Bongo 5HH Buzz on open d, g and (high) b strings

[dan-the-axe-man]

Hi Guys, I am getting some buzzing on open d, g and b strings on my recently imported bongo 5hh and wondered if any of you could help me locate where its coming from. It is only occurring if I play the strings hard, and doesn't happen if I fret the string. It also stops if I apply pressure to the string above the nut.

Whats the best way to find out where this buzz is coming from?

Thanks, Dan.

 

[strummer]

Hi
Check the rielief in the neck. In sitting position, fret a string @ fret 1, use right elbow to press down string somewhere in the pick up area (so that it is fretted again @ fret 24) and then check if you have any space between string and fret #7. Too little space and your bass will buzz on low frets, too much and it might buzz on high frets (if the action is low).
To add relief turn spoke wheel counter clock wise.

It *could* also be that the strings aren't pressing down hard enough on the nut. Not common on ebmm basses, but still. You may want to check that the strings passing under the string tree actually gets pressed down by the tree. If not, call customer service, I think they still have some lower trees.

 

[adouglas]

What's a high B string?????

If I play really hard I can get buzz too. But that's not the point. Of course you're going to get buzz if you wail on the thing harder than you would in real life (i.e. amplified, playing normally).

Is there a real problem here?

If you're getting buzz playing as you normally would, then yes, check the relief. There's a full description of how to set up your bass, including proper measurements, in the EBMM FAQ (found, oddly enough, on the Ernie Ball home page, but not on the Music Man home page).

Also...this probably won't make any difference, but to ensure that there's maximum downward pressure on the strings as they cross the nut, check that they're wrapped around the post correctly...with the string departing the post at the bottom of the stack of windings, not the top.

Like this:

 

[Bill]

You may want to check that the strings passing under the string tree actually gets pressed down by the tree. If not, call customer service, I think they still have some lower trees.

That's what I was thinking, too. My 'Ray has done this in the past because the string was just barely touching the tree.

 

[TheDirtyMoocher]

if you're tuned to something higher than BEADG the strings might be loose in the nut and you'll need to get a new one cut

 

[bassmonkeee]

if you're tuned to something higher than BEADG the strings might be loose in the nut and you'll need to get a new one cut

That's what I was thinking, too. I've tuned my Bongo EADGC with flats and I didn't experience this problem, but I also made damn sure I had downward pressure on the string trees.