for bridge and radius so I'm pretty sure I'm going to have it set up since I still have a free setup at steve's music.
Free setup is good but it's not YOUR preferred setup it's the tech's.
Don't get caught up in minute details. Radius by eye (or ruler) works. It's not unusual that the E doesn't follow radius because it moves in a larger area and needs more room. Jack it up until the buzz stops and if it doesn't feel right then Look at the next option. There is nothing wrong with trying raising it to rid buzz for the short term while you study up on full setups. Look unless every fret on the neck is PERFECT nothing will be perfect. So you either pay to get it perfect (full fret check and level, etc.) or become well versed in doing your own setups. Small imperfections in the factory leveled frets can be overcome and even unnoticeable with a proper full setup. It's great when you learn how to do it yourself to save money and gain personal satisfaction.
Don't get caught up in minute details. Radius by eye (or ruler) works. It's not unusual that the E doesn't follow radius because it moves in a larger area and needs more room. Jack it up until the buzz stops and if it doesn't feel right then Look at the next option. There is nothing wrong with trying raising it to rid buzz for the short term while you study up on full setups. Look unless every fret on the neck is PERFECT nothing will be perfect. So you either pay to get it perfect (full fret check and level, etc.) or become well versed in doing your own setups. Small imperfections in the factory leveled frets can be overcome and even unnoticeable with a proper full setup. It's great when you learn how to do it yourself to save money and gain personal satisfaction.
Don't just go adjusting the truss rod willy nilly. Adjust only if it requires it, which is determined by checking the relief:
How do I set up my bass guitar properly?
How do I set up my bass guitar properly?
