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New bass, bad buzz on A string

aussie_owner

aussie_owner

Feb 28, 2014
32
26
Western NY
#1
Just got an Epiphone Rumblekat yesterday, and it has a bad buzz on the A string when plucked open, as well as the first four frets. It's fine from the fifth fret on.

The nut is badly cut. (See photos.) I've contacted the seller, but haven't heard back yet. I'm tempted to just have a new nut made at my local shop and see if that fixes the problem.

20140506-_MG_8076-L.jpg


20140506-_MG_8079-L.jpg
 
#2
That nut is horrible, but may be salvageable.

Since the buzz is on the fretted notes as well, it's probably the frets, rather than the nut causing it. Or it could be both.
 
#4
Lownote38 said:
Wow. That nut is horrible. How did that get out of the factory like that (if it is indeed a factory nut)????
Click to expand...

Brand new bass, factory nut.

lz4005 said:
That nut is horrible, but may be salvageable.

Since the buzz is on the fretted notes as well, it's probably the frets, rather than the nut causing it. Or it could be both.
Click to expand...

The neck was slightly back bowed, but even after setting the action to .018" the A string still buzzes as before. I did a quick check of the frets, and the sixth fret is slightly higher than the five and seven.
 
#10
You can file the top of the nut to get rid of the excess material and make sure the strings make good contact with the bottom of the grooves. Also make sure the bottom of the grooves have a little slope to the headstock side. Use a fret rocker (or something similar) and make sure the sixth fret is level with the others, file as necessary.
 
#11
joselorellano said:
You can file the top of the nut to get rid of the excess material and make sure the strings make good contact with the bottom of the grooves. Also make sure the bottom of the grooves have a little slope to the headstock side. Use a fret rocker (or something similar) and make sure the sixth fret is level with the others, file as necessary.
Click to expand...
Or set the fret; if the nut is that slipshod what makes you think the fret is fully set?
 
#13
David Jayne said:
Then that fret is the actual problem. Don't chase red herrings.
Click to expand...

I also found several other high frets (8th and 10th on the G side, and 12th on the E side, in addition to the 6th.) This one is going back, and a new one has already been shipped out. Tellingly, they had to pull more than one from stock to find one that didn't have fret problems. Apparently Epiphone is having some QA issues.:thumbsdown:

Interestingly, the bass was set up in such a manner when I got it that only the A string buzzed. After dialing in the neck relief to around .018" and setting the string height to factory spec, then the G string started buzzing on the 9th and 11th frets.
 

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