Help with a problem please

[Phoney McRing Ring]

Hey there everyone.

 

I've recently been geting some very nasty buzz on the A string of my Six when played open. It only started yesterday but i can barley make out the note now its just metalic buzz.

 

I think it might have something to do with the action on that string, the action in genral is fairly low so i may have to raise it (but i don't know how to do that)

 

Has anyone ever come across this before? its weird because their new strings which have only been on for a week but this is pissing me off something special

 

Any help would be great

 

Much Love

Dave

[wraub]

As they are new strings, make sure that:

The strings fit the nut slots properly; and

the strings are properly wound on the tuning pegs; and

the nut is not cracked.

Any could be the culprit.

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[lug]

Make sure the string wraps DOWN the post of your tuning key so that as it leaves the tuning post, it's comming off the bottom.

[Phoney McRing Ring]

Cheers for that lads, i've descovered that the string is actually lying on the last three frets so i'll have a look at what u've said and see if it helps,cheers

 

Much Love

Dave

[jeremy c]

So you'll have to raise the action.

 

You'll need the proper size allen wrench. Which is also known as a hex key.

 

Every bassist and guitarist needs to know how to do this.

 

You can't hurt anything by raising or lowering the height of the strings at the bridge. Keep experimenting until you are comfortable with the result.

[wraub]

It is also likely that the new strings are of a different tension than the old, thereby putting a different amount of tension on the neck. This might cause the neck to backbow slightly, placing the strings closer to or on the fingerboard.

 

Perhaps a truss rod adjustment is in order.

But if you have not done this before, BE CAREFUL.

 

Better yet, see a luthier, and watch what they do to your bass, so you can do it yourself next time.

It is your bass, and Jeremy is correct, as usual.

Every player should know how to maintain their instrument.

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[ClarkW]

Originally posted by jeremyc:

You can't hurt anything by raising or lowering the height of the strings at the bridge. Keep experimenting until you are comfortable with the result.

Unless you crank the height up super-high while your strings are nice and taught. Could snap a string, so remember the procedure:

 

1) Detune string.

2) Adjust bridge height.

2) Tune string.

[...]

Originally posted by wraub:

It is your bass, and Jeremy is correct, as usual.

Every player should know how to maintain their instrument.

Totally. I finally stopped being a complete wuss and taking mine to Mr. Lull every time they needed an adjustment. I did a full setup on Ye Olde Hamer 12-string last weekend and it now plays like a friggin dream. It's amazing what reasonable action height can do for the playability of an instrument.