• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

New bass. Is this buzz normal?

#21
joshstanman said:
This is a short scale too, so the lower tension should make it easier to fret, right?
Click to expand...

I believe this part of your statement is part of the answer…. Lower tension will require a finer plucking technique. Try holding the bass and not playing it I bet it don't buzz lol! What happens if you play it softly? I can smack the low B on my L2500 and get a bit of buzz, don't bother me as it comes with how I play it…
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: drumvsbass and joshstanman
#22
joshstanman said:
I just bought a new bass. I was initially in love, but started noticing a strange buzz or rattle. It's most noticeable at the 9th fret of the E string, but does it at other frets in the same area on the A and D strings too. I can hear it through my amp, DI/headphones and acoustically. I attached a recorded clip, please listen with headphones and tell me if you hear it too. I'm convinced it's the truss rod. The sound improves but doesn't eliminate when I tighten it, and gets worse when I loosen it.

It just got back from the manufacturer today. At first they said it was just the strings, that their factory strings are no good. They had all of a couple hours play time on them and the buzz was present with GHS Pressurewounds and DR Sunbeams too. After I told them I had tried other strings, they then changed the story to 'we couldn't replicate the sound' and sent it back.

This brings me to another point. Their customer service has been lacking at best. Not once have they said 'we're sorry you're having problems with your brand new bass!' They also told me turnaround time is the same day, then just quit responding to emails for a week. I called their number and the owner surprisingly answered. He just fed me a bunch of excuses about everyone being out on vacation. Never offered any acknowledgment that it sucks to get a $1200 bass with issues. Finally got it back today after some condescending back and forth with a sales rep. The shop that I bought it from has been great. They paid to ship it.

What's my next move? It buzzes exactly the same since getting it back. This is a brand new Reverend Dub King, bought from Wildwood.

I otherwise love the bass, making this the most frustrating new bass experience ever. Took it to a band practice and love the short scale playability, light weight and killer sound.


Click to expand...

Josh, If could be that you need just a little more relief. Loosen the rod a little less than a 1/4 turn. My personal setup is 3mm at the 12th fret for action, and a little bit of bow in the neck.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bioflava, J-Mags and joshstanman
#23
All good points, thanks y'all. I've never tried tape wounds, but now I'm curious! Been considering flats on this thing too.

Loosening the truss rod has seemed to make it worse with my experiments. There's a dead zone in this dual action truss rod.

I also agree about this being a cool bass that's worth getting right. I'm trying not to let a sour customer service experience turn me off of it. It was a pretty instant bonding experience. Sounds great, easy playing and lightweight!

I have a little ebony low profile thumb rest I'm considering installing. The sweet spot seems to be just in front of the bridge pickup, but there's nowhere to anchor when playing on the E string. If I keep it, it goes on, but if I decide I can't get over this it would probably hurt resale value.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jd56hawk
#24
One of the few short-scale basses I'd spend money on.
Good luck!
By the way, what about a ramp?
vknp4jrylj6ndlrkbym3-1.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: joshstanman
#27
First thing I'd do is get the neck straight with very little relief and raise the action. Pluck a little harder first and see if it's still buzzing. If it does, start plucking progressively more lightly and see if that makes it go away. If it does, it's most likely a high fret. If it doesn't, well it could be other things.
IME this is usually caused by a high fret when I try to lower the action to my liking (quite low).

Most people who play with higher action and more relief won't really have that problem unless it's a noticably high fret but if you like low action, less than perfect fretwork won't really cut it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: joshstanman
#28
Buzzing "behind" the fretted note would be a problem with nut slots, have you measured the space between the bottom of string and top of first fret? It should be something like .020-.022". If its Cut too low, the nut will have to be replaced, or you might try the "baking soda and CA glue trick" to raise the bottom of slots. Im grasping at straws here, I do hear the buzz, but its really subtle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drumvsbass, 707GK, joshstanman and 1 other person
#29
joshstanman said:
I just bought a new bass. I was initially in love, but started noticing a strange buzz or rattle. It's most noticeable at the 9th fret of the E string, but does it at other frets in the same area on the A and D strings too. I can hear it through my amp, DI/headphones and acoustically. I attached a recorded clip, please listen with headphones and tell me if you hear it too. I'm convinced it's the truss rod. The sound improves but doesn't eliminate when I tighten it, and gets worse when I loosen it.

It just got back from the manufacturer today. At first they said it was just the strings, that their factory strings are no good. They had all of a couple hours play time on them and the buzz was present with GHS Pressurewounds and DR Sunbeams too. After I told them I had tried other strings, they then changed the story to 'we couldn't replicate the sound' and sent it back.

This brings me to another point. Their customer service has been lacking at best. Not once have they said 'we're sorry you're having problems with your brand new bass!' They also told me turnaround time is the same day, then just quit responding to emails for a week. I called their number and the owner surprisingly answered. He just fed me a bunch of excuses about everyone being out on vacation. Never offered any acknowledgment that it sucks to get a $1200 bass with issues. Finally got it back today after some condescending back and forth with a sales rep. The shop that I bought it from has been great. They paid to ship it.

What's my next move? It buzzes exactly the same since getting it back. This is a brand new Reverend Dub King, bought from Wildwood.

I otherwise love the bass, making this the most frustrating new bass experience ever. Took it to a band practice and love the short scale playability, light weight and killer sound.


Click to expand...

Sounds weird for sure! Maybe it is just the trussrod rattling sympathetically (or behind the string/nut or another piece of hardware) but above all I can hear a weird "warbling" overtone sound -as if the pickup(s) are too high and their magnetic pull is affecting the note. Maybe they are pulling the string in weird magnetical ways to create that buzz towards the end of the note's envelope? Worth a try lowering them anyway....

When I first heard your clip that warbling and 'tubbyness' of the note made me think it was a short scale bass!
 
  • Like
Reactions: joshstanman
#30
Gilmourisgod said:
Buzzing "behind" the fretted note would be a problem with nut slots, have you measured the space between the bottom of string and top of first fret? It should be something like .020-.022". If its Cut too low, the nut will have to be replaced, or you might try the "baking soda and CA glue trick" to raise the bottom of slots. Im grasping at straws here, I do hear the buzz, but its really subtle.
Click to expand...

If it's the whole nut and not just a slot or two it'd be much easier to just take it out and shim it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gilmourisgod
#31
It happens a lot. Mostly with hollow bodied basses. It's also something that can be remedied. At least that's been my experience. Try your best to locate it on your own. Play the bad note that makes the noise. Then place your right hand over places where there is metal or hardware and see if it goes away. If your hand can terminate the buzz, then you've found the spot. That's the first way you can ID the location of the buzz. And if you're still struggling to find the source, just take it to a luthier and have him or her take care of it. This is not one of those mysteries of the universe. It can be solved. You obviously like the instrument. So stick with it. You'll be glad you did.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gilmourisgod
#32
HalfManHalfBass said:
When I first heard your clip that warbling and 'tubbyness' of the note made me think it was a short scale bass!
Click to expand...

It's a short scale, semi hollow!

thanks again to all for your suggestions! I have a lot of things to try, including potentially putting it in the hands of a professional! I love to tinker and repair things, I'm an industrial maintenance technician by trade, but I recognize my expertise isn't in guitar repair.
 
#34
joshstanman said:
You're absolutely right, I won't notice that in the mix. But I do notice it when I'm practicing with headphones, so should I be ok with a $1200 bass rattling?
Click to expand...
I dunno man. Only you can answer that for yourself. It slightly bothers me that it happens with my $6000 bass, but only slightly. I never "practice"… I spend 99% of my time playing with other musicians or playing along with music (with headphones most of the time mind you) so it's something I honestly rarely hear/notice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: joshstanman
#35
I have nothing useful to add except that the attached sound clip sounds very nicely to my ears. Cool bass!

Since it's semi hollow, you might want to check whether some cable is not rattling inside the bass. The symptoms you describe don't suggest this kind of problem, but you never know.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drumvsbass

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back