New bass string problem maybe

[Slaphound]

^That. Incorrect pickup height makes all manner of weirdo stuff happen. Also, if you want to change your strings but are afraid of the 30-day thing, just do it and keep the stockers to put back on it if you choose not to keep it. As long as you stay pretty close in string gauge I don't see anything dishonest about it.

Just to be clear. Its more noticeable when played Acoustically. I agree about keeping the strings.

I had an A-string with a broken core once, on a fairly new set of strings. It emitted a buzzing sound, similar to fret buzz, but not as loud. It would also go away if held the bridge or held the string past the nut. It drove me crazy trying to figure out the cause, and just decided to put an old string on to see what happened. The buzz was gone after swapping the string. You couldn't tell anything was wrong by looking at the string.

I tried a brand new set of strings. The noise continued and was maybe even worse. Just as bad at least. I put the old stings back on. I got in touch with Sweetwater and their 'tech' department will be calling in a day or two. I hope not too long. I'm keeping things in perspective but its such a bummer.

And thanks folks for all the great tips.

 

[dkelley]

If you can hear it acoustically, could be the string vibrating a different note to the left of your fretted note... but not on open strings of course.

Pickups much too close can do this, acoustically or electrically (the magnet affects vibration of string, doesn't need to be plugged in to hear the phenomenon).

Twisted strings can do that.. if installed wrong. weird from factory, but who knows?

 

[non]

I messed around with the truss rod a little and took some relief out of the neck. I pushed down on the strings behind the nut. I loosened all the strings and re-wound them, pushing down the wraps as much as possible. The sound has evolved a little. It's a little quieter. I still hear something but not like yesterday. I have a new set of strings hanging around and I may change the strings to see what helps. I'll post back if anything changes or if I hear from Sweetwater with a solution. I'll let y'all know.

i had this exact same problem as you a few years ago and i did as you say pushing down the string on the tuning peg. this solved my problem as the break angle over the nut was not enough. this allowed the string length behind the nut to the tuning peg to vibrate, sounding like a loose nut acoustically.
pluck a string then push down on the string behind the nut and see if the sound goes away. if it does your break angle may not be enough. hope this helps.

 

[Slaphound]

If you can hear it acoustically, could be the string vibrating a different note to the left of your fretted note... but not on open strings of course.

Pickups much too close can do this, acoustically or electrically (the magnet affects vibration of string, doesn't need to be plugged in to hear the phenomenon).

Twisted strings can do that.. if installed wrong. weird from factory, but who knows?

I mean. The bass sounded fine for days until yesterday and it wasn't like I picked it up and it sounded funny. No. I was in the middle of playing it and suddenly I hear it. I am starting to thing that maybe the bass settled in and not that the strings are settling in.

 

[Slaphound]

i had this exact same problem as you a few years ago and i did as you say pushing down the string on the tuning peg. this solved my problem as the break angle over the nut was not enough. this allowed the string length behind the nut to the tuning peg to vibrate, sounding like a loose nut acoustically.
pluck a string then push down on the string behind the nut and see if the sound goes away. if it does your break angle may not be enough. hope this helps.

Hey thanks. I tried that and some of the awfulness goes away but mostly it just raises the pitch some.

 

[Doug4321]

Sounds like you checked this but fenders can have a buzz from the strings vibrating between the nut and tuning post. Due to the headstock not angled back and the lack of a string tree (hold down) on the E and A strings. Mine does that with D'addario chromes but not Rotosound swings.

It's similar to what a sitar does on purpose with the buzzy bridges they have!

 

[dkelley]

Hey thanks. I tried that and some of the awfulness goes away but mostly it just raises the pitch some.

well, I mean, you retune it afterwards ;-)

But yea, sounds like we're still not hitting the real cause.

 

[dkelley]

I'm sure this isn't it, and I feel stupid for asking, but I only ask because I've done this before and wasted hours looking for the cause...

do you have an effect pedal in the chain that got turned on by accident? or in the amp?

LoL

Like, I have this pitch pedal now, and it got bumped when I was changing basses in my playing around a couple days ago, and turned on and level changed to really quiet for the pitch and effect was changed to detune like 30 cents... it blended in like a super strange very quiet chorus.... I went looking at my chorus pedal forever until I realized it was the pitch pedal. Like, we're talking an hour of me swearing at life hunched over while my family avoided me. LoL

 

[Slaphound]

Sounds like you checked this but fenders can have a buzz from the strings vibrating between the nut and tuning post. Due to the headstock not angled back and the lack of a string tree (hold down) on the E and A strings. Mine does that with D'addario chromes but not Rotosound swings.

It's similar to what a sitar does on purpose with the buzzy bridges they have!

Feeling disgusted.
I had a MIM standard jazz a few years ago and I had a similar problem with the A string. After a little investigation, I came to the conclusion that it was in fact, the tuners. I ended up taking one apart (and then all of them) and found that there is a metal clip inside of the tuning key that needed to be re-bent. Took the problem away. This lesson kept me away from the Player series since then because I figured Fender uses inferior tuning keys on their MIM line. I may be wrong but I'm thinking its the same issue. I didn't think the Vintera series used the same Keys. Again. Maybe I'm wrong but I am definitely frustrated.

 

[Doug4321]

The Vintera is made in Mexico. But looking at their web site, has slightly different tuners vs. player series. I wouldn't be surprised if they both had similar parts inside prone to buzz. ! Sounds fixable though.

 

[Bboopbennie]

The Boys are on their game with this one !! One more time make sure the saddles screws are all down firmly on the bridge plate. All hardware is tight including the tuners. back angle on the nut with proper seating ( nut ). make sure the neck relief is correct ( center- and at first fret ) plucking the string, touch all parts of the bass to see if it has any effect on the tone / overtones. Make sure you wrap the strings so they go downward on the tuning posts. Last for giggles, put some foam under the sting at the bridge ?#$%^- YOU are not the only one !!

 

[Slaphound]

The Vintera is made in Mexico. But looking at their web site, has slightly different tuners vs. player series. I wouldn't be surprised if they both had similar parts inside prone to buzz. ! Sounds fixable though.

In fairness. Mine was a 2014 standard mim. Todays Player Series might use different keys. This isn't a problem I hear of often on these new MIM. As for fixable. Yea. Maybe.

 

[dkelley]

This thread just reminds me to not buy Fender products new. Wait until someone else has dealt with the issues, then buy them used.

 

[Slaphound]

Search for witness points on here and set them.

I'm going to say this is the one. I changed the strings again today. I also cleaned out the nut slots. Then the witness points. I made sure that both strings got attention at the bridge and the nut and even at the tuning post. So far, so good. I think we may have fixed it. I will let you know if it comes back but right now I am sure we have dealt the evil sound a death blow. Thanks to all of you at Talkbass. A true bright star in the dark universe of the internet.