Highway 1 Precision - rattle... but from where?!

shadewind · #1 08-23-2010, 06:42 AM

I hear a rattling sound when playing close to the bridge on the A string (loudest on the second and third fret) and it seems to be coming from somewhere between the neck/body joint and the headstock. The rattling is gone when playing on an open A string.

I'm sure it's not fret buzz and it remains the same no matter how much I adjust the truss rod (though I can't say if it's the truss rod or not). Can anyone help me with this mysterious rattling? If it helps, I can say that it sounds a bit wooden, not that "bright".

Frankjohnson · #2 08-23-2010, 06:46 AM

Could be loose truss rod - no tension on it?

TGLbass · #3 08-23-2010, 11:47 AM

Try putting your finger on the spring that is over the intonation screw--(any of them or all) these will rattle if they are not spread out enough to be pushing on the saddle and the back of the bridge.

okcrum · #4 08-23-2010, 12:34 PM

^^^^

What he said. You'll hear a buzz if you have a loose saddle height screw, too.

I'd check the neck to body bolts first and then go from there. You'll find something that kills the buzz off when you touch it.

shadewind · #5 08-23-2010, 01:48 PM

It's not coming from the bridge, I've checked that. I have tightened the neck bolts as well so it's nothing there.

But I think I'll take it to a local luthier and have him take a look at it.

RTL · #6 08-23-2010, 01:54 PM

You can also get a rattle if there aren't enough wraps around the tuner shaft (not enough pressure on the nut).

I had the same thing happen on a Precision I bought recently, where the guy cut the strings too short and decided to string it that way anyway.

shadewind · #7 08-23-2010, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTL

You can also get a rattle if there aren't enough wraps around the tuner shaft (not enough pressure on the nut).

I had the same thing happen on a Precision I bought recently, where the guy cut the strings too short and decided to string it that way anyway.

That's not it since the sound does not change when I put pressure on the string behind the nut.

mellowgerman · #8 08-23-2010, 02:11 PM

i had the exact same problem (same frets and everything) a few years ago. It turned out, much to my disbelief, to be one of the flat "elephant ear" parts of one of the tuning machines that was ever so slightly loose and would rattle under resonance of certain notes. I could have swore it was coming from the body of the bass, but that is what it was. New tuner and the problem was solved.
Check it out... might be as simple as that... maybe not though :/