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How do you fix a bass tuner that rattles?

(Note: See comments below this article for several helpful comments on how to fix tuner rattles, and please feel free to add your own.)

A common upgrade many bass players do either for reducing neck weight, tuning stability, tuner smoothness or all of that is changing out the tuners. A popular model is the Hipshot Ultralite, available in shapes of “Y” key (looks like a triangle with rounded edges,) lollypop (oval shape) or traditional Fender style clover shape.

Changing tuners is a relatively straightforward process:

But what do you do if your tuners rattle?

Hipshot tuners do not rattle as they are all machined with precision. But changing tuners doesn’t necessarily fix a rattling problem. Or maybe you don’t want to change out tuners or can’t because your bass has made-to-fit custom machines.

One very easy temporary solution that is often overlooked is the use of teflon tape:

teflon-tape

The tape is also called shower tape or thread seal tape. It is the same stuff you use when installing a shower head to a pipe. This tape is very thin, stretchy, inexpensive and available at any hardware store.

It will be said again that this is a temporary solution to a rattle problem. But if you need that rattle fixed right now, teflon tape does work.

Keeping the securing nut from rattling loose

If you have tuners with a nut that goes over the post, wrap a small piece of teflon tape around the screw thread, screw the nut down over the post, clip off the excess tape, and that should help keep the nut from rattling itself loose.

This is, by the way, exactly what teflon tape is designed for, that being a thread sealer.

Tuner screws on the back of the headstock

This is probably the one most of you will find the most helpful. If you have tuner screw holes on the back of the headstock that are slightly stripped due to age, a layer of teflon tape around the screw can really save the day here. Just one layer should add enough thickness to the screw to keep it in place and prevent it from loosening and/or falling out. This is especially a good for vintage bass owners who absolutely do not want to put any wood filler in the headstock nor have to replace screws. The tape when on the screw thread is completely hidden after excess is clipped off, and is soft and thin enough not to add unwanted stress to the wood. In addition, the fact that the teflon tape is not filler, not glue and can be easily removed is a huge plus.

Once again, using teflon tape this way is another instance of thread sealing.

Fixing a tuner post rattle?

While teflon tape is smooth enough to where it should not interrupt the tuner action by having it around the post, the tape won’t last long. Use of the tuner will wear down the tape fairly quickly and the rattle will come back. What will occur is that since you’re not sealing threads here, the tape will get squashed and quickly become useless.

Have you ever had a bass tuner that rattled and fixed it?

If you have, please post a comment with how you did it. Whether it was a simple or complicated process, please share your knowledge on what you did to get rid of that annoying rattle.

10 thoughts on “How do you fix a bass tuner that rattles?”

  1. I’ve used Wooden Toothpicks with a tiny bit of Elmer’s glue… but NOT enough to stick… just enough to hold the Toothpicks in to catch the threads. Works EVERY TIME! And, since they’re Wiiden Toothpicks, there’s no undue stress on the Neck woods. And, since its a light Coating and not a “Full On application”, the Screws are easy to remove.

    Reply
  2. I’ve had some luck with REMOVABLE Loctite liquid. It dries quickly and does help reduce slippage of the actual gear mechanism on open gear tuners (such as traditional Fender-style vintage tuners and others). Make sure it’s the REMOVABLE type of Loctite.

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  3. I agree with J. Abbott . Teflon tape, while really designed as a “gasket” material for treads that may leak air or water, and may possibly do the job . Locktite is designed to lock threads and prevent them from slipping . it also works great on Bridge set screws that adjust themselves through vibration . But as pointed out above . there are 3 variations of the product, Purple (removable) Blue (semi permanent) and Red (permanent) … You want to be sure to use the Purple .

    Reply
  4. I don’t ever teacall having this problem on any of the 30 or more basses I’ve owned over the years. They actually rattle audiably? Huh.

    Reply
  5. I repaired rattling tuner keys on a squire bass by putting some super glue inside the area where the flat key joins the small post. Worked like a charm.

    Reply
  6. I Actually Welded My Tuner Key Back To The Post After A Bump Tansporting and It Gave The G tuner an annoying rattle. I noticed the rattling was coming from the clover shape piece rattling from the weld breaking. Similar to Dave Fasick above me.

    Reply
  7. I had a tuner key rattle and fixed it by using a very small amount of super glue. Trust me, I was VERY careful of keeping the glue only on the key and post.

    Reply

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