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E string shenanigans


BrunoBass
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I acquired a cheapo £100 Jazz bass copy the other day, which for the money is an amazing instrument.

The E string when played open however has a strange 'ringing' sound which resembles a phase or chorus effect, very odd. Something somewhere is vibrating I suppose, and I think it's coming from the bridge. It only occurs on the open E string, not on any other strings or and not on any fretted notes on the E. The weird modulating tone is there when played both amplified and unplugged.

It's no biggie as the strings and the bridge will be amongst the first things I plan to replace, which should remedy it. I am interested though to see if anyone else has ever experienced this type of thing?

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It's the string most likely - not wound properly. That 'oscillating' sound is why I don't buy rotosound strings anymore as I had A number of sets like that a couple of years ago (although the last few sets I've heard/played didn't do this)

Edited by AndyTravis
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[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1497145563' post='3316151']
It's the string most likely - not wound properly. That 'oscillating' sound is why I don't buy rotosound strings anymore as I had A number of sets like that a couple of years ago (although the last few sets I've heard/played didn't do this)
[/quote]

Could this also be the reason for a super wobbly E string? It also sounds much more prominent than the others and it's not the PU height as I tinkered with it already and the problem persisted on three different bass guitars.

I started to think it was the gauge and I'm about to try a thinner one for that string alone. So far I've used d'addarios and a set of fender strings.

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Dodgy string maybe - but before you try a replacement, take it off & put it back on making sure there isn't a twist in it. I've had this effect from a string put on at the tail and head then looped round the post, imparting a twist in the string. Removal & replacement making sure it's straight sorted it out.

G.

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Easy test is too place your finger down hard on the e string behind the nut, between the nut and the machine head.
And play the open e. If the sound is no longer there either the nut slot is too big, in which case the solution is a larger gauge string set. Or new nut.
Or the break angle between nut and tunning peg is to shallow. Solution is too have more windings (at least three/four) going down the peg.

If the sound is still there during the test.
Its either a knackered string.
Or the string or bridge saddle is not seated properly.

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[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1497179014' post='3316293']
Easy test is too place your finger down hard on the e string behind the nut, between the nut and the machine head.
[/quote]
I agree with Twincam with this as a first check. 6 string electrics suffer from something like this quite a lot - makes it sound like a sitar - and is usually that the nut has been cut parallel to the fretboard rather than with a slight downward angle (the break angle the others talk about) and the string vibrates along the length of the nut slot itself.

If it is that, probably best to get a tech to correct it. Will only take a tech a couple of minutes but, unless youve done it before, wrongly done can leave you needing a new nut. Personally I've not had issues even if the slot is cut a touch too wide as long as that angle is right.

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Right, I finally got round to setting up El Cheapo tonight, and whilst I was at it I loosened off the E and pushed the ball end away from the bridge to release any twist that might have occurred. The ball end righted itself immediately and upon tuning back to pitch the weird oscillating sound was gone. Thanks for the advice.

The nut incidentally is one of the things that impresses me the most about this budget bass. The material is undoubtably low quality but the cut (both height and width) and the angle is spot on. I still can't believe how good this bass is for £109...

Edited by PaulGibsonBass
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