yet another mystery buzz thread

[BismarckHerring]

What is the horizontal position of the saddle? If it’s far towards the neck, try moving the saddle a bit back toward the bridge.

The reason I’m thinking of this is that I recently did a setup on a talman for a friend, and to get the intonation right I had to move the saddle for one of the strings as close to the neck as possible (could have been the D string, but I’m not sure). But I couldn’t move it far enough to get perfect intonation, because then the screw would come loose.

So I’m thinking it could be that the saddle is pushed so far toward the neck that the screw and the saddle don’t make good contact because only a tiny part of the screw is inside the saddle.

 

[Drredplate]

I would recommend a full set up including neck shim before anything else. If the saddle adjustment is maxed out this can cause problems due to incorrect pressure and contact between the components. I have seen this problem before and it was due to break angle on a saddle
best of luck

 

[60bass]

If you don't want to chase it down and it's a new bass then return it and get another. My guess it's a bad string but you won't know till you change it out.

 

[Bodeeni]

I had a similar pesky buzz going on. It ended up being the paddle on the tuner.

 

[FullumMusic]

Have you tried hitting your guitarist with the bass? It won’t help determine what’s buzzing but it’ll make them shut up about what they think the problem is.

Everyone else pretty much covered most of the things. Step 1 is basic setup by a tech. Also, beyond what everyone else said, the rattling could be the backside or inside of the tuner? I can’t imagine what inside a closed tuner would rattle. Maybe a bushing or a cover-plate or something is loose inside but you can’t see it because of the string tension keeps it tight, or I dunno. Could try playing the D string while holding the tuner peg, the tuner machine head, and maybe squeezing the back of the tuner against the back of the headstock? I dunno. Just spitballing.

 

[red_rhino]

Have you tried hitting your guitarist with the bass? It won’t help determine what’s buzzing but it’ll make them shut up about what they think the problem is.

It might also fix the rattle. Worth a try.

 

[FullumMusic]

It might also fix the rattle. Worth a try.

Right? I might not have given that idea enough credit.

 

[Drredplate]

If the guitarist is also the singer it’s a bonus

 

[FatherTrucker]

As a few others have mentioned, I've had a similar buzz and it ended up being the saddle and saddle spring. Had to jam some foam in there to keep it from vibrating.

 

[Chrisk-K]

Not fret buzz: checked every fret to make sure the string doesnt touch them while vibrating.

How did you check? In the first video it sounds like nasty fret buzz.

 

[jpmcbride]

Could be the truss rod. Has it been adjusted? My p-bass was buzzing and it drove me crazy - sounded like it was inside the neck. The truss rod was loose. Tightened it about 1/8 turn, just enough to hold it tight, but not enough to change the relief, and the buzzing went away. Its worth a try.

 

[Grinderman]

I know you said you checked the saddles... but did you chech the saddle springs?
If you haven't, touch them lightly and see if it affects the buzz. I had that once and drove me crazy until I found what it was.

That sort of buzz, due to that cause, tends to sound similar to a sitar.

//I 100% don't like your (the OP's) guitarist already.

 

[bellebasaur]

I know you said you checked the saddles... but did you chech the saddle springs?
If you haven't, touch them lightly and see if it affects the buzz. I had that once and drove me crazy until I found what it was.

Muting springs had no effect.

If all that seems ok change the string(s)..
And please let us know what it was...

I didnt have strings anyway, so I went back to the music store and had their tech look at the issue.
Watched him do everything I did, you guys recommended and then some.
Finally he said might be the string and to leave it with them for a complimentary full checkup and set up.

Now i gotta wait till after the holidays to get her back i guess . __.

 

[bellebasaur]

The fact that in your demo it doesn't buzz when you dampen the bridge side of the string also makes a vad string more unlikely though it is possible that the windings came loose near the ball end...

Yea this was something i was thinking about too. But i did find that the string felt bulgy at a section between the pickups.
Was weird but I never paid too much attention to strings to know for sure.

The store tech agreed that the bump isnt normal. We'll see what the issue was when my bass gets returned to me.

 

[bellebasaur]

How did you check? In the first video it sounds like nasty fret buzz.

At first visually, then by plucking really lightly, it buzzes even if plucked ever so gently.
Then I got really paranoid and put a namecard over the frets and plucked. Didn't feel any vibrations coming through.

 

[bellebasaur]

Could be the truss rod. Has it been adjusted? My p-bass was buzzing and it drove me crazy - sounded like it was inside the neck. The truss rod was loose. Tightened it about 1/8 turn, just enough to hold it tight, but not enough to change the relief, and the buzzing went away. Its worth a try.

I didn't try that, but I saw the tech do it, didn't seem to help but he said it needed adjusting anyway.
I'm actually glad they didnt tell me to live with the buzz.

 

[taketwo]

Finally he said might be the string and to leave it with them for a complimentary full checkup and set up.

Now i gotta wait till after the holidays to get her back i guess . __.

That's surprising. I really half-expected the process of going through the setup to either locate the problem, or at least eliminate it implicitly. Still, good that they are being curious and nice about it. It'll be worth the wait: I never knew how good and easy my basses could play until I got a good setup.

 

[GTHintz]

New bass, TMB35, the D string buzzes at the slightest pluck. I'm this close to going nuts trying to find the reason. Snapped at my guitarist who kept telling me it's "100% the frets"

It sounds like this:
https://youtube.com/shorts/_3mqDn2Tfx8?feature=share

Not fret buzz: checked every fret to make sure the string doesnt touch them while vibrating.

Not nut issue: the buzz happens on every fretted note right to the last fret.

Not tuners, string guide on headstock: I played the note and held onto the tuners, the nut, the guide. Buzz doesnt go away.

I'm pretty sure the issue comes from below the neck. When I fret 20th, and pluck string side there is no buzz, pickup side buzzes.

Detune and rotate string: No use.

Saddle?
I played the note and pushed on the saddles, on the string wrapped over the saddle, still buzzes. The saddles are not angled sideways, i've taken a caliper to them.

The bridge has no loose hardware, I've checked and rechecked.
Can a string be simply bad? The top part sounds fine though when played between nut and last fret.

I would seriously try a different string on there and see what happens. If the ball end has vibration or dampening of the wire it'll sound off. If there's an issue in the core of the string it'll sound off. If the outer wrap has a defect it's going to sound off. It sounds like you know enough to check your set up so I trust that it's probably a bad string.

 

[GTHintz]

Yea this was something i was thinking about too. But i did find that the string felt bulgy at a section between the pickups.
Was weird but I never paid too much attention to strings to know for sure.

The store tech agreed that the bump isnt normal. We'll see what the issue was when my bass gets returned to me.

Definitely a deformity in the string. You should never have a bulge or kink in a string and expect it to perform like it's supposed to. I wish I took a video of the bad string I installed so you can see. It was duller and stiffer than the rest and buzzed like you described. I chucked the whole set aside from the b string that actually sounded good.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Nope, not set up yet. If all else fails I'd send it for a set up.

For my money, getting the neck right is step one.
Otherwise IMO, it's kind of like adding air to the tires on a car to fix a problem that's caused by a bad front-end alignment.