Getting fret buzz

Mr Bassman Sax

Mr Bassman Sax

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I'm getting fret buzz on all four strings from about fret 6 upwards. What are your thoughts on how to cure this?

I do wonder if theDrop C tuning has any thing to do with this.
 
Are you saying that just your E string is dropped to C or are all of your strings tuned down 2 tones? Either one will affect the relief in the neck of the bass (the 2nd option massively so) and you'd need to slacken off the truss rod to give the neck more relief.
 
It's CGCF. The bottom string is down by 4 frets and the others by 2. I have made adjustments to the neck and action which has made serious improvments, but I don't know if I need to put more bow in the neck or less, or if I'm there and that's just the downside to drop tuning
 
What string gauge do you use?
 
just follow the logic:
drop tuning means your strings are sloppier, i.e. they are not pulling your neck as much as they used to in standard tuning.
So your neck which was adjusted to pull against more force , by that will be confronted with less resistance, therefore it will bow too much!
(i think this will be the case, even if you use much thicker strings)

anyhow you'll also need to adjust the height of your bridge, too!
 
You appear to need more relief (bow) but if you tweak it an 1/8 or at most 1/4 of a turn and see what it does.
 
boebl said:
just follow the logic:
drop tuning means your strings are sloppier, i.e. they are not pulling your neck as much as they used to in standard tuning.
So your neck which was adjusted to pull against more force , by that will be confronted with less resistance, therefore it will bow too much!
(i think this will be the case, even if you use much thicker strings)

anyhow you'll also need to adjust the height of your bridge, too!
Click to expand...

Something may be getting lost in translation or the use of language but the tension of the strings pulls the headstock forward into a back bow (concave) so you tighten the truss rod to pull back against that and flatten the bow out 'a bit' (we need a bit of a bow for the string oscillation. You are correct in that the strings slackened off are now no longer pulling the headstock forward so it has gone flatter and the strings are choking as there is no possibility of the string oscillating, so we need to give the neck a bit less tension to allow the alacker strings the opportunity to pull it forward. It is a good point about potentially needing to adjust the bridge but on the 2 piece $$ bridge that is easily trialled and as you say heavier gauge strings are a must at that kind of tuning.
 
... sorry.. your right
organic chemistry is starting to ♣♣♣♣ up my mind, I suppose... :D
 
I am not sure that any E string is supposed to work OK in C... I think it is simply too much.

But if you insist to do it, yes, you need to untighten the trussrod, and also, you need to raise the action, because the string movement will be larger.

Even doing that, your neck will be in danger of twisting, because the tension is uneven.

I don't get why you need this...

I don't want to sound like an ass, but the right way to do it is to buy a 5 strings bass, and to learn the positions.
 
Hundreds of metal bass players play in CGCF... Most of them use heavy gauges, like 120-95-75-55 or something similar...
 
I'd have thought if you use heavier strings and make all the right adjustments, you'd end up with a 5 string minus the G string (or equivalent, however it's tuned). Can't see why it wouldn't work, although I've never tried it myself
 
Be sure to consider the nut slot width if you are upping the gauge of your strings; some really heavy strings (certainly if you are going to a 5 string set BEAD minus the G string) will require the nut slots to be widened.
 
Not by much on the JANIII. Nut is pretty close, the thing to keep in mind is you need tapered 'b' string, or at least file your saddles down, or just buy a lower string saddle.
 
:d CGCF tuning turns you into Robin friggen Hood you will be able to shoot arrows from this bass.

ORLY?

YARLY!

Even if hundreds of metal bassists do this, imo its still semi retarded as a 4 string bass wasn't built with this string gauge or tension in mind (unless you own a dark lord). Buy a 5 string you will love it.

SRSLY!
 
Maybe those hundreds or metal bass players are traditionalists, and don't believe they need a five string for what can be accomplished on a four string. Or, maybe they just plain out don't want a five string.

Now, having 35" scale like on a Cirrus would help a lot. Hell, the new Cirrus bolt ons have a Mahogany body, Walnut neck, and a Wenge fret board, all for a cool thousand. Did I mention its US made, and has 35" scale?

Right tool, right job. You'll win everytime, trust me.
 
Ian said:
Hundreds of metal bass players play in CGCF... Most of them use heavy gauges, like 120-95-75-55 or something similar...
Click to expand...

Well, that's not RLY donwtuned. 120 string is a B string tuned up to C :-) 95 is an E string tuned up to G (a 3rd!!!)

That's a neck in trouble :-)

Why not using 4 strings, and tuned BEAD ?
 
Yeah, that's what its about: they use very light strings and tune them up.
 
Quick question here on the subject of tensions etc. I play a lot in Drop D recently, using standard (medium) gauge strings. So to a certain extent and especially on the heavier playing the tuned-down E-string does tend to be a bit floppy. What would be a good idea to sort this out? I'm guessing putting on a B string instead of the E and tuning it up to D is a bit extreme? How about a heavier E-string, leaving the others untouched? I don't want to run the risk of neck warping...

Cheers
 
Ian said:
Get a 110-85-65-45 set.
Click to expand...

i.e. I just replace my current .105 E-string with a .110 one? And the increase in tension on only that one string would not be sufficient to cause any problems for the neck?
 
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