string buzz with zero fret

[Woodinblack]

I have a Maruschyck Elwood 5, that just recently has got a string buzz on an open A string.

The string isn't particularly low (and hasn't changed). None of the other strings buzz, and it only buzzes at an open fret. With a non zero fret I would say the nut needed doing. What do you do about something with a zero fret?

It hasn't been played that much or had a hard life so not sure why it would be like this. I suppose I could raise the action on that string, but it is already the sort of height that I would want.

Any other ideas about what I could do about this?

[Al Krow]

I guess the options that come to mind are all the usual suspects:

1) different (new) A string?

2) raising the string height (maybe just a case of having to put up with it being a touch higher than you would like)?

3) increasing the neck curvature a touch.

If none of the above work:

4) changing the nut - think about one of the (ridiculously expensive) Warwick Just a Nut III that can be height adjusted at the nut as well as the bridge (allowing the neck to be kept straighter)

5)...get one of your Ibby's out and play that instead

[Woodinblack]

7 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

I guess the options that come to mind are all the usual suspects:

1) different (new) A string?

Oh - why did I not think of that - obviously the string is pressing against the fret and could have a flat. In fact more likely than the fret,

7 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

4) changing the nut - think about one of the (ridiculously expensive) Warwick Just a Nut III that can be height adjusted at the nut as well as the bridge (allowing the neck to be kept straighter)

Wouldn't make a difference in this case, as the nut doesn't affect the height when you have a zero fret does it? Its just stopping the strings going side to side. I was going to get one of those warwick adjustable nuts for a jazz bass once, but I didn't in the end.

7 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

5)...get one of your Ibby's out and play that instead

I did a gig with the prestige yesterday - I don't know why the barts in that are so dissimilar to the barts in others, but they sound awsome. 

 

[Al Krow]

Ok cool. If a new string does the trick than that's definitely the best outcome (no change in string height etc). Keep me posted!

Doesn't surprise me that you are getting a much better sound from your Prestige. My understanding is that the Prestige barts are a customised step up from the off the shelf barts in the 'standard' Ibby SRs - which are considered ok, but nothing special, whereas folk seem to really like the Prestige custom Barts and also the Premium series big single Nords.

Having said that, I found that my SR1206 has a more rounded warmer sound (which I really like) although it has same big Nordy singles as my 'goto' SR1800. And they are both in the same 'Premium' range. I'm putting the difference down to a mixture of the heavier construction of the 6 string and possibly an older version of the pre-amp in the 1206 (the most recent one in the 1800 allows for tone control on passive whereas the older one has a complete EQ bypass on passive). But perhaps, most importantly, down to a slightly older set of strings! So many tone variables on two notionally similar basses!

[Manton Customs]

It'll most likely be the relief that has changed a little bit. Take a little bit out and see if it improves things.

This happens on zero fret equipped basses when the zero fret is not higher than the rest. It's widely debated whether or not it should be higher, but in my experience it definitely should be. As if it's the same height as the first fret, it makes open strings very susceptible to buzz when the neck is straight.

When performing fretwork on instruments with zero frets, I like to level all frets except the zero fret. This gives that tiny extra bit of clearance whilst still keeping the same wire. 

 

[Woodinblack]

Problem with that idea is that the relief is fine across the whole neck apart from that string. In fact, it is what I would consider probably already on the high side.

I don't want to have to add a large amount of relief to the neck to make up for the deficiencies of one fret on one string. 

As per another thread where it was mentioned (The Maruszczyk thread), I think it is probably the nut having no break angle and the string wanting to come out of the nut.