New Fender Jazz Bass - Should be happy ...

[JayPH]

Hi Guys

Am Well gutted.

Bought a American Fender Jazz Special Bass yesterday. Got it home and boy, it was fooking awsome. Anyway, after a couple of hours playing, the G string just stopped working. No note playing at all. Just total fret buzz.

I adjusted the saddle and stopped it buzzing bad, but I was still getting nasty fret buzz.

Anyway, I watched some good videos here and decided the truss rod needed loostening because holding the string down on first and 12th fret showed that it was touching the frets. I only moved it anti clockwise a tiny bit

It's made it worse. I'm now getting fret buzz on the G String and A string.

Thing is guys I only just bought the bass and they told me their tech guy had set it up to play really nice.

I'm taking the bass back to them on Monday but what do I do if I'm still getting Fret Buzz? Let's say I give them the bass Monday and it all goes to sh*t agian on Wednesday, Can I demand a refund or what?

I paid over £800 for this bass and I've had Squire basses that worked better.

[AndyTravis]

I doubt it's anything major mate, It's just a mad panic because it's new and it's not perfect...

Keep calm, and let one of them adjust it, i'm sure you'll be happy pretty quick, dont let it ruin the bass for you.

Andy

[JayPH]

Cheers Andy. Thanks for the reply. I hope you're right mate. I was ready to go in all guns blazing but after reading your post I'll chilll out a bit and give them the benefit of the doubt

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='1202300' date='Apr 17 2011, 01:08 AM']I doubt it's anything major mate, It's just a mad panic because it's new and it's not perfect...

Keep calm, and let one of them adjust it, i'm sure you'll be happy pretty quick, dont let it ruin the bass for you.

Andy[/quote]

[blamelouis]

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='1202300' date='Apr 17 2011, 12:08 AM']I doubt it's anything major mate, It's just a mad panic because it's new and it's not perfect...

Keep calm, and let one of them adjust it, i'm sure you'll be happy pretty quick, dont let it ruin the bass for you.

Andy[/quote]
Good advice mate.

[stingrayPete1977]

PMT Birmingham adjusted my Ray5 and gave it the once over before we left, When I got it home it was awful! Truss wheel had no tension on it at all, Action was way too high and I didnt even bother checking the intonation as it was because we had to alter everything else anyway first. I could of done a better job of setting it up with a hammer in the car park! All sorted now though but one thing to remember is that the neck may be settling to its new environment? After we set my Ray up on the saturday by the middle of the following week I had to loosen the truss rod back a bit as the action had now become too low after being out on a stand near the radiator. Modern undried fully woods are not the best hence the cost of custom basses using proper old stuff are the introduction of things like the EBMM roasted neck. I wouldnt be surprised if it doesnt take a few weeks to settle down so it can be set up how you like it.

[JayPH]

[quote name='gsgbass' post='1202475' date='Apr 17 2011, 11:15 AM']I was trying out a Fender Am. Spl. Jazz at a local store. The bass was cutting out in three different amps. I've been hearing some negatives about the Am. Spl. Series. I think if I were to go for another Fender Jazz, I'd get the Highway One series Jazz. It has the same Greasebucket electronics, and a lot better bridge on it for a lower price tag. Sorry to hear about your bass messing up man.[/quote]
Dang. I don't like the sound of that.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1202482' date='Apr 17 2011, 11:26 AM']PMT Birmingham adjusted my Ray5 and gave it the once over before we left, When I got it home it was awful! Truss wheel had no tension on it at all, Action was way too high and I didnt even bother checking the intonation as it was because we had to alter everything else anyway first. I could of done a better job of setting it up with a hammer in the car park! All sorted now though but one thing to remember is that the neck may be settling to its new environment? After we set my Ray up on the saturday by the middle of the following week I had to loosen the truss rod back a bit as the action had now become too low after being out on a stand near the radiator. Modern undried fully woods are not the best hence the cost of custom basses using proper old stuff are the introduction of things like the EBMM roasted neck. I wouldnt be surprised if it doesnt take a few weeks to settle down so it can be set up how you like it. [/quote]

I'll take it in tomorrow and ask them to set it up again. The thing is, I'm not confident enough to mess with the truss rod again. I have grown up with the mantra "Never touch the truss Rod" It's a place people have told me never to venture I mean how much of it is true and how much of it is scare stories?

I just dont fancy going backwards and forwards into Livrpool City Centre all the time.

I had an Ibanez SR500 and it played like a dream. none of this shenanigans. No fret Buzz what so ever. Trouble is the finish was woeful and much to easy to damage so I swapped it for this Fender at a cost of around £330 more. The lads in the store have been great except for when i picked it up on Friday

I asked this other lad I hadn't spoke to before about the after sales service and he was a real dick about it. I said to him Yunno when i've bought guitars in the past they have always said when it settles into the environment the neck might change so to bring it in for a free setup.

He looked at me like I was demented and mumbled that they might be able to do somthing if it was just in a couple of weeks.

Anyway. Andys advice is good. I'll give them a chance to put things right before I start smashing the place up

[JTUK]

I've never bought a bass that was set up for me. I've bought them knowing I could get it to work, but
never ever perfect first time round, straight out the case.

Tell them your concerns and give them the chance to put it right... Mention the buzz and the saddles but don't mention the neck tweak
unless they specifically ask.

Be cordial and let them put it straight. They'll want a satisfied customer walking out the door..and potentially coming back.. as much as you do.

Edited April 17, 2011 by JTUK

[MythSte]

[quote name='JayPH' post='1202513' date='Apr 17 2011, 12:00 PM']Dang. I don't like the sound of that.



I'll take it in tomorrow and ask them to set it up again. The thing is, I'm not confident enough to mess with the truss rod again. I have grown up with the mantra "Never touch the truss Rod" It's a place people have told me never to venture I mean how much of it is true and how much of it is scare stories?

I just dont fancy going backwards and forwards into Livrpool City Centre all the time.

I had an Ibanez SR500 and it played like a dream. none of this shenanigans. No fret Buzz what so ever. Trouble is the finish was woeful and much to easy to damage so I swapped it for this Fender at a cost of around £330 more. The lads in the store have been great except for when i picked it up on Friday

I asked this other lad I hadn't spoke to before about the after sales service and he was a real dick about it. I said to him Yunno when i've bought guitars in the past they have always said when it settles into the environment the neck might change so to bring it in for a free setup.

He looked at me like I was demented and mumbled that they might be able to do somthing if it was just in a couple of weeks.

Anyway. Andys advice is good. I'll give them a chance to put things right before I start smashing the place up [/quote]

Did you buy it from Dawsons? I Think I might have played that one a few times and it seemed really nice. If they can't do anything about it drop me a PM, Im a few minutes walk from Liverpool center and although im no expert I might be able to do something.

Good luck!

[JayPH]

[quote name='MythSte' post='1202519' date='Apr 17 2011, 12:08 PM']Did you buy it from Dawsons? I Think I might have played that one a few times and it seemed really nice. If they can't do anything about it drop me a PM, Im a few minutes walk from Liverpool center and although im no expert I might be able to do something.

Good luck![/quote]
Nice one mate that's really kind of you. yes it was Dawsons but they got this one sent down from Manchester. it's a Sunburst finish. They have a Red one in the store and that's the one I played and it was really nice.

@JTUK Cheers mate. I don't really want to mention the truss rod Theyll probably ask me if I touched it though. "What's a truss rod"?

[stingrayPete1977]

At the end of the day the truss rod is an adjustable part of the instrument that doubles up for its general function on keeping the neck the same shape for as long as possible and for setting the action/releif for individual tastes. As long as you only do small adjustments at a time messing with it should be an issue the problems start when someone tries to turn it 3 full rotations! If you dont know what your doing its best left alone but once you have been shown in person how to do general adjustments to the bridge/truss and intonation then everyone should be able to do it after that IMO. Getting a bass to play alright should be easy for most getting it to that perfect place takes someone with more skill and a bass that has some form of fault will have a novice in a right old mess! My mate had a warmouth neck that had the 14th fret space wider than the 13th! Even Jon Shuker would have a job getting that to sound good, My mate spent about a month messing with home made compensated nuts and all sorts of stuff before he even thought to measure it but why would you?

[JayPH]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1202552' date='Apr 17 2011, 12:41 PM']At the end of the day the truss rod is an adjustable part of the instrument that doubles up for its general function on keeping the neck the same shape for as long as possible and for setting the action/releif for individual tastes. As long as you only do small adjustments at a time messing with it should be an issue the problems start when someone tries to turn it 3 full rotations! If you dont know what your doing its best left alone but once you have been shown in person how to do general adjustments to the bridge/truss and intonation then everyone should be able to do it after that IMO. Getting a bass to play alright should be easy for most getting it to that perfect place takes someone with more skill and a bass that has some form of fault will have a novice in a right old mess! My mate had a warmouth neck that had the 14th fret space wider than the 13th! Even Jon Shuker would have a job getting that to sound good, My mate spent about a month messing with home made compensated nuts and all sorts of stuff before he even thought to measure it but why would you? [/quote]

Cheers Pete. Yes I only turned it a couple of quarter turns and then left it alone.

I've never had to set a bass up before but it's probably because I always bought second hand basses that were already set up nice.

I hope there isn't a fault with it. I wouldn't think of measuring the frets in a million years. that must have driven your mate crazy

[stingrayPete1977]

It should be fine then mate and yes it did send him crazy! He swapped the whole neck in the end and it turned out a great guitar plus he had learnt alot about guitars from trying to solve an unsolvable issue every cloud and all that.

[JayPH]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1202584' date='Apr 17 2011, 01:34 PM']It should be fine then mate and yes it did send him crazy! He swapped the whole neck in the end and it turned out a great guitar plus he had learnt alot about guitars from trying to solve an unsolvable issue every cloud and all that.[/quote]

That's the best way to learn. You don't learn anything when everything just works.

I might ask the guys in the shop to give me a few tips

[AndyTravis]

Jay, can you get to the Manchester shop?

[JayPH]

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='1202704' date='Apr 17 2011, 04:16 PM']Jay, can you get to the Manchester shop?[/quote]

Hi Andy

Yeah mate thanks very much. Will get in touch next week

John

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='JayPH' post='1202631' date='Apr 17 2011, 02:20 PM']That's the best way to learn. You don't learn anything when everything just works.

I might ask the guys in the shop to give me a few tips[/quote]
Slightly OT sorry but in the same way Im a sparky that also dabbles with classic cars, I rewired an old MG but there are 2 Browns at the fuse box end which totally messed it all up so I had to redo everything by the diagram and figure it out, By the time it was done I had learn so much I was really pleased about it! I could now grasp the way car fuses appeared to have multiple wires to both ends of the fuses at the fuse box for example as in a domestic house its nothing like that.

[JayPH]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1202831' date='Apr 17 2011, 06:45 PM']Slightly OT sorry but in the same way Im a sparky that also dabbles with classic cars, I rewired an old MG but there are 2 Browns at the fuse box end which totally messed it all up so I had to redo everything by the diagram and figure it out, By the time it was done I had learn so much I was really pleased about it! I could now grasp the way car fuses appeared to have multiple wires to both ends of the fuses at the fuse box for example as in a domestic house its nothing like that.[/quote]

2 browns? WTF?

That must have done your head in mate

That's the thing though isn't it. You rolled the old sleeves up and learnt shed loads of stuff you can only learn the hard way.

Anyway, You're not going to believe this lads. You know I tweaked the truss bar last night? I've just had a play of the bass and it is playing a LOT better today.

It is only buzzing now on the d string on the 4th to 6th frets. There is also a bit of a loud tap on the D string. When I'm tuning it I hold down the 5th fret of the D string and pluck both the D and G string to tune it in. There is a loud tap from the D string. You probably have to be here to understand that load of old tosh

So it is better but I'll still pick your brains next week Andy to see if we can't get rid of that buzz all together. Cheers Mate.

Thanks all again. This has to be the friendliest forum on the Web

[stingrayPete1977]

In a way you are learning more by understanding how it all works in the real world. Ok so it's a bit of an unfortunate situation with your new bass but if you feel you can sort it with our help then in the future you will be tweaking and adjusting all your basses to your own taste rather than just to fix more obviously bad setups like the one your dealing with now. My Ray5 has a very slightly high 6th fret and rattles/buzzes quite a bit but once it's in the band mix it's no problem at all. A solo player or someone that likes a mega low action would need to have the frets dressed but most others would want it raising anyway and the problems would become even less of an issue.

Are you happy that the relief in the neck is ok now? Can you raise the D string saddle a little bit and still keep the strings following the freeboard curve?

[JayPH]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1202980' date='Apr 17 2011, 09:30 PM']In a way you are learning more by understanding how it all works in the real world. Ok so it's a bit of an unfortunate situation with your new bass but if you feel you can sort it with our help then in the future you will be tweaking and adjusting all your basses to your own taste rather than just to fix more obviously bad setups like the one your dealing with now. My Ray5 has a very slightly high 6th fret and rattles/buzzes quite a bit but once it's in the band mix it's no problem at all. A solo player or someone that likes a mega low action would need to have the frets dressed but most others would want it raising anyway and the problems would become even less of an issue.

Are you happy that the relief in the neck is ok now? Can you raise the D string saddle a little bit and still keep the strings following the freeboard curve?[/quote]

Thanks Pete.

The saddle for that string is quite high now and I'm concerned it's applying too much pressure in that area. Could be prone to snap. Mind you, I don't know how high is too high. I don't know what the fretboard curve is?

[MythSte]

[quote name='JayPH' post='1203496' date='Apr 18 2011, 12:31 PM']Thanks Pete.

The saddle for that string is quite high now and I'm concerned it's applying too much pressure in that area. Could be prone to snap. Mind you, I don't know how high is too high. I don't know what the fretboard curve is?[/quote]

Chris May (of overwater) describes it perfectly, a bass neck is not straight, but should be "ski" shaped. That is to say that around the 7th fret it starts ever so slightly bending inwards, towards the strings. A good way of measuring this bend is to hold down the string at the first and last fret and then seeing how big a gap there is under the string at the 12th fret. Ideally it should be around a mm (ish!).

How far away the strings are from the neck normally is totally down to personal preference, and is subject to change when you tweak the neck, so experiment with the bridge saddles and see what is comfortable. You can't really do any damage here but do watch your intonation - If you want an explaination of what that is then just ask!

[JayPH]

[quote name='MythSte' post='1203528' date='Apr 18 2011, 12:59 PM']Chris May (of overwater) describes it perfectly, a bass neck is not straight, but should be "ski" shaped. That is to say that around the 7th fret it starts ever so slightly bending inwards, towards the strings. A good way of measuring this bend is to hold down the string at the first and last fret and then seeing how big a gap there is under the string at the 12th fret. Ideally it should be around a mm (ish!).

How far away the strings are from the neck normally is totally down to personal preference, and is subject to change when you tweak the neck, so experiment with the bridge saddles and see what is comfortable. You can't really do any damage here but do watch your intonation - If you want an explaination of what that is then just ask![/quote]
Nice one Stephen

I'll try and heighten the sadle of that string even more and see if I can eradicate the buzz. I raised it a bit more before, it's not as high as I first thought. I think it could take a bit more height on.

Another thing I'm noticing is that when I play softer the strings dont buzz. I've never played a good Fender bass before and my style is a bit slappy. I'm trying to pluck the strings more than slapping my finger down on the strings so much.

I don't think it's completely about my playing style but I don't think it's helping with the current setup.

[Rayman]

Don't worry, it sounds to me like it's just a setup issue, I'm yet to buy a bass that didn't need my own setup doing on it first, with one exception actually, my Fleabass was perfect straight out of the box, not bad for a 300 quid beater.

If you're not happy doing a setup yourself, I'd leave it alone until a pro can look at it, you could make it worse if you don't know what you're doing. It's a quality bass, I really wouldn't worry at all, but I know it's frustrating. Deep breath, it'll be fine.

[JayPH]

[quote name='Rayman' post='1203899' date='Apr 18 2011, 06:17 PM']Don't worry, it sounds to me like it's just a setup issue, I'm yet to buy a bass that didn't need my own setup doing on it first, with one exception actually, my Fleabass was perfect straight out of the box, not bad for a 300 quid beater.

If you're not happy doing a setup yourself, I'd leave it alone until a pro can look at it, you could make it worse if you don't know what you're doing. It's a quality bass, I really wouldn't worry at all, but I know it's frustrating. Deep breath, it'll be fine.[/quote]

Cheers Rayman.

I'm sure you're right mate. It's already sounding much better. Probably just needs a tweak. It sounded bloody awful on Saturday. I was in a right old panic then. I've chilled a bit now after talking to the lads.

[JayPH]

Bass is all sorted lads.

I've had the bass looked at and things are pretty much as they should be now. Some slight buzz on some of the Frets on the D string but only when I really pluck the string hard. Can't notice it in normal play so it's happy days really.

Thanks for all your help lads. I've learnt a bit more about setting the bass up and enjoyed talking to you all.

Big thanks to Andy and Stephen too for offering to look at the bass for me.

All the best

John

[stingrayPete1977]

Good news mate