Sad NBD

[MotorCityMinion]

I'm at 2mm at the first fret and 6mm at the 22nd.

2MM @ 1ST FRET. From the pics I don't see it. That actually sounds impossible to play, would have felt terrible in the store. A 6 mm string height @ the 22 fret is nuts.

At this point I'm worried about bowing the neck, as I've had it happen where my action was too high and it ruined my neck,

.
In 40 years of handling basses, I've yet to come across this scenario. I'm just saying.

Your last picture looks like the neck has a back bow, could be the camera angle / way the picture was taken.

 

[DTRN]

if it is bowed in the other direction (like number 2 pictured below), and there’s buzzing on the lower frets, it sounds like some tension needs to be removed (I.e. truss rod loosened). Raising the bridge saddles won’t fix the issue, and should behave more or less exactly the way you described.

A low nut shouldn’t affect notes that are being fretted.

If you’re comfortable adjusting the truss rod yourself, it should not require much of an adjustment - is be willing to bet a quarter turn or so to the left (if you are looking directly at the truss rod nut). If not, it should be a pretty easy and quick fix for a friend or decent tech.

Agreed! A low cut nut will only cause buzzing on open strings. Once fretted, it becomes something else.

 

[JoeWPgh]

A low nut requires a very careful setup. If your low 3 frets are bottoming out, your neck has a bit of a back bow. adjust the truss rod for more relief. This is not compensating for a nut cut too low. Quite the opposite. A nut cut too high compensates for a neck that could use some set up. Once you have the relief set, you'll love the low cut of the nut.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I just bought an Ibanez SR500 because I played a SR300E a couple weeks ago and I really liked the tone, but wanted a bit more quality. I play almost exclusively fender, so I was excited to start getting away from the fender tone I've grown used to. My local GC had the Ibby so I went in and played with it for about an hour. I brought in my pedal board to see if I could dial in some tones i liked. The bass felt really nice and the tone was great, but the action was super low and the bottom 3 frets on every string were completely dead. No actual sound just the high metallic ring of a string fretting out. No biggy, I'll just raise the action when I get it home. I prefer higher actions anyway because I downtune to Drop C. So I buy it and get it home and raise the action but the ring is still there. So I raise it a little more. Still a ring but now I'm getting some sound out of the string. So even higher I go. At this point I'm worried about bowing the neck, as I've had it happen where my action was too high and it ruined my neck, but the ring is still there. So I go even higher. Still the ring. I can get sound out of the string, but the ringing is too much. It's not playable. I'm at 2mm at the first fret and 6mm at the 22nd. A 4mm difference in string between frets is unacceptable to me. I know that I'm drop tuned, but my 4 other basses are all fine and they are all between 2mm at the 1st fret and 3-4mm at the 21st. I'm probably going to just return the Ibby because I can't get it to a comfortable, playable set up. I thought about filing the frets, but I might as well just return it and get something I know I'll like. Anyone else have similar issues?

Why not bring it back to GC and have them deal with it? They have techs there, right??

 

[Tom F]

Why not bring it back to GC and have them deal with it? They have techs there, right??

+1 to this. The GC tech staff isn’t always consistent, but this should be a pretty simple fix for them.

I remember when I first started doing setups when I worked at my local music store, I had a few guitars and Basses come back with exactly the type of issue you’re encountering. It was usually the result of trying to adjust the truss rod too much at one time. The wood continues to settle for a while after the truss rod has been adjusted, so a setup that seems *perfect* when initially complete can drift into “buzzy and unplayable” inside of an hour or two.

Guessing that’s the reason folks recommend making incremental adjustments to the truss rod. Not necessarily that the neck can’t handle it, just that sometimes you get unexpected results.

The other factor that leads to backbow is an increase in humidity, which is why you’ll see so many people reference making “seasonal adjustments” to their necks.

either way, if you just bought the bass it’s worth bringing it back and asking them to adjust. Worst case scenario is you spend a few dollars on getting it to play great. Those basses are solid, comfortable instruments in my experience. No doubt you’ll have a great player in your hands soon.

 

[filwitheneff]

View attachment 3724113 View attachment 3724114 View attachment 3724115

Here are photos of the nut and string height at the first fret, string height at the 20th fret, and the neck. I'm beginning to suspect the nut more and more. It seems like a cheap plastic one which is disappointing. I may replace the nut or try to add some material to make it taller. Some one stated earlier the position of the neck in relation to the body may be the issue. I could add washers between the body and neck heel to try to get it more in line with the body

My first thought was "The neck is too straight". Now I see your pics. Your neck has a back-bow. Loosen the truss rod until you have the proper relief. Or take it to a tech and have them do it. Easy fix, nothing to sweat about.

 

[MotorCityMinion]

Perhaps a correction is needed for my earlier reply "2MM at 1st fret, 6MM at 22 fret" Sounds like you are measuring to the finger board instead of the top of the frets.

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

I'm definitely going to say adjust the truss rod to give yourself some relief and then back the saddles back down. Usually my rule of thumb is trussrod for the first 5 frets and farther down the neck adjust the saddles. There are exceptions to the rule but mostly the first frets call for trussrod adjustment.

 

[bucephylus]

I just bought an Ibanez SR500 because I played a SR300E a couple weeks ago and I really liked the tone, but wanted a bit more quality. I play almost exclusively fender, so I was excited to start getting away from the fender tone I've grown used to. My local GC had the Ibby so I went in and played with it for about an hour. I brought in my pedal board to see if I could dial in some tones i liked. The bass felt really nice and the tone was great, but the action was super low and the bottom 3 frets on every string were completely dead. No actual sound just the high metallic ring of a string fretting out. No biggy, I'll just raise the action when I get it home. I prefer higher actions anyway because I downtune to Drop C. So I buy it and get it home and raise the action but the ring is still there. So I raise it a little more. Still a ring but now I'm getting some sound out of the string. So even higher I go. At this point I'm worried about bowing the neck, as I've had it happen where my action was too high and it ruined my neck, but the ring is still there. So I go even higher. Still the ring. I can get sound out of the string, but the ringing is too much. It's not playable. I'm at 2mm at the first fret and 6mm at the 22nd. A 4mm difference in string between frets is unacceptable to me. I know that I'm drop tuned, but my 4 other basses are all fine and they are all between 2mm at the 1st fret and 3-4mm at the 21st. I'm probably going to just return the Ibby because I can't get it to a comfortable, playable set up. I thought about filing the frets, but I might as well just return it and get something I know I'll like. Anyone else have similar issues?

You can certainly return the bass. But, if you like the instrument other than the setup issues, then you might consider getting it to a competent luthier. I’m pretty sure that someone like Pat Wilkins could get that bass where it needs to be. Setup is a big deal; but, it can be addressed. Instruments aren’t lemons because of bad setup. They are just unwashed.

 

[sawzalot]

Looks to me like the neck has a back bow. Loosen the truss rod and you can probably lower the action somewhat.

 

[tpaul]

I agree with those advising that the truss rod be loosened.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Agree with what everyone else has already said. The neck just needs the truss rod tension backed off a bit and it should be fine.

 

[fjbass78]

Maybe take it back and ask them to set it up for you? If not return it.

 

[Maxdusty]

Looking at the first picture of the first few frets and the picture of around the 12th fret, something is definitely wonky about the string height across the fretboard- it changes way too much that by the time it gets to the 12th fret, the string height is way too high. As many mentioned adjust the truss rod so the neck is closer to straight or ease up on the truss rod if needed (although to my eyes, it doesn't look bad enough to cause that problem).
Without visually inspecting the bass in person, it's often hard to discern what's going on simply by pictures.
What I will say is that even a guitar tech at GC should be able to figure that out and being that you bought it there, maybe they will fix it for you for free rather than take the bass as a return, it's worth asking.
What I meant in one of my comments is this...sometimes from use, the angle of the neck in relation to the body changes. so the string height is not consistent down the length of the fretboard - the neck sinks into the neck pocket so a shim may be the fix for such a condition. Adjust the truss rod first to get the neck to where it should be and that would give you a better idea of what to do next or if a shim is indeed needed. Better still, take it back to GC and have them do it.

 

[dkelley]

Sounds like the nut slots were cut way too low... A new nut might cure it.

If I understand what the OP meant, then no, nut slots too low would only affect the open strings, not fretted first 3 frets.

 

[dkelley]

Looking at the first picture of the first few frets and the picture of around the 12th fret, something is definitely wonky about the string height across the fretboard- it changes way too much that by the time it gets to the 12th fret, the string height is way too high. As many mentioned adjust the truss rod so the neck is closer to straight or ease up on the truss rod if needed (although to my eyes, it doesn't look bad enough to cause that problem).
Without visually inspecting the bass in person, it's often hard to discern what's going on simply by pictures.
What I will say is that even a guitar tech at GC should be able to figure that out and being that you bought it there, maybe they will fix it for you for free rather than take the bass as a return, it's worth asking.
What I meant in one of my comments is this...sometimes from use, the angle of the neck in relation to the body changes. so the string height is not consistent down the length of the fretboard - the neck sinks into the neck pocket so a shim may be the fix for such a condition. Adjust the truss rod first to get the neck to where it should be and that would give you a better idea of what to do next or if a shim is indeed needed. Better still, take it back to GC and have them do it.

View attachment 3724350

edit: apparently I was looking at some other picture LoL - the picture is correct, just not relevant to the problem that I am 99% sure the OP's bass has.

Sorry for confusion (I really want to know where my mind went when I was looking at that pic - LoL, kids, don't do drugs... (no, I don't, but it feels like I do sometimes)).

Shimming neck is the same as lowering the saddles... it lowers action, and it's only done when the bridge can't be lowered enough on it's own, or there are other functional issues resulting from lowering the bridge any further (hitting pickups, bad playing setup for right hand, etc.

However in the OP's case - the neck is backbowed. possibly fixed by loosening truss rod, and it is the only solution within your own control to adjust. It is the only way to fix it, other than putting on much heavier gauge strings (ugh), unless the neck is actually damaged.

 

[Mugre]

More relief and fresh, quality strings. GC should be willing to do a set up for you including checking fret heights. They'd rather do that than have the return.

Mugre

 

[David Jayne]

That picture is incorrect in many ways - whoever created it didn't understand basic physics.

Shimming neck is the same as lowering the saddles... it lowers action, and it's only done when the bridge can't be lowered enough on it's own, or there are other functional issues resulting from lowering the bridge any further (hitting pickups, bad playing setup for right hand, etc.

Anyhow - the neck is backbowed. possibly fixed by loosening truss rod, and it is the only solution within your own control to adjust. It is the only way to fix it, other than putting on much heavier gauge strings (ugh), unless the neck is actually damaged.

What are you seeing that is wrong in those pics? I'm not seeing it.

 

[dkelley]

What are you seeing that is wrong in those pics? I'm not seeing it.

you're right, never mind. It was more that it's not relevant to our problem with this bass... my bad, I'll edit (if I still can).

 

[bholder]

To me the Nut looks fine, seems more likely that you need to adjust the trussrod for a little relief. than you can lower the action again...

Yeah, the nut thing was my mis-reading, sorry.