rattle near head

Hutzbordello · #1 02-04-2011, 04:53 PM

there is a slight rattle near the headstock of my bass when playing, it happens on all strings but is more noticable with the.

maybe needs to be tightened but i dont see anything rattling or moving so i hope its not the truss rod? i really dont know so its a shot in the dark. maybe a tuner is loose its really hard to tell. but its by the nut. and i made sure the string was in there securely.

its more noticeable when im playing with my fingers and pulling out from the back of the string as opposed to the front of. by the back i mean the side of the string that is pulling it away from the nut, the side of the body of the bass.

so its just one string, near the head, pulling the string makes it more noticable, and everything seems tight.

no idea

edit: when i put my hand around the nut and head it seems to stop

HillBillyWannaB · #2 02-04-2011, 07:32 PM

Probably one of your tuners is loose. Just feel them while your playing and see if one is rattling.

prd004 · #3 02-04-2011, 07:35 PM

Second the tuner. I had a defective one on my Mike Lull bass did the same thing. Of course Mike gave put a brand new one on!

kb9wyz · #4 02-04-2011, 07:41 PM

I have a similar issue on one of my basses. Nothing is loose and the sound doesn't come through the pups, so I haven't worried about it.

BoRadBass · #5 02-04-2011, 07:46 PM

Next time you replace the strings cut them longer so that they wrap around the tuning post more times and lower. They will then place more pressure from the string on the nut and likely make the rattle go away !!!!!! This is a common problem with the "A" string on basses with a 4- inline tuning headstock.

walterw · #6 02-04-2011, 10:17 PM

look at the big hex nuts holding the tuners onto the headstock; one might be loose, allowing the washer under it to rattle.

Hutzbordello · #7 02-04-2011, 10:59 PM

i tightened them all, or i tried to

they are all pretty tight

i did hit my headstock on my amp though so it may be a part inside the tuner.

also i play an esp ex-104 and they are really small, so esp stock tuners if that helps

i did tune it today and i dont think its broken i mean it worked, hope it doesnt get worse