I cannot find much about bridge buzz but it can definitely be a thing.
I got my first bass 4 days ago (therefore, I’m almost as far from being an expert as possible) and asked for setup. Everything feels fine about it but initially I had buzz coming from my bridge (not my frets) when plucking the E string even when I tried to be soft.
In an attempt to fix it, I loosened the string until I could lift it, wiggled it and the saddle around, then tuned it again and now the buzz seems to be gone for the most part. I still get a tiny bit of it when plucking very close to the bridge, but it’s WAY better now.
My non-expert theory was and still is that the string somehow wasn’t seated firmly enough. (I checked the spring and everything, only pushing the string hard onto the saddle seemed to reduce the buzz before I “fixed” it.) (Also, I didn’t get a wrench for adjusting bridge height, so that’s a bit sad. SBMM SUBs don’t seem to come with tools.)
Bridge buzz seems to be much harder to find info on than fret buzz. Can you guys share your knowledge about it perhaps?
One of the things I have noticed when people talk about string changes is the treatment of the string at the bridge end. On my Strat or Les Paul I have always pushed down on the string at the saddle so that there is a good defined transition break for the string when it leaves the saddle. I have always felt that this seated the string better at the saddle. Not sure if this would also apply to Bass but I do not see a reason why it wouldn’t.
Just my opinion, take it or leave it for what it is worth to you.
That’s pretty much what I did as well when the E saddle started buzzing on my Ibanez. Don’t know why it started buzzing, or how exactly I “fixed” it, but it’s been ok since then.
It’s funny that we do some things like this automatically without giving it a second thought.
I guess I have been doing this for so long on my guitars and ukuleles that I just have not had a need to look for it. Do you have a link you could share that mentions this?
Bridge issues are quite interesting things.
A lot of the time a bridge/string issue is not something you can see, or see straight away.
I had an Aerodyne with loads of bridge noise issues. Changed the bridge, went away (after trying all sorts of wiggling). Some are just off or get just bent enough, etc.
I use Music Nomad Tune-It! on the bridge and saddle every time I change strings. This reduces metal to metal or metal to nut wear and lubes up the tuning process. I feel like it does enough that it is worth doing, and one tube will last you a few dozen string changes.
Do you guys think that lowering the bridge action might make this worse?
I think my bridge action might be too high. If I loosen the neck so that i bends enough not to rattle on low frets, the action at the 12th fret is super high. I think I do need the neck bend, but the bridge action might be 1 or even 2 mms too high.
