Weird rattle / fret buzz on 1 note only.

[1976fenderhead]

I have a 5-string bass that when I press the E string on the 6th fret (Bb note) it causes a buzz that sounds nastier than the usual fret buzz you get from low action or a tight neck, more like a rattle. It also seems to come from somewhere between the finger and the headstock. If I move the finger back in that position so that it's nearer to the 5th fret, the rattle stops. I assume that's because it goes over that fret with higher inclination, thus avoiding touching the other frets. I'm pretty sure it comes from the 4th fret, like maybe it's too tall, or the 5th is too shallow.

I called a famous bass shop in London and they said they wouldn't file or fix just one fret, they'd only level the whole fretboard at a cost of £70 or so!!! Is this standard???

Any luthier in London that would give me a hand with this? Seems like a quick easy job to me...?

[Ou7shined]

If you have a high fret then taking it down to the level of the others would mean just reworking the single fret, however if you have a low fret and you chose to stone rather than replace then all the others have to come down to it's level. It would be unfair to quote you for one fret only to find out you have a low one or that the you have a considerable amount of worn frets. Levelling the whole lot ensures that you've got the best out of your neck in a oner. However it's not as easy a job as you may think - quite a few things can go wrong in the wrong hands and you'll end up worse than you started out. £70 sounds fair to me... although I've had no personal dealings with this outlet and don't know if their standard of work reflects the price... I presume it does though.