Dead Spot Cause/Removal

[JeffBTZ]

Forgive me if this has been answered before. I searched a few times as I've been trying to solve this for a few days with no luck. Most of the issues seem to be actual resonance issues, and particularly pertain to Fenders.

I recently put a set of Rotosound 77LD Flats on my Schecter Stiletto Custom 4 and I must say, they sound great. However, since I put the strings on, I've noticed a dead spot that I never noticed with the years-old nickel rounds I had on before. It occurs with C# on the G string, at the 6th fret. The string sounds a little bit dead at the 5th fret, but it isn't nearly as noticeable and it might just be in my head.

I'm not talking a slight lack of sustain, I mean dead. With a good solid finger pluck, the fundamental rings for all of a second before it goes to mush. At first, I thought it could be the fact that I cut the string a tad short and only got 1 and a half winds on the peg, which put the angle of the string a bit shallow, but I would think that would effect other notes as well.

It could be a resonance issue, but the same note at other spots doesn't create the same issue... Then I turned to a slightly unlevel fret. It looks level, and my tech measured as he was setting it up and didn't notice, but I don't know of a good way to check for sure. Maybe you guys could help me out there.

Hopefully you guys have good ideas on how to tackle it. I'm not an experienced bassist, quite honestly, and I haven't got enough experience to be able to diagnose the problem right off the bat. If pictures would be helpful, I can take some later tonight after dinner.

[john grey]

My personal opinion - but I think you are closer to the issue than further away.
Any neck - most anything made of wood is inconsistent. A difference in string design creates differences in vibration & may shift what is perceived as a "dead spot". String design, size and neck & fret design and density alter fretted sound.
When you have played a particular instrument for a long time you can hear these differences distinctly. In fact (again, just opinion) even though some flats are not bright in tonality, they appear to be clearer in isolating a distinct note, etc than many other designs.

IF this is an issue of neck density [areas] resulting in a dead-spot, there may not be too much you can do to alter that other than aside from experimenting with string design and very high quality fret-dressing, regarding the results.

[JeffBTZ]

Originally Posted by john grey

My personal opinion - but I think you are closer to the issue than further away.
Any neck - most anything made of wood is inconsistent. A difference in string design creates differences in vibration & may shift what is perceived as a "dead spot". String design, size and neck & fret design and density alter fretted sound.
When you have played a particular instrument for a long time you can hear these differences distinctly. In fact (again, just opinion) even though some flats are not bright in tonality, they appear to be clearer in isolating a distinct note, etc than many other designs.

IF this is an issue of neck density [areas] resulting in a dead-spot, there may not be too much you can do to alter that other than aside from experimenting with string design and very high quality fret-dressing, regarding the results.

Well, I guess it's time to convince the folks that I need to buy a new bass! Kidding.

I guess, if that's the case, can you make any suggestions to lessen the "dead spot?" I'm happy with my Rotos, but I'll probably try another make the next time around. I've heard good things about Chromes, DRs, and TI Flats, all of which I'd like to try at some point.

Any other opinions are greatly appreciated

[96tbird]

It's a proven fact that a dead spot will DISSAPEAR. If you ignore it. How often do you need your c# to ring for more than a half a second? If you do, play it on the d string. Other than that, you can add weight to the head which can cure it. It is not just a Fender thing. Play on...

[Jaco D]

I think you won't be able to entirely eliminate a dead spot. The best you could do is to relocate it to some spot on the fretboard that you barely use. You could do the "door jamb" trick by pressing the headstock against a door jamb and play the erring fret to see if it goes away. Groove Tubes used to sell a contraption called a Fat Finger that supposedly improves sustain and helps you relocate dead spots. I say "used" because if I'm not mistaken, they do not make them anymore. However, there's nothing much to it - it's just a handsome looking "C" clamp, and I think it's the mass that makes it work. Heck, some guys have been able to get the same results by using Vise grips.

[JeffBTZ]

Originally Posted by 96tbird

It's a proven fact that a dead spot will DISSAPEAR. If you ignore it. How often do you need your c# to ring for more than a half a second? If you do, play it on the d string. Other than that, you can add weight to the head which can cure it. It is not just a Fender thing. Play on...

It isn't simply the fact that it has little sustain, it just doesn't sound good tonally. It's not like it makes my bass unusable, it's just really annoying (and distracting) trying to skirt around that particular fret/note.

[96tbird]

Believe me I know where you're coming from, I belong to the same club. My Squire Jazz has one on the 5th 'c' on the G. and it sounds horrible when I'm alone, But in my band I use it for a bass only intro, an eighth note and throughout the song and it sounds fine... even on a gig recording I listened to. Still it sucks to have one at all. I choose to ignore it.

There's a thread here where one guy embedded weights in the head, under the tuner plates to cure his dead spots. It's an option though difficult to hide them with Grover style tuners on your bass.

[Turnaround]

This?