LeftyBassist.com

So i received my brand new fender precision last week. Didn't have much time to play it .. until this weekend..
but then i heard it: when i play an open E-string, there's a terrible rattle. Other notes on the E sound perfect enough. Tried to adjust the string height - the rattle remains.

Any ideas where this might come from? And, more importantly, how to get rid of it?

thanks!

Did you try playing it unplugged to see if the rattle's audible coming from the headstock or bridge first?

i did, it's the headstock it seems.

I've encountered that issue at the headstock as well a few times, and it was almost always resolved after I replaced the junky stock strings and tightened all tuning head components. It could be any number of things: bad strings, strings wound incorrectly or too much string on peg, or any of the components of the tuning head (or worse case scenario, a split in the headstock wood). Make sure all components of the tuning head are tightened: screws/washers that tighten to gears and lock the tuner to the headstock, etc. Here's a link to a site that offers good advice:

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musicia ... bit01.html

Thanks for all the good info.
Followed those hints & tips, tried almost everything .. nothing seems wrong.. but the rattle continues.
Today i took the bass to a local fender-dealer (i bought it online from a shop in holland), he took one look at it and saw what i stupidly missed: the nut is cut too wide at the E-string. which causes the rattle.
angry mail sent to the webshop, let's see what happens next.
this shouldn't happen when you buy an instrument that costs 1280 euro