string/fret noise on upper frets

[matttimms]

Hello forum

I have a question for you all. I'm noticing a strange sound when pressing on the frets from above the 13th fret to the 24th. It's happening on each string but not every fret.

It's very hard to describe but when the bass isn't plugged in when you press on the string it makes a 'zingy' kinda of sound not a clear note. It's when you first press on the note and after that if you play the noteit will come through clear. It makes trying to to subtle notes high up or hammer ons a little awkward as you get this 'tinny' 'zing' when you first press on the notes.

I had the bass set up a week ago as the frets were buzzing quite a bit and I thought it may have been the problem but the 'zing' is still there after the set up.

I though it could be that its a new bass so the frets need to dull a little? Or maybe the strings are damaged slightly when the bass was first shipped to the store. Like they are possibly dented.

I don't think this is a normal sound so any help or advice would be great. I'm playing an Ibanez SR1200.

cheers,
Matt

[brensabre79]

Difficult to say without hearing it, but sometimes if your pickups are set too high it can cause some wierd harmonics on the higher frets - even unplugged. This is due to the magnetic field of the pickup interfering with the vibration of the string. It's most noticable up the top of the fretboard as the string gets closer to the pickup there. So lowering the pickups might be a place to start.

Another thing it could be is a high fret somewhere near the top end that is just catching the string slightly, but if you just had the bass set up by a good luthier (i.e. not just a guy in a guitar shop) they should have spotted this one already.

Otherwise a video or sound clip might help identify the problem.

Hope you get it fixed.

[Hobbayne]

Sounds like you may have a hump at the top of the neck. These are common in some Fenders. Take it a shop or luthier and have them look at it.

[Lozz196]

Pickups set too high would be my first area to look at. I usually find that if this is the case, play a note up there then bend the string - if the pickup is too high you get a weired flanging/phasing sort of sound.

[Twincam]

Is this possibly what i call back clank which normally effects frets 12 to 24. You fret a note and you get a weird zing/clank noise, this is the string hitting a lower fret which is not level or the neck has too little relief combined with a very low cut nut. You here the noise unamped but amped you wont hear it as the pickups only pick up the vibration from fretted note to bridge.

Recently i seen this on a hofner with a high 2nd fret and a low cut nut. so i leveled the frets, crowned and polished.

You can check 2 ways. 1st with a fret rocker. Or by fretting the notes where the noise is, leave the note fretted and look if the string is hitting any frets behind it can be any fret so check very carefully.

[matttimms]

Thanks for all the advise guys. I'm going to take it in to a techie on the weekend and hopefully the problem can be sorted.

[HowieBass]

Fret buzz at the dusty end always suggests a bit too much neck relief to me.