From high-resolution dielectric spectroscopy measurements on 1,4-polybutadiene (1,4-PB), we show that in addition to the structural a-relaxation and higher frequency secondary relaxations in the spectra, a nearly constant loss (NCL) is observed at shorter times/lower temperatures. The properties of this NCL are compared to those of another chemically similar polymer, 1,4-polyisoprene. The secondary relaxations in 1,4-PB include the well-known Johari-Goldstein (JG) beta-relaxation and two other higher-frequency peaks. One of these, referred to as the gamma-relaxation, falls between the JG-relaxation and the NCL. Seen previously by others, this gamma-relaxation in 1,4-PB is not the JG-process and bears no relation to the glass transition. At very low temperatures (< 15 K), we confirm the existence of a very fast secondary relaxation, having a weak dielectric strength and an almost temperature-invariant relaxation time. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.*.