What's the cause of this?

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

Something wrong with a bass loaned to me. Total noob with a total noob question. Want to fix this since it's a friends, happened on my watch, and the bass has huge sentimental value.

That, and it sounds likea champ.

As you can see, there's a weird buzzing on the A string, and it doesn't seat properly. I'm worried that something could be wrong with the nut more so than just fret buzz.

Posted a quick vid here that will pretty much show you what's up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNPDwHvjX44

Other three strings site correctly, sound fine. Bass is in tune, haven't changed anything hardware wise. Etc. Just picked it up the next day and that was it.

[therex]

thats a very common thing with fender style basses
it happens because there isnt enough break angle in the headstock
i can explain it very well, but compare the angle of the A string to the rest and you will see

[butchblack]

Is the A string wound on the peg so that the string is going to the nut from the top or the bottom of the post? If it's from the top or if it only has a couple wraps on the post and is seated high that could be the problem. Simple solution. Take the string off and reattach making sure that the string coming from the nut is right at the bottom of the post. If it's too short and won't stay down, buy a new A string. I usually have the most wraps on my A string for that very reason.

Hope that helps

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

Yeah, I imagine I'll have to get a new set of strings. I've restrung it twice and I can't get it to sound right. Haven't restrung it since I got it. Has some very nice flatwounds on it and I know their life time isn't up just yet.

Thanks!

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

Update

Went to restring it and the nut came out with absolutely no resistance.

Active electroncis are busted on it as well. Depending on what the real owner wants to do with it, I'll either fix it or leave it be.