Rattling A String

[ML94]

Hey guys

I bought this Fender Jazz brand new and never noticed it until a few days that the Bb on the 1st fret of the A string rattles. I tried the other 1st frets on E,D,G strings and they were all fine. Also when I pluck it a little harder it does rattle, again I tried this with the others they were fine.

Next what I did was start to adjust the bridge with the Allen keys that came with the bass. Nothing done. If so it rattles even more. Now what I discovered was the 1st fret of the D string rattles now not a good sign.

Is there anything I can do to make it play rather me giving it to a professional. I already have a set-up booked but just wanted to know if there's anything I can do to save a bit of Dosh.

ML

[BassBus]

It's always a good idea to have a new bass set up professionally after you buy it. Factory settings are always a compromise because we all want something different. String gauge, action height, you name it. You could tweak the trus rod a bit which might help. Plenty of videos on youtube telling you how to do that. But I would have it professionally set up.

[gjones]

I've learned to set up my bass myself via youtube vids and trial and error. As long as there's nothing fundamentally wrong with your bass then it's not too difficult. If you have a setup booked then leave it to the professional and he'll confirm the bass is ok and just needs a setup. But next time you feel the bass needs set up to your liking I recommend you try it yourself.

Edited September 1, 2012 by gjones

[ML94]

I think I should leave to him. Don't really want to ruin the bass I wanted for ages

[darkandrew]

Generally speaking, if the strings buzz on the lower frets then this is often caused by not having enough neck relief - ie. the truss rod is too tight. If you hold the 1st string down on the first and last frets simultaniously, does it also touch all the frets in between? You should have about 1/3 - 1/2 mm (about the width of a business card) gap between the string and the fret halfway between the two points, if you haven't then I'd try loosening the truss rod by about 1/4 turn. Having said all that, it took me about 10 years of playing and mucking about with guitars before I summoned up enough courage to explore the effects of adjusting the truss rod, so if you're not comfortable doing this yourself then take it to a reputable luthier. By the way, where are you based?

[Silvia Bluejay]

I agree with Darkandrew. Also, remember that it may take several days for a tweak in the truss rod to have its full effect, and seasonal changes in temperature and humidity will affect the setup.
Best to learn how to perform a setup yourself (truss rod, pickup height, string action, string height at the nut - if adjustable - and intonation): depending on the quality and type of bass*, you may find yourself needing to set it up every 2-3 months.

Edit: *and type of strings

Edited September 5, 2012 by bluejay

[brensabre79]

I usually find even changing the strings to the same make and type needs a little tweak here and there. Not usually the truss rod, but the bridge intonation definitely. It will save you a lot of time, hassle and money over the years if you can do a basic set-up yourself, and it can be fun if you get into it. Also, as you don't have to describe what you want to somebody you can often get the bass set up just how you like it after a bit of experimentation.