Unusual string height problem

[Ayse]

Well, they are too high. About 3.3 mm (slightly more than 4/32) at E-String and that is the minimum I have managed to reach. Relief of the neck is standard (as described in MM FAQ), perhpaps a little bit straighter
I can't lower the action, because the strings are starting to buzz AFTER 12th fret, but BEFORE 12th I can get really low action. What should I do?

I can make some photos if needed...

 

[tkarter]

Welcome to the forum.

Your best option would be to take it to a tech that knows what to look for.

Why I say that is because it sounds to me like you have the truss rod way out of whack.


IMHO

tk

 

[Golem]

Welcome to the forum.

Your best option would be to take it to a tech that knows what to look for.

Why I say that is because it sounds to me like you have the truss rod way out of whack. ........... IMHO ......... tk

I'm with TK but you can check something yourself. Could also be just one high fret. A rough test is to fret each string above the octave, maybe try starting at the 14th fret.

With no problem frets you would be able to fret with the left hand and feel the string clearance above the next couple of frets with your right hand. No tools needed. Just push the string at the next fret or two above the fretted note. You should feel the string move thru a small, even tiny, clearance before it hits the fret beneath your righthand finger. Listening [unplugged] also helps.

A high fret reveals itself by the lack of clearance when you fret the note just behind it. A fret can be high under just one string, not the whole 4 across. You can have more than one problem fret, but the whole test takes less than a half hour. The majority will be problem free, and so that will teach you what normal clearance feels like so you can notice where it's not right.

A high fret is not always higher than it is supposed to be. Sometimes it's really that the fret you're fretting with the left hand is worn down and not that the fret tested by the right hand has risen up.

 

[Figjam]

ALso, if they buzz above the 12th, you should generally straighten your truss rod, but with you id check the frets first.

 

[jongitarz]

He is right, but he left out one thing. if it buzzes above the 12th, straighten the neck, and raise the saddles.

 

[Figjam]

correct, no error in my post. Buzz above 12th = too much relief. Not many people know that.

 

[Golem]

Buzzkiller Buzzkiller

He is right, but he left out one thing. if it buzzes above the 12th, straighten the neck, and raise the saddles.

Cool. Sort of rocks that straight line [of the strings] down at the nut and up at the bridge, and hopefully kills the buzz ... a good thing in this context .... yet lowers the overall action in the process. 3.3mm is pretty high. Even if it comes down some in the process, I don't think it's gonna feel as ez2play as one should expect of a MusicMan. IOW, I think it may not get down to even 2.5mm. Just some pessimistic speculation. Maybe it will go well.

Now I'm thinking it's sometimes odd how buzz can be such a buzz killer.

 

[tkarter]

Relief of the neck is standard (as described in MM FAQ), perhpaps a little bit straighter,

The reason I did not say tighten the truss rod. None of my MM basses need less relief than per the Faq to have a really low action. Over tightned truss rods just scare me.

tk

 

[BigBallz]

The reason I did not say tighten the truss rod. None of my MM basses need less relief than per the Faq to have a really low action. Over tightned truss rods just scare me.
tk

Sort of like a wound up wife...ya never know when they will snap.....

 

[bovinehost]

Bunch of girls. I have been in wrestling matches with truss rods and haven't busted one yet.

*knocking on Ikea version of wood*

Jack

 

[jongitarz]

This is why I don't get involved with setup questions on the forum.

 

[TSanders]

This is why I don't get involved with setup questions on the forum.

Eh, whatta you know anyway? Its not like you do this kinda stuff on EBs for a living.

 

[tkarter]

In my mind feeble as it is that is the reason take it to a GOOD tech is the best advice.

tk

 

[bovinehost]

This is why I don't get involved with setup questions on the forum.

Yup.

1. Too many variables.
2. If you take my advice and your bass explodes, I'm not going to buy you a new one.
3. Can't get my eyeballs on the whole situation.

Jack

 

[cheezewiz]

Bunch of girls. I have been in wrestling matches with truss rods and haven't busted one yet.

*knocking on Ikea version of wood*

Jack

Yep. Me too. I love it when you get a used bass from somewhere, and it comes with the strings 3/4" off the board. Truss wrestling time!

 

[Ayse]

Well, I thank you all! I'll tighten the truss-rod. I hope this will help...
Otherwise, I should start looking for a good repairman. It's rather difficult here, in Moscow (yes, it is in Russia)

Somehow, I'm starting to think that it is a problem of my nut. It is around 1 mm at the first fret of E-string. It seems to be abnormaly high to me.

 

[jongitarz]

Remember...After you tighten the trussrod, you will need to raise the saddles a bit. Trust me, unless there is a fret problem this will work.

 

[radiotrib]

Yep. Me too. I love it when you get a used bass from somewhere, and it comes with the strings 3/4" off the board. Truss wrestling time!

You mean 3/4" is high ?? .. no wonder I couldn't get my strings to slap properly ... tee hee ....

But seriously Ayse. After travelling in airplanes back and forth between Holland and Borneo and then Holland/Nigeria for many many years, and finally settling down in Holland for 10 years, my neck has taken tempreature and humidity hits to frighten steel never mind wood ....

So the truss rod has had to take some serious readjustment recently .. and I'm still working on it now .. It's bee around 6 weeks so far, and I'm still going .. slowly slowly .. tweak and feel ...play for a day or so .. then tweeak and feel ... adjusting the bridge saddles each time to get the best string height, then play and listen ... then all over again.

You don't say how old your guitar is, but with the 3-bolt necks there's the neck angle adjustment to set too ... I didn't know about that until very recently ...

 

[Ayse]

Now I'm working on it... reajusting, reajusting... and then a little more... But I'm statring to think anout buying another Stingray...
PS I have a new one, made in 2005... Damn Guitar Center! I will never buy anything from them...