Rattle.. even the tech doesnt want to know

[conqr]

I also recommend the very simple test of shimming that E string at the nut slot. Personally that string looks deep to me, and logically explains the symptoms described.

 

[SnakeKappele]

I also recommend the very simple test of shimming that E string at the nut slot. Personally that string looks deep to me, and logically explains the symptoms described.

It only takes a minute to shim the E string. Why not try it? It's a lot less work than shimming the neck.

 

[walterw]

shimming the string will only affect the open string. buzzing on fretted notes means the nut is not the problem.

Not necessarily. I've had basses where the string would buzz against the frets between the nut and the place the string was being fretted.

Not necessarily...

Minimal relief combined with an overcut nut slot may cause "back buzz" when fretted. This happened to a particular David King zebrawood headless that you and I both worked on years back. ...IIRC, you shimmed the nut as a permanent repair and I never had another problem.

FTR, Walter really is the "go-to" guy here in Virginia Beach.

riis, you beat me to it (and thanks for the shout-out ).

the dreaded and mysterious "back-buzz" does indeed happen on higher frets, and a too-low nut is indeed the cause.

our store once carried a certain model ibanez bass where multiple examples would all back-buzz, and all only at one identical fret!

it's like the issue was not fretwork or nut height, but that the model in question just physically resonated at a certain frequency that make that one note back-buzz.

 

[vejesse]

It was stated that the frets were "level" but I'm skeptical. Take a look at the tongue area. I will bet that if you put a straight edge between the 9th fret and the last you'll see plenty of daylight. If that's the case you can raise the height of the nut all you want and you won't solve the problem.

 

[mongo2]

A little outside the box but...trussrod?

 

[HillBillyWannaB]

This seems a little out there, but your pickups aren't super high are they? When I shimmed and adjused my neck on a Squier, it rattled against the neck pickup and I had to lower it.

 

[FunkMetalBass]

Is it a string buzz, or a rattling? If it's a rattling, it's a loose screw somewhere, probably near the tuners.

 

[JLS]

Try a little more relief, let us know what happens. The tech who worked on it doesn't sound particularly competent, frankly. Can you turn the trussrod?

Many's the brand-new guitar or bass, that profits from a fret dress.
What's considered adequate to go out the door of many factories--and even boutique shops--doesn't pass muster as far as I'm concerned.

 

[mr.mow]

Ok!

Tried the string shim.. no go..
Have tried more/less relief.. no real difference..
Tried dropping the pickups, oddly, that made a little difference (but the pickups were now too low.

The long and short of it, I'm bored playing with it now! Off to another tech! (one who wont give me the 'oh well some basses are just dogs' line )

Thanks all, I think a minor fret dress may be a start, Vejesse may be right, while they do APPEAR to be level, it has to be it, I can't see any reason why it would be buzzing (it is fret buzz too) at the 20th unless one of those last frets were a little high.

 

[pedroims]

dont get more stress on that damn bass, I give you $50 usd :....

Were you able to locate where the noise is coming? if its caused by the string and fret you should be able to see where they touching, I had the same problem but at the end the problem was a loose tunner pole. Good luck

 

[mr.mow]

Well.. now it gets weird..

I haven't had a chance to get to the other tech yet.. but the problem goes away after 30 odd mins of playing.

But is back the next morning... only to go away after some playing.

Now i'm just completely stumped..

And I have so far..
Checked the tuners
Checked the pickups
Tightened and loosened every screw and nut
Reseated the neck
Reseated the bridge
shimmed the neck (now unshimmed)
etc etc..

Its the DAMNED STRANGEST THING!

 

[ironrat]

its possessed!!!!!

 

[darkstorm]

Maybe a bump on one of the frets thats under just that string? I have owned a couple basses that had a bit of truss rod rattle. I did also have a bass once that needed new nut due to E string slot being too deep, Somehow that did contribute to rattle on fretted notes to. The E slot in your pic does look to deep btw. Nut replacement did fix that somehow.

 

[Step]

truss rod and temperature maybe?
after 30 mins of playing the neck gets warmer and therefore the truss rod stops rattling

VERY long shot

 

[Schlyder]

I also don't like the look of the E string in that nut slot.
And that nut looks huge....(that's what she said )
Take it to an experienced tech.

 

[Bass4LifeRS]

truss rod and temperature maybe?
after 30 mins of playing the neck gets warmer and therefore the truss rod stops rattling

VERY long shot

+1

 

[Smit_Dogg]

i recently developed fret buzz on my Warwick Corvette $$. I changed the strings, cleaned up the neck with lemon oil, and polished the frets with a mild abrasive before i went to record at a studio, I didnt adjust anything besides the intonation. I got to the studio and the damn thing was buzzing like hell (lucky i brought my Ibanez too!), particularly around frets 3 to 5 on the E, A and D string, but more so along the A string. i put my old strings back on and the problem still exists, i have been playing with the truss a little (I havent gone crazy on it, I've loosened more than tightened) to see if it makes a difference, but the buzz is constant and doesnt change. I dont know what the problem can be, its as if it happened over night. Any thoughts?