Tribute problem

[honkylips]

Hey everybody, hope someone can help me here.  I've been noticing that my Tribute buzzes quite audibly on the B string from about the 13th fret to about the 20th fret.  It is not your typical fret buzz.  Rather, it seems as if something in the body is rattling when the frequency of certain notes is played.  The rattling is actually incredibly loud when unplugged.  I've had a similar thing happen in the past with one of my basses and found it to be the truss rod was too loose.  I've inspected the truss rod on the Tribute, and it is not loose.  I'm not experiencing fret buzz on any other area of the guitar.  Also, I've tried to dampen various parts of the guitar (pickups, bridge, controls, etc) with my right hand and I can't get the rattling to stop.  Any ideas?  If I had to guess, it sounds like it is resonating from behind the middle (humbucker) pickup.  All screws have been checked and are tight.  Help me please!

[honkylips]

After further investigating the problem, it is definitely not related to fret buzz issues.  It still happens on the highest fret, and is not confined just to the B string.  While it is most pronounced on the B string, it is audible in the upper frets on all strings.  Any ideas?

[David Houck]

Check to see if any strings are touching the back rail of the bridge.
 
Check to make sure all screws and nuts are secure, including pickup screws and tailpiece screws and tuning machine nuts and bridge rail screws.  Loosen the strings and make sure the nut as seated properly.
 
Check the electronics cavity and make sure nothing in there is loose and moving around, especially the battery.
 
Is this a recent problem on a guitar that you've had for a while?

[honkylips]

Thanks for the reply, Dave.  Strings aren't touching the back rail of the bridge.  All screws are tight.  The nut seems to be fine, and nothing seems loose in the electronics cavity.  Funny thing, too, is that I've noticed the buzzing (maybe humming is more correct) continues for a short duration even after the string is completely muted.  Like if you hit a crash cymbal and lightly choke it with your thumb and first finger.  The sound continues briefly.  Any other thoughts?

[David Houck]

Other things to try.
 
Make sure the truss rod nuts are tight.
 
If they are tight, try backing them off a quarter turn to give the neck some relief just to see if it makes a difference.
 
Try raising the bridge a full turn just to see if that makes a difference.
 
Try tuning up to F# just to see if that makes a difference.
 
Try removing the strings and putting them back on just to see if that makes a difference.
 
Try a different set of strings.

[bob]

(sorry, got this confused with the Series I hum discussion)
 
(Message edited by bob on August 19, 2006)

[grateful]

I noticed a rattle with my Further when playing unplugged sitting down.  After much checking to see what was loose, I realised it was the strap locks.
 
Mark

[olieoliver]

I've my strap lock buttons get loose before, especially on my S2. A little elmers glue on the screw usually takes care of this.

[olieoliver]

I've had my strap lock buttons get loose before, especially on my S2. A little elmers glue on the screw usually takes care of this.

[honkylips]

Dave, you are the man!  Finally located the problem.  It was a bridge rail screw as you mentioned in your first reply.  I thought I had checked every single screw, but I missed one.  Holy cow, what a godawful noise a simple loose screw can make!!  I'm back to loving life again.
 
Thanks so much to everyone who took an interest in helping me solve this problem.  Much appreciated.

[David Houck]

Congrats!