New bass. Is this buzz normal?

[Glennbassmann]

Sometimes its the springs on the intonation screws...

 

[sawzalot]

I've seen this with a string rattling in the nut slot due to insufficient break angle. That sort of problem will exist across string changes too. The test is to get a helper to press down on the strings behind the nut, between the nut and tuners, and see if the rattle goes away. You may even be able to use just an elastic band around the headstock just behind the nut, if it puts pressure on all strings.

 

[Bartrinsic]

I had an odd bass buzz today. It was my locking strap.

Hence my slow but inexorable switchover from Dunlop to S-Locks. Almost done.

 

[Bartrinsic]

I hear it too and first guess, quoted form page 2:
"Is it back buzz or buzzing behind the fretted note? A setup would fix this."

If you use a 2nd finger to mute the string just behind the fretted note in the direction of the nut does that mute the buzz?

 

[B-Mac]

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.

My money is on this.

I've had some odd buzzes caused by a string thru bridge before. Sometimes the strings (especially low E) can get twisted/bound up at the ball ends while passing through the body and traveling over the saddles. If this is the case, it can cause a weird sitar-like overtone. The solution has been to unwind the string from the post, allow all tension to release, and then restring as normal.

I have 12 hollow/semi-hollow basses and I believe 8 are SS without checking my list.

None of them have ever done this and I've never heard about them being 'prone' to having this problem.

However, I did have a very similar issue on my 8 string bass where the fundamental would do exactly the same thing. I simply loosened the string enough to reset the ball end of the string so it was seated correctly.

It was driving me batty, but that is what it was.

 

[coy garcia]

One of my basses was doing this and took me forever to figure it out....in my case it was the tuner knobs that were rattling.

 

[JW56789]

Aside from the obvious, general suggestions, I'd posit it's impossible for this bass to be diagnosed long distance from a chat room. I see two choices:

Your first would be to return this if possible. I'm thinking if it's had time to go back and forth from Reverend, this option may be expired. If not, I'd start jumping to it if there's any time remaining, so you won't have to . . . .

Secondly, spend more money out of pocket and take it to a really professional, experienced guitar tech who can track this down. At least with the right guy, that should be the end of it, if keeping it is your only remaining option. It's more money, unfortunately, but this would be ended and you'd have a bass you can now enjoy.

Right now, this just sounds like a murky problem chasing its' own tail. I adjust my own instruments, but I'm more than aware where my expertise runs out, and here in Nashville, I have no shortage of great guitar techs who can pick up where I ran out of brain.

Best of Luck,

JW

 

[jd56hawk]

Would a stethoscope help to narrow it down?
Unplugged, you should be able to hear any irregularities with the truss rod or bridge saddles, right?

 

[PotsdamBass8]

I hear it, and my bet is a high fret. Regardless though, have a good tech look at it. It's not ideal, but I think any bass is subject to possibly needing a setup even when new.

My tech showed me a way to look for high frets without using a straightedge. If you look down the neck, across all the frets, you should see them reflecting about the same way. So if you tilt the neck slightly forward or back, the light will quickly cascade across all the frets. A high fret will disrupt this continuous cascading. It's hard to describe, but it might make you feel better if you can see a high fret to know you're not going crazy.

 

[AceOfBassFace]

I hear it too. It's very faint though. I had a similar sound with my Fender P, it was because I didn't have enough wraps around the tuner peg, so the break angle wasn't large enough, and that section of string rattled between the nut and tuner. If you put some pressure on the string with your finger between the nut and the tuner peg does it stop rattling? Maybe a fret wrap could solve that.

https://www.amazon.com/Gruv-Gear-Fr...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Edit - I see about 10 other people have already suggested this same thing.

 

[Bioflava]

Heya Josh -- I see this post is creating a lot of buzz (sorry) but just to chime in: I do hear something; can't tell if it's fret-noise, but if it IS fret noise, it's probably a high fret and/or an issue with the neck being too straight.

Apologies if I'm stating an obvious point, but your neck will need some relief (aka up-bow) — and adjusting the truss rod to create the amount of relief is tricky. Depending on the neck materials and your local climate, you may need to tweak the truss and then let it hang out. Also, it's hard to find the amount of relief when the bass is on a work table (although easier to adjust the truss) and so you may need to tweak, let things stabilize, then hold it in playing position and measure with a gauge.

BTW: That is a super-cool-looking bass, but I always assume that a new bass is going to need a full setup from my luthier unless I'm buying something really high end from a great retailer in my home location. Good luck and look forward to hearing it in action!

 

[joshstanman]

I had about 10 minutes to play with it before work tonight. Several had mentioned pickups being high - you were dead on. I dropped them both by a few mm, and the warbling chorus-y sound is gone, and the output level dropped significantly.

I only had a few minutes, but I swear the buzz seems to be a lot better too. I wonder if this couldn't be because of the springs under the pickups being compressed more.

I tried muting behind the fret, above the nut, at the bridge, and all the tuning machine heads. None of them improved things.

Good ears and advice, friends. I really think we've almost got this licked. I'm still pissed at Reverend for being rude, dismissive, and honestly kind of incompetent. It shouldn't have left their workbench (twice!) with the pickups that high, and they could've been more graceful in their communication with me. They like to boast about their instruments arriving ready to play and thoroughly inspected and set up, but that hasn't been my experience at all.

 

[joshstanman]

Also, sincere thanks to everyone who has chimed in. I'm always amazed at people's willingness to chip in and help a stranger on the internet.

 

[Indiana Mike]

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.

man!

I just bought a decision P that has awful buzz on the A string from 3 to 9 and from 12 on up.

I can set up a bass.
I can run the E and D at 3/32 (.80-.90)with no issues but the A has to be set really high like .120 or higher to ring clearly.

bought from Sweetwater.

They paid return shipping and will attempt to repair it. They said if it needs fretwork they will do it or refund me completely if it's unfixable or there's a neck issue.

I could have returned it , but decided to send it in to their shop to see what they can do.

I still have the option to return it if they repair or say there's nothing wrong.

I'm curiously awaiting their response.

 

[steimlem]

i hear it very faintly. to me it sounds like when i had some loose tuners. bringing out the wrench made the noise go away for me.

that being said it's so faint, even if it is the strings i wouldn't worry about it. it doesn't sound "bad" . basses are meant to have some noise and i doubt anyone would hear or care. it may even add some extra subconscious emotion and feeling to your playing. but hey .. if the noise bothers you that's all that really matters. good luck . i know little stuff like that can get quite annoying trying to pin down and fix.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

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.

You just need a set up, or thicker strings. Whichever.

 

[joshstanman]

man!

I just bought a decision P that has awful buzz on the A string from 3 to 9 and from 12 on up.

I can set up a bass.
I can run the E and D at 3/32 (.80-.90)with no issues but the A has to be set really high like .120 or higher to ring clearly.

bought from Sweetwater.

They paid return shipping and will attempt to repair it. They said if it needs fretwork they will do it or refund me completely if it's unfixable or there's a neck issue.

I could have returned it , but decided to send it in to their shop to see what they can do.

I still have the option to return it if they repair or say there's nothing wrong.

I'm curiously awaiting their response.

But sweetwater has a 55 point inspection! That's impossible! I hope they make it right for you. I would've been taken care of better by them. Wildwood has a 2 day 'acceptance period', afterwards no returns. They did pay return shipping to Reverend, so that's nice. But wildwood also boasts of their setup and inspection process for every instrument sold. I'm beginning to think these companies might be blowing a little smoke.

 

[Rlbragg15]

Glad to see the TB community has rallied for this issue. Late to the party, but assuming nearly straight neck (.008-.010) and correct 'stock' bridge saddle height either 1.) high fret 2.) spring at bridge 3.) pickup height.

To point 2.) I have one bass where we could not isolate 'buzz'. Turns out, unscrewing the saddles and stretching the springs a bit solved the problem.

 

[HalfManHalfBass]

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!

You wouldn't believe how overlooked pickup heights are....until you buy a Str@toc@ster! That chorus/warble sound used to bother me to the point of switching out the single coil, slug-type magnetic pickups to the rail-type, mini stacked humbuckers and then backing them way, back off.

I have always found on my short scale and medium scale basses that the 5th-9th frets along the A and D strings particularly sound tubby and have more fretbuzz when I dig in -playing finger style. This combined with pickups that are too high, distorting the trajectory paths of the strings while vibrating must have been the cause here.

So glad you got it sorted!