Rattleing strings never rattled before.

Astrodude55 · #1 12-07-2009, 10:34 AM

I don't know if this goes here but, I took my strings off to clean my fret board and now all the strings bounce off the frets and rattle, before it was only the E string. The strings are way too close to the neck so I checked to see if the neck was curved, but I can't tell. Would I need to adjust the truss rod and do a little intonation work and adjust the sattles or buy new strings?

xhawk5 · #2 12-07-2009, 10:42 AM

First make sure where the rattle comes from. It could also be the NUT!! If they are filed too close, it'll rattle BEFORE the fretting finger.
Check neck for proper relief. Weather changes it extremely. Keep it strung and in the case whenever possible. Good luck.
Hawk

jchrisk1 · #3 12-07-2009, 05:13 PM

Press down on top of the first and thirteenth fret pin. At around the ninth or tenth fret pin, you should have about a business card space between the bottom of the string and the top of the fret pin. This is how i do a quick neck relief check. It could also be the nut, as mentioned above, or the string height at the bridge saddles. But, it sounds like your neck is bent. Probably from changes in climate.

Astrodude55 · #4 12-09-2009, 08:17 AM

Could be. I straightened up the neck and messed with the saddle height, but it rattled around the tenth or thirteenth fret. What would I do to mix the bend in that area? Should I put a heater near the neck or what?

ProfGumby · #5 12-09-2009, 09:40 AM

To me it sounds like you just need a proper set up. try this link for more answers than you can shake a stick at -
ALL BASIC SETUP QUESTIONS ANSWERED HERE

It is also wise to maybe have a set up done at the local shop this time if you truly feel there is a problem with the neck. Or if you know someone who does their own setups, maybe they can guide you on yours? But beware, each person has their own personal preference of what is the best set up, based on what they like. My idea of a good set up (string height/neck relief) might be different from yours....

stflbn · #6 12-09-2009, 09:47 AM

You straightened the neck to much, and lowered your saddles to much.

Astrodude55 · #7 12-09-2009, 10:01 AM

I adjusted them after they started to rattle. The strings were in full contact with the neck, no spacing between them. Now, as stated before they contact the fret markers somewhere between the tenth and thirteenth frets. I also read those articles in the sticky before making this thread. Also, I believe my strings are too bendy. They feel too loose when I practice. Could that also cause the rattleing I'm hearing?

stflbn · #8 12-09-2009, 10:04 AM

Did you tune the strings up to normal 440 tuning after putting them on?

Astrodude55 · #9 12-09-2009, 10:09 AM

I believe so. I tuned it by ear since my tuner can't get a decent reading.

stflbn · #10 12-09-2009, 10:12 AM

I bet you're tuned way low.

One good way around that problem is only replacing one string at a time when changing strings

On both of my basses with low action, if I replace all the strings at the same time, the strings only start to clear the frets once they're up to normal tuning that the bass is set up for. Both of those are setup with very low Nut height and low bridge saddles.

Astrodude55 · #11 12-09-2009, 10:15 AM

Do you know what the "normal" tuning for an Ibanez GSR 200 is set up for?

levis76 · #12 12-09-2009, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stflbn

I bet you're tuned way low.

+100.

Keep it simple. The strings didn't rattle that much before you took them off. You tuned by ear and now they rattle like crazy? You're tuning is off. Until you made changes to the overall setup by tweaking the neck tension, the instrument didn't change by itself in the time it took you to clean the neck. Best advice I can give at this point would be to find one of the great how to guides available on this forum and follow it step by step, or take it to a shop and get it setup for around $50. Personally, I prefer to do my own setup that way it's just the way I want it, but if you don't know what your doing you could end up with an almost unplayable mess of an instrument and a whole bunch of frustration.

levis76 · #13 12-09-2009, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astrodude55

Do you know what the "normal" tuning for an Ibanez GSR 200 is set up for?

E A D G ?

S. Katz · #14 12-09-2009, 10:46 AM

Did you take ALL of your strings off at the same time to clean your fretboard? If so, taking the tension off the truss rod can warp the neck. Even if you're changing all of your strings at one sitting, change them one by one, tuning the new string before taking the tension off the next old one.

Astrodude55 · #15 12-09-2009, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S. Katz

Did you take ALL of your strings off at the same time to clean your fretboard? If so, taking the tension off the truss rod can warp the neck. Even if you're changing all of your strings at one sitting, change them one by one, tuning the new string before taking the tension off the next old one.

I did. I didn't know..

levis76 · #16 12-09-2009, 12:01 PM

Taking off all of the strings will NOT warp your neck. If you took all but one, say the E or the G and left it for a few weeks in a nice humid environment, then sure, you may do some damage. If it was as simple as removing all of the strings, how would you propose a luthier would refret a neck or install a nut or replace pick ups or any other major work that one might have done? This is a myth that should not be spread around any more than it already has. Your neck is not warped because you removed your strings, you just need a good setup is all.

stflbn · #17 12-09-2009, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astrodude55

Do you know what the "normal" tuning for an Ibanez GSR 200 is set up for?

440 by a normal digital type tuner. (Standard Tuning)

And as stated above by others, the neck on your bass is not going to warp in a few minutes or couple of hours by having the strings all off. Start by getting the bass tuned up to normal pitch. Hopefully any truss rod or bridge saddle adjustments you've made since then will not keep you from being able to at least accomplish this. If not, then you're probalby going to have to take it to someone who knows what they're doing before you do real damage to the bass.

Astrodude55 · #18 12-09-2009, 12:56 PM

I just completely removed the strings yesterday and they've been off since, but I'll place the E string back on and tune that to see if it still rattles.

Vakmere · #19 12-09-2009, 01:22 PM

You dont have a tuner? How can you not have a tuner? Go get a tuner and tune it....my God, I'll send you one.

S. Katz · #20 12-09-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by levis76

Taking off all of the strings will NOT warp your neck. If you took all but one, say the E or the G and left it for a few weeks in a nice humid environment, then sure, you may do some damage. If it was as simple as removing all of the strings, how would you propose a luthier would refret a neck or install a nut or replace pick ups or any other major work that one might have done? This is a myth that should not be spread around any more than it already has. Your neck is not warped because you removed your strings, you just need a good setup is all.

It's not an urban myth at all. Note that I said "can" warp you rneck, not "will" warp your neck. It depends on how the truss rod is adjusted, and the load that it alone places on the neck when the balancing pressure of strings is removed. Unless you know for sure that your setup will not warp the neck with all strings off, you are taking a chance.

Also note that Astrodude's problem isn't a visibily-warped neck, but fret rattle, which can result with even a small warp.

(And by "warp," we are really talking about the truss rod and string tension forces being out of balance--the same problem that is caused if tuning before and after the string change is inconsistent. It deosn't necessarily mean that the neck is noticeably bent.)

So how does a good luthier work? By knowing whether the truss rod needs to be adjusted when the strings come off.

No matter what the cause, a set-up by a good lutheir should "iron out" the problem.