rattling

nataku · #1 04-25-2005, 06:46 PM

for about a month now my rockbass has been rattling pretty bad up near the headstock. after a long series of experiments at home and with my teacher we are 99.9999% sure that its not anything on the body. its also not fretbuzz, but i have that also. its like a way more intense and louder fretbuzz sounding rattle. we think it could be the nut, or maybe the tuning pegs or the truss rod. i tired taking off the strings and checking, and the nut didnt seem loose. all of the tuning pegs seemed pretty loose, but i think theyre supposed to be like that on rockbasses, and theyre very tight with strings on. i couldnt tell if anything was wrong with the trussrod. any1 have any experience with this problem and/or this bass?

Gander · #2 04-26-2005, 04:54 AM

If it buzzes when plucking an open string, check to see if the nut is cut too low.

Hambone · #3 04-26-2005, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nataku

for about a month now my rockbass has been rattling pretty bad up near the headstock. after a long series of experiments at home and with my teacher we are 99.9999% sure that its not anything on the body. its also not fretbuzz, but i have that also. its like a way more intense and louder fretbuzz sounding rattle. we think it could be the nut, or maybe the tuning pegs or the truss rod. i tired taking off the strings and checking, and the nut didnt seem loose. all of the tuning pegs seemed pretty loose, but i think theyre supposed to be like that on rockbasses, and theyre very tight with strings on. i couldnt tell if anything was wrong with the trussrod. any1 have any experience with this problem and/or this bass?

Try isolating the particular string that causes it if that can be done. Then I would check to make sure that that specific nut slot perfectly fits the string gauge perfectly. It could have wallowed out a bit or perhaps you changed string gauges? Either way, that's one possible cause. The rattle you described is usually associated with a string/nut fit issue.

Something else I've noticed, and I only say this because of my recent experience with the "Jazzwick" is the closeness the strings come to the posts on the 5 string Warwicks. If this is a 5'er check to make sure that a string isn't touching an adjacent post. Also make sure all of the ferrules are tightened properly.

There could be one more thing and it would be rare but it could happen and thats for the screw that holds the spur gear on the end of a tuner post to have loosened. This would allow the spur gear to get wobbly on end of the shaft and could cause this problem. The only thing is that seeing this would require removing the aluminum disc that is swaged into the back of the tuner housing. You might be able to tell by listening if you take the tuner off and hold the post tight and then listen to hear if it rattles inside the housing. That might be the problem right there.

Hope this helps

Juneau · #4 04-26-2005, 08:33 AM

In my limited experience, Ive run into this a few times and its always been a loose tuner bolt.

Bassist4Life · #5 04-26-2005, 09:07 AM

In my experience, rattling will happen if there isn't enough string wound around the post.

Joe

nataku · #6 04-26-2005, 05:36 PM

thnx for all the suggestions, ive been testing it and it seems to mainly be on the A, D, and G strings, though it sometimes happens on the E. its a 4 string, w/out an adjustable nut. i used to have the same model with the adj. nut, but it collapsed and guitar center took it back. the strings are wrapped around the posts enough, everything seems to be tight, and the strings look like they fit in the nut right. im still using the stock strings. im probably going to take it into the local repair guy but hes pretty pricey so if any1 has any other ideas i could use them.

DaveAceofBass · #7 05-02-2005, 06:57 AM

I think I know what it is. On your tuning keys, there is a nut on the top side that tightens holding the keys on. It would be below the windings to describe the location. Those are put on by machine, and often times are very loose from the factory. Underneath it is a washer thats between the wood of the headstock and the nut. Try tightening the nut with a wrench, the washer is rattling. I've seen this happen on several Ibanez, Warwick, Peavey, and other basses just to name a few.