Diagnosing Problems with Composite Chordophones
From “Strings & Maintenance¨ in The Bass Handbook
Sometimes a full set-up still leaves problems. […] this […] will help you communicate any potential problems to the experts and let you understand their diagnosis.
Consequently, based on the above, it is helpful to highlight some common diagnoses (Ashton 2005, 68):
| symptom | diagnosis | cure/treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Buzzing at fret locations | Isolated high/low frets | Frets lowered to equal height, then re-profiled to retain original rounded profile |
| Incorrect register, chords slightly out of tune, faulty intonation | Faulty string(s) or limitations of standard nut design | New string(s) or fitting a compensated nut |
| Noisy, scratchy sounding controls or crackly jack socket | Worn or dirty contact surfaces | Clean with electrical cleaner (e.g., Servisol), or replace pot/jack |
| Large imbalance between pickups or no sound output | Wiring fault or faulty pickup | Changing the pickups |
| Lifeless note at certain spots in the fingerboard / fretboard | Dead spots with unfavorable resonance | Increasing mass at the headstock, using a clamp at the headstock to move the dead spot, or using brass plates shaped and fitted to the headstock |
string strings composite_chordophone strummed_string_instrument plucked_string_instrument compensated_nut dead_spot chordophone_pickups string_instrument_pickups composite_chordophone_frets strummed_string_instrument_frets plucked_string_instrument_frets composite_chordophone_headstock strummed_string_instrument_headstock plucked_string_instrument_headstock bass guitar bass_guitar musicology
bibliography
- Morrish, John, ed. “Strings & Maintenance.” In The Bass Handbook: A Complete Guide for Mastering the Bass Guitar, 1st ed., 55–70. San Francisco, CA: BackBeat, 2005.