The Bass guitar has been an amazing invention in the past century for the music industry. It is credited for bringing a revolution and a massive surge in the number of rock bands and pop songs.
However, the bass guitar is in itself a complex instrument and some might arguably say, even more, complex than the guitar itself.
Understanding how to play and further master the bass guitar is a tedious job that takes years of practice.
If you have patience and the right source to learn, it becomes an easier task for learners and lovers of music.
But, learning how to play bass guitar and knowing how it works or how to maintain it are two different things.
It is ideal that you learn the instrument in its entirety and learn the basics of playing it and maintaining it well to ensure it is as good as new for a long period.
In this article, we would address a common problem associated with the bass guitar, which is the rattling sound.
What Is Bass Rattle?
A Bass guitar is not a complex instrument, its basic purpose is to add heaviness and depth to your song or music.
Thus, it is crucial for most musical performances whether recorded or performed live.
It is indeed crucial to ensure that your bass guitar is in good health and is maintained timely to ensure the strings are safe and work smoothly with everything else.
Many people who are just learning how to play bass guitar, often get annoyed by the rattling noise they hear while playing.
A Bass rattle is an unwanted and creepy sound that makes your guitar sound bad and also spoils the entire rhythm of a musical performance.
Although a rattling sound is often noticed in worn-out or non-maintained guitars, you can also expect it from a new one if it is not managed or handled correctly.
Bass guitar rattling is quite a common issue and can be addressed by following a few simple steps that we would discuss further in this article.
Why Does My Bass Guitar Rattle?
One of the major reasons why bass guitars have a rattling sound is due to the action issue – which is the space you would find between the two strings of the guitar or the frets.
If the space is too much or too less, the guitar can end up producing a rattling sound and make it sound extremely displeasing.
Further, if the neck area of the bass guitar is too rigid and tough, it can end up rattling and causing unintentional notes to be heard.
Another major reason why bass guitars rattle is the need for tightening. In case your guitar parts are loose and need tuning, you would need to tighten the knobs.
Loose parts can also lead to a string losing its quality over some time if not corrected within time. Thus, it is crucial to check for this problem timely to ensure your strings are healthy.
An issue with the truss rod can also lead to a rattling sound. A truss rod is nothing but a rod inside of the bass neck. Being located so close to the neck can also end up creating extra tension on the neck.
Lastly, if you are plucking the strings too hard, even if the guitar is well functioning and normal, the sound it would produce would be similar to rattling.
How to Fix Your Bass Guitar If It is Rattling?
One of the best ways to stop your bass guitar from rattling is by ensuring that the bass is set up correctly.
You can visit your nearest instrument repair center or also speak to the vendor from whom you bought the instrument.
These days, you can also look for a customer call center and get to know from the company how you can set up the bass properly.
It might cost a bit but would go a long way in helping your guitar sound good.
If the issue is due to action or tension in the neck region, you can focus on the truss rod, which would solve this problem in no time.
You just need to find the screw that works up the truss rod and then tighten or lose it depending on the nature of the issue and action.
Additionally, if you feel nothing is helping and perhaps the problem is with your strings, you might want to get them replaced.
While you can do it yourself at home, it is advised to visit a professional and get it done so that it does not affect the other parts of the guitar.
Tips on Maintenance of Your Bass Guitar
It is important to ensure good maintenance of your bass guitar since you might have to change the batteries timely or adjust the truss rod as discussed above.
Mostly the most important segment of maintenance includes cleaning and polishing your guitar, which can be done with the help of normal cotton cloth and cleaning liquid.
This would help your guitar look as good as new and also ensure that it does not gather dust easily.
Additionally, it is helpful to check the wires and knobs of your guitar to ensure that they are not rusted or too tight.
In case they are, make sure to smoothen it with the prescribed liquid or get them replaced timely.
Ideally, you should also keep looking for loose screws here and there than can often stop you from understanding the reason behind the awful sound from your guitar.
Thus, make a routine to timely check your guitar throughout and make the necessary changes to keep it healthy and as good as new.
Conclusion
Thus, in this article, we saw at length the working of a bass guitar and how it can be maintained to work in its optimal state for a long period.
You should invest a good amount of money in buying a good bass guitar that can come with all the necessary instruments and devices, and also ensure a customer case contact for knowing if something goes wrong.
