Dead spot on my Roscoe?
 

I have a question: I am not getting any fret-buzz whatsoever, but for some reason the C and C# (mostly the C#) on my Roscoe's D-string (so 10th and 11th frets) has no sustain whatsoever! Again, there is no fret buzz, but it's like the bass just swallows up the note and it has no sustain whatsoever. Very noticeable difference between that and any other note on my bass.

I was going to have the entire thing re-fretted, but truth is it doesn't really need it. It just has that one problem spot. I thought it was a fret leveling issue, however, I don't get any fret buzz from it. The note just dies...

Any ideas or suggestions? I've added a little more relief to the neck (still letting it settle after 1/4 turn to loosen the truss rod)

Here's a simple test for a dead spot. Plug in your bass and position yourself in a doorway. Play the offending note. Now push the headstock against the door jam and play the same note. If it's a dead spot issue, pushing the headstock against the door jam should greatly reduce or eliminate the dead spot. If there's absolutely no effect on the note... it's something else.

Sounds like a crazy idea... but it actually works.

Question: Is this a new issue with an old bass? Or is this a new issue with a new bass? The point is, if this is a new instrument for you, then you have no reference points for past performance. But... if this is an old bass that just developed this issue... ask yourself... what changed?

Is the problem new since the truss rod adjustment?

I can't help but observe that if I had a dead spot on my roscoe, I'd see the doctor!

:help:

HEY-yo!!!!!

Hey yoooooo!!!!! and the prize goes to the man down front wearing the red bull stained bunny outfit.

I remember seeing this video in which Roger Sadowsky has stated that dead spots that are not due to the resonating frequency of the neck can be caused by improperly glued and laid frets, if the trick mentioned above doesn't work, it might be worthwhile to check but I do not think that'd warrant a whole new re-fret.

.......and clutching his roscoe. :rolleyes:

It's a bass that is 3 years old, but new to me. So I still have no basis of comparison. a 3 year old instrument shouldn't need a refret, right?

I think that's unusual, but like many things, it depends.

If it was strung with stainless rounds, played a LOT, and used by a player who presses really hard on the fretboard, I could see it happening.

I called Gard up at the Roscoe factory and had a long talk with him. It may as simple as a bad string. I also noticed that the 5th fret harmonic on the D string was very dead.