Funky Dunky Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Mine is really buzzy/rattley/zingy/clackey and a nightmare to control. I changed the strings to Dunlop Super Brights, which are nickel, but it hasn't helped one bit. I have the same strings on my Squier and have no such problems. Is there any chance the frets/fretwire could be a factor? I'm really struggling to eliminate or even minimise the unwanted handling noises on this bass. I'm fairly confident it's not my technique, as I have no such problems with my Squier. I have made numerous tweaks and finally got the action to a nice playable place, albeit with a bit more buzzing than I would like above the 12th fret, but I'm having what feels like an insane amount of handling noise all over the neck. I would try roundwounds but I play a lot of slap. Would halfwounds help any? Anyone have similar problems with these (or any) basses? Any tips, suggestions or solutions? Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I have a sub Ray 5, so not quite the same, but haven't had any similar issues, if anything I find it just the opposite, compared to my squier. I just have budget roundwounds on mine though, so a bit different. Not much help, sorry, but maybe there is something about your setup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 Quite possibly. I'm trying to find a gap in my schedule to get it to a very generous BCer who has kindly offered to set it up for me. It's driving me crackers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Do these unwanted sounds exist when you play it unplugged - if they do then it's obviously a set-up issue. Buzzing all along the neck is usually due to too low an action and buzzing at the dusty end is usually because the neck has a bit too much relief. I could be wrong here but I seem to remember other owners commenting on the character of the onboard preamp; notably the way it emphasises treble (and not in a particularly helpful way) when boosted which might be adding to the buzz/rattle/clack you're hearing when you're amped up. I know some people have swapped out the stock preamp for a Retrovibe Stinger preamp which is reputed to be much closer to the original Stingray sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 Not so much when unplugged, no. The truss rod, if anything, has very little relief, and the action is not über-low. Indeed, the stick preamp is awful and cannot handle the output of the pickup, which is a disgrace in my opinion. Sterling must know about this as even the earliest reviews of the Sub Ray basses mentioned it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 It is present when unplugged but not nearly as bad as when plugged in. Trying to slide up or down the neck is utterly hellish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Check for a lifted frets. I had one which had this and a touch of super glue on the offending fret and it was good. I also read a review of one that had a lifted fret too. The consensus in the review was that, due to the shipping from Indonesia, via the U.S. to our damp shores resulted in too many humidity/temp changes, thus the lifted frets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I really didn't get on with Dunlop SuperBrights, way too zingy and pingy - they may be exacerbating whatever underlying issues there are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 How does one check for lifted frets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 [quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1427670243' post='2732967'] How does one check for lifted frets? [/quote] I'd go with a visual inspection (esp. the fret ends), a good check to see if they flex when pressed, a fret level check, followed by a tap test. All the frets should sound pretty much the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolomonHelsing Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 (edited) I found that running a fingernail down the frets works, generally anything that it can dig well into is bad enough to cause fret buzz. Least that's what I found when I discovered what was wrong with my Kit jazz bass neck, a lifted fret at the 14th fret for the E and A strings, But YMMV and all that. But as Plunger said a visual inspection would pick that up aswell, just once I could not for the life of me spot it, so I tried that haha. Edited March 29, 2015 by SolomonHelsing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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