Rattling neck

[Nicko]

I've experienced a few rattles with my Squier 70s CV PB.  There's a mechanical rattle coming from somewhere.  I've tightened everything that can be tightened and to me the sound appears to be coming from the neck at around the 12 fret.  I recently changed strings to some that are marginally lighter and it's a lot worse. Certain notes make the rattle more noticable so clearly its a resonant frequency  - and if I get the rattle and gently pull the neck backwards it disappears.

 

Although the neck seems to be fairly well set up with these strings is possible the truss rod rattling?

[Noisyjon]

1 minute ago, Nicko said:

...is possible the truss rod rattling?

Could well be this.
I had a P bass that rattled up by the nut/1st fret area and it turned out to be the truss rod.
Don't know about the 12th fret area though, sorry.

[Nicko]

33 minutes ago, Noisyjon said:

Could well be this.
I had a P bass that rattled up by the nut/1st fret area and it turned out to be the truss rod.
Don't know about the 12th fret area though, sorry.

Did you solve it by adjusting the rod?

[hooky_lowdown]

With rattles it could be a slightly loose tuner head which vibrates at certain frequences, try holding the each tuner head (in turn) still and pluck a string or two. If it is a tuner head, there is a simple super glue trick to help.

 

Could also be a badly seated string, try loosening a string if the rattling happens on that one strings, turn the brass ball at the end of the string and re-tune.

 

Generally, if its a truss rod which is damaged it'll rattle, try tapping the back of the neck with the heel of your hand, if it rattles, then you may have a damaged or broken truss rod, if it doesn't it may be one of the two things above. Also, the nut could be cut too wide, so the string rattles in the nut.

[Noisyjon]

1 hour ago, Nicko said:

Did you solve it by adjusting the rod?

Sadly no. It had to be returned to the luthier for a warranty repair.

[Nicko]

3 hours ago, hooky_lowdown said:

With rattles it could be a slightly loose tuner head which vibrates at certain frequences, try holding the each tuner head (in turn) still and pluck a string or two. If it is a tuner head, there is a simple super glue trick to help.

 

Could also be a badly seated string, try loosening a string if the rattling happens on that one strings, turn the brass ball at the end of the string and re-tune.

 

Generally, if its a truss rod which is damaged it'll rattle, try tapping the back of the neck with the heel of your hand, if it rattles, then you may have a damaged or broken truss rod, if it doesn't it may be one of the two things above. Also, the nut could be cut too wide, so the string rattles in the nut.

It looks like it might be a loose machine head which seems like a result compared to a damaged rod.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Nicko

[Bunion]

I seem to recall years ago one well known bass outlet whom shall remain unnamed filled the area around the truss rod with some kind of gel to stop truss rod rattles…

 
 

[Waddycall]

I spent ages trying to trace a rattle on my fretless. Turned out to be a loose screw in the base of one of the tuners allowing the little washers to rattle. Easily fixed but I need to put some thread lock on as it keeps loosening.