Nicko Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 My Squier P bass has developed a rattling sound when I play certain notes - most notable when I play unplugged. I've had the scratchplate off and checked inside, checked the bridge springs, tightened everything up that I can and its made no difference. The noise is hard to locate but seems to me to be coming from around the neck/body joint, although that might just be the body amplifying the rattle that is actually elsewhere. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Truss rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Hit the neck to see if it is that. I had an Ibanez with a rattle in the neck. I was told that it was the truss rod, turned out it was a tuner had a rattle in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Yep, slightly loose tuner, or a string (usually the A on Fender type basses) not all the way down on the tuning peg, both can cause a really irritating rattle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 8 times out of 10 a rattle is a loose tuner ear. Else it's a string loose in the nut slot, or very rarely a loose truss rod nut. But you already knew this as it's mentioned above. 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pineweasel Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 I had a recent rattle that was cured by reseating the ball end of the E string, which was a new one on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 I wondered if it might be the truss rod or a tuning head. I've wrapped the tuning pegs in a cloth and the buzz seems to be reduced. I'm not sure there is any adjustment on the peg though. Is replacement the only solution? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Are you Fieldy? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 6 minutes ago, fretmeister said: Are you Fieldy? Que? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 2 hours ago, Lozz196 said: Yep, slightly loose tuner, or a string (usually the A on Fender type basses) not all the way down on the tuning peg, both can cause a really irritating rattle. Totally with Lozz on this one, loosen the strings slightly and just push them down on the tuning peg whilst you tighten the string back up, hopefully that will cure it. I have a 1981 Precision which rattles like a rattly thing on the A string if the string is not pushed all the way down on the peg...Lozz do I own your old bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zummerbass Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 +1 for machinehead. I’ve just cured my CV Squier rattle with a replacement tuning peg. Have you tried playing open strings while holding on to each tuning peg in turn? Mine were looser than Trumps tongue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 1 hour ago, Zummerbass said: +1 for machinehead. I’ve just cured my CV Squier rattle with a replacement tuning peg. Have you tried playing open strings while holding on to each tuning peg in turn? Mine were looser than Trumps tongue. Interesting - is that a 70s CV. P If so what replacement did you use, and did these require any extra drilling or were they a direct replacement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebigyin Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 It's not my Bass....it's me that rattles lol, sorry I couldn't resist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Possibly because when I started out - just after the battle of Trafalgar - I was a bit clueless about stringing and always had rattles esp from the a string as others have mentioned. I solved them by adding a second string guide to hold the a string down - a practise I've followed on all fender style basses ever since , though probably not required anymore now I know how to string up properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Two things that have not been mentioned here are the strap and the string between the finger and the saddle (yes, that end of it). Take the strap away, is the rattle still there? Put a rubber band over the strings and play those rattling notes. When the string wears, it may start to hit the frets on the wrong side of the fretting finger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 1 hour ago, Dr.Dave said: Possibly because when I started out - just after the battle of Trafalgar - I was a bit clueless about stringing and always had rattles esp from the a string as others have mentioned. I solved them by adding a second string guide to hold the a string down - a practise I've followed on all fender style basses ever since , though probably not required anymore now I know how to string up properly. I put those on all my Fender basses too, you can get specific retainers for the US models, for the Mex/Squiers I get Hipshot ones, saves a lot of hassle for less than £20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 3 hours ago, Zummerbass said: +1 for machinehead. I’ve just cured my CV Squier rattle with a replacement tuning peg. Have you tried playing open strings while holding on to each tuning peg in turn? Mine were looser than Trumps tongue. My CV Jazz (first run) had a buzz. It was a machine head that wasnt fixed to the tuner shaft properly. I put a tiny bit of super glue on it and its been fine ever since (about 13 years i believe) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 17 posts about a rattling bass and not one mention of the word Rickenbacker. Is everyone OK? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 3 hours ago, dave_bass5 said: My CV Jazz (first run) had a buzz. It was a machine head that wasnt fixed to the tuner shaft properly. I put a tiny bit of super glue on it and its been fine ever since (about 13 years i believe) Beat me to it Dave. I have a no name P-bass I keep as a spare that had exactly the same problem , and remedy! Still okay after a few years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 23 hours ago, Nicko said: Que? Bassist in Korn. Famous for having a rattly not very bass like tone. Bit like a sack of marbles in a metal bin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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