Bass open A string rattle in standard tuning. Help?

[KaosCill8r]

I've got a Squier VM Jaguar bass long scale. I have it set up nice. Good neck relief, good saddle height, good intonation. The only problem I'm having is that the open A string is rattling. I don't really have to hit it hard either. All the strings have a bit of acceptable rattle when hitting hard which is normal, so that's no issue. What would be causing that one open string to rattle against the first fret? How can I eliminate it? It is already slightly higher at the bridge saddle. New nut perhaps?
Please Help???
I hope what I'm writing is making sense. I'm slightly buzzed out on painkillers. Maybe a bit more than slightly buzzed out.

[Strange Tales]

Try holding some parts on the bridge as you play the open string. My jazz bass had the same problem where my lower strings would get an uncomfortable sound whenever I played it. I held the spring on the bridge while playing and the sound went away. Ended up replacing the bridge with a Gotoh II for like $40, and that sound went away.

[KaosCill8r]

That might actually be the problem. Though strangely it sounds like the rattle is coming from the headstock end of the bass. Sound vibration is a weird thing. I have changed the bridge to chrome plated brass high-mass bridge. It looks exactly like the hi-mass bridge Fender uses on their basses. But the springs do feel like they are lacking in tension. Maybe some rubber coax cable outer sleeve wrapped around the springs might dampen it and stop it vibrating.
If all else fails I'll take it to a tech and get it professionally set up. There is a dude about 2 hours away from me that I've heard is really good, and he is the closest. Convenient hey

[KaosCill8r]

Bummer! I held the parts of the bridge to dampen and it still rattled. I'm thinking in might be the slot on the nut might be a tad too deep. I might try the superglue and baking soda trick and refill it and re-file it. Good excuse to buy a set of nut files. If it works out I might buy a bone nut blank and make a new nut for it.
I think even though it's a cheap bass its actually worth the money and effort. I've already invested some cash by fitting it with a new hi-mass bridge and some decent pickups and electronics. Its sounds and feels very nice except for that rattle. So I might as well go all the way.

[Paul_C]

To check the nut slot height, hold the string down on the bridge side of the third fret and see how much, if any, of a gap there is under the string at the first fret - I normally leave a gap of around half the thickness of the string so if there's no gap at it might be that that's your problem.

[Mudfuzz]

A second string retainer is helpful at times for this type of thing.

[Kacey Y]

Usually when this happens it's the string rattle in the nut slot and it seems really hard to track down. On Fender style headstock designs, you have to wrap the string on the A string tuning peg so that it has the steepest angle possible. Meaning the that the wraps be above the string and the string be as far down the peg as possible. It's a design flaw and the reason I prefer Fender style basses that have a slight tiltback without a scarf joint, like what Carvin down (C&C out of one piece, with just a slight angle).

There are other possibilities, but every time I've had an issue with a Jazz or P bass it's been that.

[KaosCill8r]

Usually when this happens it's the string rattle in the nut slot and it seems really hard to track down. On Fender style headstock designs, you have to wrap the string on the A string tuning peg so that it has the steepest angle possible. Meaning the that the wraps be above the string and the string be as far down the peg as possible. It's a design flaw and the reason I prefer Fender style basses that have a slight tiltback without a scarf joint, like what Carvin down (C&C out of one piece, with just a slight angle).

There are other possibilities, but every time I've had an issue with a Jazz or P bass it's been that.

Thanks, that indeed does seem to be the issue. I de tuned slightly and then pushed the string down behind the nut to bring it back to pitch with a sharper string angle, and the rattle was eliminated. When I re string it I might leave an extra bit of length to that string to give it an extra couple of winds on the post. If that fails I guess I'll have to add another string tree. Though I'm hoping not to have to.
Thanks again for all the replies dudes.