Bad setup or Bad technique?

[Twincam]

Wasn't sure which part of the forum to post this to be honest.

Anyhow I am able to in general setup a bass with a fairly decent action. Except for the E string this applies to any bass ive owned i get to much fret buzz on just the E string for my liking. I do dislike all but a little amount of buzz and often it does not come through the amp but i can still hear it on occasion. And my setup tends to have the e string a little higher than i would like at around 3 mm at the 12th.

Is this because of a bad setup or technique or maybe both?. As i have no problem playing with a low action on any other string without the buzz. I have played others basses but i did so with the utmost respect so i was very gentle so i can't say how i do with a different setup.
Just to add when playing with flatwounds i have had no problems getting a good low action and no fret buzz.

[Thunderbird]

If it was me I would take it to a good tech for a set up it is always better when a pro does it that should cure the problem I think your issue is more set up related than anything else

[JTUK]

Might be a question of tension in the strings, but assuming the bass has a decent neck
I think it should be easy to set up with a low action.
Don't know what your technique is like but the quieter and more precise it is, the easier it is to get away
with a low action.

[HowieBass]

You don't say where the fret buzz is occurring; if it's along the whole neck for a string then generally the action is too low; if it buzzes nearer the nut you have too little relief; if it buzzes up nearer the dusty end then you have too much relief. So, first off I'd say check what relief you have and adjust if needed. Next you need to check the nut slot heights, they might well be too shallow so that's compromising your set-up and I think often basses come with poorly cut nut slots. Only then can you adjust the saddles to achieve the action you're after and string heights will depend on the fingerboard radius. Fender offer a good set-up guide here http://www.fender.com/en-GB/support/articles/bass-guitar-setup-guide/

[paulbass]

It could be the neck. Either there is a slight bow or twist in it OR it may need a shim to pull it back. This is assuming that the bridge is set up properly.

[Twincam]

Yeah but it happens in every bass I've set up. So not a neck twist.
The buzzing tends to be equal along the length of the neck. The nut is cut too high be about half a mm. So if that was cut right that would help a little.

I do play hard and I tend to practice un amped so I thought maybe I've trained myself to play harder than I should. And I tend to really bounce the e string.

I don't mind playing with a higher action. As I prefer the sound but it seems I have no middle ground its either high action no fret buzz or low action and lots of. If I try a medium action I can't find a happy medium in tone.

Just to say tho I've watched many vids and players who say there bass is set up low and perfect and no fret buzz and when they play i can hear fret buzz. Maybe I'm overly sensitive to it.

[Damonjames]

At first guess, I'd say you just need more relief in the neck. When you say you "set up" your own basses, does that include truss rod adjustment? I dig in pretty hard, and have had to put a little
More tension on the truss rod on occlusion to clear the issue. You will have to deal with higher action on the skinny frets as a result, but at least you can play with a reasonable action where you will be spending most of your time.

[HowieBass]

I'd bet that getting the nut slot depths correct will improve the set-up and improve playability all round and you're correct in assuming that playing unamplified really isn't the way to go; we have amps for a reason so if you have to be mindful of how noisy you are when practising then get an amp with a headphone output and listen on cans; you'll probably dig in less and what previously seemed to be excessive fret buzz will disappear.

[Lozz196]

Truss-rod adjusment alert!!

I used to have this, either too high no rattle, or nice and low, with plenty. Now I`ve tinkered around on truss rods, I know the relief in the neck I want by sight, and then set the action accordingly, again by sight.I then get the saddles to all look like they are at equal height, bearing in mind neck-radius, then adjust to how high/low required. I`ve had a good few people comment on the low action I have on my basses (which astounded me as I always thought I had high action as I tend to be a hard-hitter). And it all came from learning about neck-relief/truss-rod adjustment. Before I could never get anywhere near what I wanted.

All that said, I`m no way as good as a pro however, far from it - whenever I`ve taken my basses to Terry Chapman of TJC Guitars I marvel at them when he gives me them back. He does a proper job!

[Thunderbird]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1404558922' post='2493704']
Truss-rod adjusment alert!!

I used to have this, either too high no rattle, or nice and low, with plenty. Now I`ve tinkered around on truss rods, I know the relief in the neck I want by sight, and then set the action accordingly, again by sight.I then get the saddles to all look like they are at equal height, bearing in mind neck-radius, then adjust to how high/low required. I`ve had a good few people comment on the low action I have on my basses (which astounded me as I always thought I had high action as I tend to be a hard-hitter). And it all came from learning about neck-relief/truss-rod adjustment. Before I could never get anywhere near what I wanted.

All that said, I`m no way as good as a pro however, far from it - whenever I`ve taken my basses to Terry Chapman of TJC Guitars I marvel at them when he gives me them back. He does a proper job!
[/quote] I agree I bought a bass from Lozz and the set up was just as liked it played great

[icastle]

The other thing of course is that you might be setting the action too low if you have a tendency to 'dig in' whilst playing.

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Having come back to playing after a very long break, I noticed that I was getting buzz on the E & B strings (5 string) and the issue was the larger diameter and mass of the strings required more accuracy from me in terms of finger tip position and pressure when fretting and not plucking too hard to get the notes to play cleanly whereas I could get away with being a bit sloppy on the A,D,G.

Maybe it would be a good idea to find a good teacher or experienced BCer who can look at both your setup and playing technique in person, and help identify the issues and offer some solutions.

[Grangur]

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1404565020' post='2493783']
Having come back to playing after a very long break, I noticed that I was getting buzz on the E & B strings (5 string) and the issue was the larger diameter and mass of the strings required more accuracy from me in terms of finger tip position and pressure when fretting and not plucking too hard to get the notes to play cleanly whereas I could get away with being a bit sloppy on the A,D,G.

Maybe it would be a good idea to find a good teacher or experienced BCer who can look at both your setup and playing technique in person, and help identify the issues and offer some solutions.
[/quote]

Agreed; find a local, experienced BCer.
If memory serves, Twincam isn't flushed with resources right now so a fellow BCer would be great.

You could also go try a bass in a shop and see if the basses there all appear to have the same problem. Then you'd know its your playing.

[BILL POSTERS]

I do my own mainly, more by trial and error than knowing what I'm talkig about. But if it was me I'd try temporarily putting a little sliver of plastic sheet or something like that under the E string in the nut. If it helps...you got the answer.

[Grangur]

[quote name='BILL POSTERS' timestamp='1404574237' post='2493863']
I do my own mainly, more by trial and error than knowing what I'm talkig about. But if it was me I'd try temporarily putting a little sliver of plastic sheet or something like that under the E string in the nut. If it helps...you got the answer.
[/quote]
Surely a low-cut E string slot in the nut would only be the cure if the fret-buzz was only when playing open strings?

[HowieBass]

Whereabouts do you strike the strings? The further you move away from the bridge the more all of the strings and especially the E will deflect and possibly create unacceptable fret buzz. Try playing closer to the bridge; it'll sound different but you'll find the string has less compliance there so it won't 'flap about' so much when you play hard.

[Skybone]

I was once informed by a Guitar Tech, that the reason my bass had fret buzz was...

"You're playing too hard".

[kerley]

You can't really have it both ways. You can't have a really low action and play with a heavy handed approach so I would say style of playing rather than technique is not helping if you want the lowest action the bass could get away with.

I like a really low action but I play softly. If I hit the strings hard with a pick then I will get noise from the fretboard and would need to raise it if that was how I played.

[Twincam]

Ok so turns out I've been hitting the strings way too hard!.
I readjusted my bass for a fairly standard setup and cut the nut myself and did an ok job got an ok action out of it.
Before as said before I practiced alot unamped which in order to hear things I naturally played harder which is abit wrong as its not an acoustic. So I kind of self taught my right hand to play naturally this way. So basically I've backed right off and been practicing with a light touch. But I'm getting a little bit off clacking now and then so need to work on this. But its improved my sound. I have noticed I can hear my fretting hand noises coming through much more.