so, my stratocaster (which i'm no longer scared of playing) has this obnoxious rattle on the B string. i've replaced the string twice, and had the.. whatever that twisty nut thing is called, tightened. and it STILL rattles.

i'm starting to think it's a problem with the pickups?

or is the rattling just something i have to deal with.


signed,

uncool guitar girl in san francisco.

just slap it really hard a few times.

The string is probably catching in the neck. Or you haven't cut enough off the end of the string. OR it's the springs in the body.

Could be anything, actually. Hard to tell if I can't see it.

And pickups shouldn't rattle.

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no i cut the strings short. i hate curly long ones.

i think it's an interior thing.
damn.

I take it you've ruled out the possibility of fret buzz? Check your nut to be sure the slot isn't worn down, make sure all your frets are even in height, try a different string gauge? Those would be my first ports of call. But idk, if it's just one string then it sounds like that particular frequency is making something loose act up.

If it's defo not fret buzz, it could be just about anything, like owngrrl says. I had a similar problem, never figured it out and it went away on its own without me changing strings so I can't suggest anything in particular. But what I read then is that it can help to just knock on areas of the guitar to see if you can get them to rattle without playing the string (lol, like aaron said, I don't know if he's kidding around but he's got the right idea?). If that doesn't give any indication, you could try narrowing it down by just repeatedly playing the string and placing a hand on the various parts of the guitar to see if holding on one particular area eliminates the buzz. And I suppose then you want to check out the offending area to tighten up any parts that might be loose and buzzing.

Failing all of that, take her to a guitar tech and see if they can figure it out, I guess. This is what I would do, tbh, I'm a total novice.

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Deux hommes font une promenade amicale. L'un des deux porte un parapluie à son bras.
Il se met à pleuvoir. L'homme n'ouvre pas son parapluie et l'autre lui demande pourquoi.
- Parce que ça ne servirait à rien, lui répond son ami. Il est plein de trous.
- Alors, pourquoi l'as-tu pris?
- Parce que je ne pensais pas qu'il pleuvrait.

If you use that string alot, Id consider fret buzz. That shits awful. You could consider bringing it into a shop and get em to check it out. Maybe they can do something with the truss rod and the neck. But as usual, Im very wary in doing things myself in case of fucking it more, especially if its internal, I always bring my shit to other people for second opinions...

guarantee it's got to do with the changing seasons. especially if you have a squier, or a mexican strat. i'd look into what black mambo mentioned about making sure the nut isnt worn down, but other than that, i'd just give it a couple weeks. and just be aware that wood reacts to temperature and humidity.. and your guitar is made of wood. i know it sounds stupid, but im pretty sure that's all the problem is.

Maple is the worst at this

damn. i think my neck is maple.
ahh cooters. oh well. atleast that means it'll go away.

ok, now its worse.
it rained a little today.. perhaps it is the weather? what.. if those raindrops also control the sound distortion when i play 'the weight', well. then.. i have problems.

because right now it sounds more like "wont ya come and keep anna lee company.. oh.. (rattle), take a load off fanny (ratttle), take a load for free... take a load of fanny (RATTLE) aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaandddd (more fucking rattling).

it's not a mexican strat.
it's an american one. and it's been pretty babied, cept for sometimes when i get drunk and drop it. and then chip it's precious paint.. maybe i fucked up the insides too.

if it's an american strat, and NOT a squier, then your guts are fine. they make those guitars to withstand pretty much anything. listen to where the rattling comes from though. does it sound like it's coming from within the body? or is it up by the first 3 frets or the headstock somewhere?

maple neck + spring time + droppage = buzz

wait another week or two, then go get yr truss rod straightened out by some greasy loser at guitar center. you'll be fine until at least the fall.

well. i'm a girl.
so i don't know or care alot past 'rattling'.

i think that's what boys are good for.. investigating mechanical crap like this. and.. i can bake brownies in the meantime.

i'm going to play it anyway. until a boy or lesbian with guitar knowledge can fix it for me.

i was sortof hoping it'd be a easy thing, like using different strings...

does the noise stop when you put the plectrum down?

I fuck with my guitars a lot. You know those ivory-looking white bars at the nut and the base? Sometimes they become unglued. I used to use just Elmer's glue. Now I use Aleene's Tacky Glue. I take the strings off. Scruff the inside of the ivory bars a bit with a nail file or whatever, to adhere it better... then I take some of this Aleene's Tacky Glue and press the to the base of the wood on the guitar. You can get the Tacky glue at your arts and crafts store.

If it doesn't seem to be sticking too well, I apply pressure for for a while -- turning the guitar upside down against a solid surface works usually -- or applying a large elastic band around each application works. Good luck.