What could this be??

Is the B string set any lower then the rest of the strings? Could it be the fact that the B string is looser then the others?

 

I hope I'm not insulting anyone, but lots of B's are tapered and if the tapered part is resting in the nut, that will make it buzz if the action is medium to low. Or maybe the nut is defective?

 

I'm not sure why you don't think the nut could be the problem. The nut slots are all cut independently, and unless you have a zero fret, it's quite possible for the B-string slot to be cut too deep while the other slots are fine.

Also, could the B be set too low at the bridge? You didn't really respond to Stephen S's question about whether it was lower than the others, but in my experience the B sometimes has to be set a little bit higher.

Maybe you could give us a few more detais about when you hear the buzzing, and what you've checked so far?

Mike

 

So it just started happening? Ah, that's one of those bits of information that's useful for diagnosis! If you'd told us that right at the start, we could have eliminated some of those possibiliites.

If it changed just recently, and you didn't put on new strings with a different gauge or anything, a couple of possible causes come to mind:

1) You've had a change in humidity (happens frequently during the summer), and it's enough to make the fretboard swell just a touch so that you don't have enough relief in the neck anymore. Since the B-string has a wider path of vibration than the other strings, it's often the first one to buzz when you don't have enough relief. Do you happen to know how to check and set the relief? If not, there's a description in the TB FAQ at http://www.talkbass.com/forum/misc.php?s=Array[sessionhash]&action=faq&page=2#19

2) You're using an electronic tuner, and the "calibrate" setting has gotten messed up, so you're actually tuned too low. Again, the B string tends to be touchier about this than the other strings, in my experience.

3) It's a bit unlikely, but for some reason, the B-string bridge saddle has vibrated so that the screws have loosened, and the saddle is now set too low. Do you know how to adjust the saddle height at the bridge?

4) If you took the B string off at some point, it got twisted when you put it back on. This can make tuning weird, because you get strange, wobbly sorts of overtones as you go up the neck. It doesn't usually make the string buzz, though.

5) The changing humidity has caused one of the frets to come loose at the end ans stick up just a little bit. Do you find that the buzzing disappears as you get past any particular fret on the neck, or is worse right at one particular fret?

Anybody have any other ideas?

Mike

 

My first guess would definately be the relief, then, though it still could be something else.

Try fretting the string at the 1st and 15th frets, then (while you're fretting at both ends!) see how much space there is between the string and the 7th fret. It's sort of a preference thing, but the normal starting place is with about the thickness of a business card between the string and the fret. 5 strings sometimes need a little more, though.

Also, be sure and check it for all the strings, just to be sure some weird twist hasn't developed in the neck or something.

If there's too little relief (too little space between the string and the fret in the middle), that can definately cause a buzz on the 1-7 frets. You can get mroe relief by loosening the truss rod. That FAQ link should explain how to do it.

Mike

 

Try another B string. How old are the strings anyway?

I have taken a B string off and put it back on, was tuning it up and then it was slack and started buzzing. On closer inspection, the string was just old, where it wrapped around the tuning peg, metal fatigue had been causes so when i tightened the string it was just unravelling the turns of wire that make a string.

Put a new B on and all was okay.

I would also check your action when the string is tuned up to pitch. Tune it with a electronic tuner then use Harmonic Tuning to tell if you are in the right octave hehe done that before. B strings are funny buggers.



Merls

 

Let us know how it goes. After you try a new set you may have to adjust the action. I find i did after that episode... ghosts in my guitar i tell ya!



Merls