B-string problem?

[thumbray]

How is your sustain on the D note (3rd fret on B-string) on your Stingray 5?
Mine is bad, it dies quite quickly.
I've owned two Stingray 5 in the past and I own one now. All of them had same problem.
It's really annoying 'cause the band is playing drop D.

 

[nervous]

Just checked mine and it rings as clear and as long as any other note on both that string and others. The only thing I'd offer, especially given the consistency with which you find it is to recheck the relief settings. What action height are you set up to or prefer?

Every bass brand I have ever owned reacted a bit differently to the relationship of relief to bridge saddle/string heights. This was no different. When I first get a new bass I always test the lowest limits of practical, buzz free action using both the relief and saddle heights. With mine I did find that once I crossed a certain point with either some notes would buzz sooner and some notes, especially on the B string would choke out. No frets were really high enough to cause me a concern yet these are simply areas along the neck that won't allow me to go any lower than I currently am which is just slightly higher than I prefer, but I have made the concession and adjustment.

Just make sure all those things are where they should be first.

I have also had loose frets cause odd things but that was a real rarity in my experience and certainly would not be present across three different basses. Nor would a high 4th fret on the B string. That could also kill a note but I don't how you would have the same issue on three different basses.

 

[sanderhermans]

I would also check if your bass is set up right... if so and the problem is still there then check if the frets are level.Faults in fret levels can often be heard best on the thickest strings because these vibrate a bit more... i give my basses a setup about once or twice a year. I do set the action a bit higher then ebmm recomends. I find that the recomended seting is pretty low and you get fret buzz really fast if you play hard.

 

[nervous]

If you don't already have it here is the link to the EBMM FAQ setup page:

How do I set up my Music Man bass?

First check relief in the neck by holding the lowest string down on the 2nd fret with your fretting (left) hand. Then, hold the same string down on the 12th fret with your plucking thumb and tap on the string in the middle to see how straight the neck is. There should be no more than the thickness of a business card between the string and the frets. If there is no relief in the neck, a little pressure in the middle of the neck (after adjusting the trussrod wheel) should help.

Factory String heights for a 4 string bass are: Bass side 3/32" to 7/64" Treble side: 5/64" to 7/64" from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the string. The rest of the strings should have the radius of the fretboard when looking at the top of the string, (with the A string hidden from view by the E string, etc.), rotating the bass at the same time. The "right" string height is, of course, ultimately determined by your playing style.

The same holds true for 5 string basses except the low B is set to 7/64"

 

[thumbray]

I've tried adjusting the relief without any success with the B-string. Action is higher but the string dies as quickly as before.
I'm sending it to a tech later this month.
Thanks for your help!

 

[nervous]

I've tried adjusting the relief without any success with the B-string. Action is higher but the string dies as quickly as before.
I'm sending it to a tech later this month.
Thanks for your help!

That's unfortunate and I'll be curious what you eventually find. Good luck in getting it sorted.

 

[sanderhermans]

I've tried adjusting the relief without any success with the B-string. Action is higher but the string dies as quickly as before.
I'm sending it to a tech later this month.
Thanks for your help!

I cant imagine it would be anny other problem than a high fret then.

 

[thumbray]

The bass is now on its way to a good tech. I give you guys an update later when I got more information.
Well anyway, the bass is made '89 so its been around a while.

 

[nervous]

The real curiosity in your result is not just the issue with what you currently have but if that could then be reasonably applied to you other two with the identical condition.

 

[liverbird]

The bass is now on its way to a good tech. I give you guys an update later when I got more information.
Well anyway, the bass is made '89 so its been around a while.

An '89 SR5... nice! What's the colour?

 

[thumbray]

The real curiosity in your result is not just the issue with what you currently have but if that could then be reasonably applied to you other two with the identical condition.

Yeah, but the other two where also '89 and '90. So I may had bad luck or its due to its age and climate here in Sweden..?

 

[thumbray]

An '89 SR5... nice! What's the colour?

Black with rosewood fretboard.

 

[Golem]

I cant imagine it would be anny other problem than a high fret then.

I have an idea about how to confirm suspicion of a high fret,
but I've never tried this [just a new thought just now].

You need a bit of metal shim stock, brass or possibly maybe
aluminum, to raise the fret that, when fretted, sounds a poor
note from the B-string. You temporarily apply this shim onto
that fret, so that the suspected high fret above it is now not
high enuf to be a problem. If the note now plays well played
from the temporarily elevated fret, then BINGO, yup there's
a high fret upstream of the fret in that normally plays poorly.

If thaz a workable idea, any further comment on how to work
it most reliably etc etc would certainly be welcome. If it's a
diagnostic trick that almost anyone can perform, it might be
worth a forum stickie

 

[nervous]

What was the outcome of the time spent with the tech? I was playing my HS live this past Saturday and actually noticed a very similar phenomena. Surprised. Not sure if it's the bass, the sonic nature and wave cancelling in the room but I had not experienced that before.