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Reverse Fret Buzz?

jmac85

jmac85

Mar 22, 2008
121
0
41
Duluth, MN
#1
I have my bass set up so everything plays perfect, except for one little thing that seems impossible to happen but its happened.

When I fret the E string at the eighth fret, I hear a buzzing coming from the back half of the string (the part NOT over the pickup.) If I lay the rest of my hand down on that part of the string, the buzzing goes away. If it helps, this is on an Ibanez EDB400 made out of basswood. Any help would be great as I don't want to pay someone to fix something that is potentially a very easy fix. Thanks!
 
#3
Left-hand damping is your friend. Like Mushroo says, it shouldn't be a problem. The whole bass, especially the neck vibrates with the strings, and the strings will pick up some of that vibration. Your E string is touching probably the 7th fret too when you fret the 8th fret. So if you relief is high enough, and your nut is high enough, then there's room for it to vibrate between the nut and the 7th fret.

jte
 
#7
I have a pretty light touch, so I don't notice it, but folks that "tap" (fret-hand only - no plucking) have a major problem with that. Some "slap" technique can have similar problems.

In watching videos of a lot of slap/tap experts, many use a wrist sweatband on the low frets (about the 3rd fret, if I recall...) to dampen the strings. They normally keep it past the nut (out of the way), but they slide it down when their technique/solo will require extra damping.
 
#9
This condition is known as "back buzz". Generally speaking, it means that the neck is in a back bow. Check the relief first.

Fret hand damping is an important part of proper technique. However, it won't fix this problem when the index finger is employed to push the string to the fret. Quite often it can be heard through the amp.
 
#11
202dy said:
This condition is known as "back buzz". Generally speaking, it means that the neck is in a back bow. Check the relief first.

Fret hand damping is an important part of proper technique. However, it won't fix this problem when the index finger is employed to push the string to the fret. Quite often it can be heard through the amp.
Click to expand...

...or the nut slot may be cut / worn too deeply. If your relief is set correctly and you're still getting back buzz, try this:

Remove the string and place a small shim (doubled-up gum wrapper will do) in the slot. Replace the string and tune to pitch.

Riis
 
#12
It can mean that the eighth fret is too low, so that the string is just touching the 7th fret. Or it could mean that the 7th fret is a little high.

A short straightedge will tell you. If that's your problem, a fret dressing might needed. My SR505 had that problem with the 4th and 5th frets, and I couldn't fix it with the nut or the trussrod without making the action ridiculously too high.

Ed
 
#13
Back buzz is a pretty common occurence. If the relief is set properly, back buzz ususally suggests that the nut slots are cut a little too low. For most players this is not a problem. But for some it is, and the solution is often a new nut or a nut-fill/reshape.
 

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