Sharp Frets ONLY on Low 'E' (Drop Tuned)

[Mexay]

My first few frets are a bit sharp. By sharp, I mean it's two or so "lines" out. I couldn't tell you how many cents this is, but I'm using a Korg Pitchblack.

General intonation seems fine (C# at Fretted 12th more or less matches open/harmonic).

I am currently in Drop C# (C# G# C# F#) and has been professionally setup by "one of the best" techs in my area in this tuning. Initially I thought it was the nut height and I trust his work and so I took it back, he filed the nut a little more and we still had the issue. He basically ended up saying "Sorry mate I hate to turn you away, but I don't really know". Hoping the wider bass community might have some answers.

I don't have the kit to take perfect measurements but without clamping anything:

• Distance between top of 1st Fret and Bottom of "E" string: ~1mm (just shy of. Measured with a 1mm blue pick)
• Distance between 12th Fret and Bottom of "E": ~3.5mm (same as above, but stacked picks)

Lowering my action at the bridge gives me quite a bit of buzz.

The bass is one of the new Fender American Performer P/J Basses. I don't get this on my Frankenfender Fender/Warmoth/Hipshot '06 Jazz.

A few notes:

• I am predominantly playing with a pick
• Strings are Ernie Ball Nickel Wound "Hybrid Plus" (50 / 70 / 90 / 110 i.e. I've taken the 50 + 70 from a reg pack and 90 + 110 from a power pack to get a Hybrid pack with a heavier gauge to match the lower tuning)
• If I press down with my regular strength the problem seems to be more prominent than pressing with a "just enough" feather touch. Similar results unless I'm RIGHT behind the string.
• The problem doesn't seem to be quite as bad lower down, though one or two frets are a little on the flat side

Any ideas/advice?

 

[JW56789]

I haven't had enough coffee yet to do the metric/English conversions, but I'd do this measurement on your Warmoth and your Fender and compare the results:

I look for a .020" clearance, unfretted, on my basses. Get a feeler gage that size and see where you're at.

On the other hand, one or two cents is 'more or less' in tune anywhere on a fingerboard. The idea that any bass is dead in tune, +/- zero cents at every fret on every string . . . . just doesn't happen. Plus, a nut that's a little too high might not feel that way to your hands, but it will aggravate tuning the length of the fingerboard. Proper nut slots are vital to how 'in tune' a bass will play. It usually shows up in that it sounds fine playing alone, but somehow with the band, something always seems just the very slightest bit 'off', if your ears are good enough to hear it.

I'd also be closely checking that nut: That's those gages for the 'Jamerson' set, monsters, and I wouldn't be surprised if the nut is not cut for those bigger strings. These gages, drop C-sharp tuning, is right on the edge of what most axes will tolerate, and I'd not be surprised that rigged like this with no changes to the bass as it came out of the box could cause a headache or two.

If you and your tech have addressed these things, I'm out of ideas. But if it was me, those strings in that tuning would make me go to new-nut time, and a complete set-up for those strings as if it had just been built. Big strings and less total string tension is an interesting proposition . . . .

 

[Mexay]

Thanks, I'll have to invest in a feeler gauge. I can't edit my post but into freedom units:

• unfretted @ 1st gap: ~0.039"
• unfretted @ 12th gap: ~ 0.137"
• Fretting at 3rd, Measured 1st Fret & String Gap: ~0.016" (about 2 - 3 post-it notes)

The bass came pretty decently setup but that was playing in standard, so when I needed to change to Drop C# I took it in for a full new setup with the new strings. As far as I know the nut has been worked properly during this setup.

As mentioned above I've also taken the distance between the string and first fret, fretting the 3rd fret. Looks like it is less than 0.45mm or 0.016 inches.

Looks like maybe the nut has not actually been filed correctly?

 

[iiipopes]

Most basses need a setup at the nut as well as at the bridge and truss rod, including making sure the slots are set up for the chosen strings. On one of my basses, the setup even involves shims at the nut to intonate the strings to keep the first few frets from going sharp. And this is on a standard tuned bass. I checked all of the above, because all of the above needs to be checked, especially on a bass that is modified to something other than standard tuning.

 

[Mexay]

Thanks, I might take it to a different tech.

Reviewing the fender specific guidelines I saw my action at the 17th fret for a 9.5" radius bass should be 2.4mm (6/64"). Mine is well over 3, maybe 4mm...

Lower gets it buzzing like crazy. I'm beginning to wonder if it got a setup in the first place.

 

[andruca]

A high nut is a PITA, messes with both your low register intonation AND playability. A nut shouldn't be any higher than a fret really. You can even check this out visually, see how much space you have with the 2nd fret when fretting on the 1st. Should have the same height at the 1st fret with the openstring (or just a little more to be on the safe side, compromises, you know).