dead spots (well sort of)

[screaminglucy]

it seems the A string above the 7th fret or so sounds dead....the same notes on the D string sound ok. any ideas how to fix this?

[dariuskawelolani]

Raise the action at the bridge a little higher or refret

[screaminglucy]

I tried raising the action super high but it didn't help. It doesn't sound like it's hitting the frets.

[lowendfriend]

Could it be a dead string?

[Hugh Jass]

Assuming that it's a sustain thing and that the other strings are fine, it is most definitively a bad string. Put on new A and report back.

Dead frets can happen but only one or two at a time. Not every fret above a certain point.

[screaminglucy]

ok...i ordered a new set - we shall soon see

[Benjamin Strange]

Originally Posted by Cinnabolt

Raise the action at the bridge a little higher or refret

NO. You don't need to throw a $400 refret at an instrument unless it really needs it - a single dead note is not an indicator that it needs this kind of work.

You could have a dead string, a high/low fret, some fret wear on that particular fret, or - most likely - the resonance of your bass absorbs that particular note. A Fatfinger can sometimes help with something like this.

Dead spots are a fact of life when dealing with wooden instruments - wood absorbs certain frequencies, which is what gives wood it's particular tone. It just so happens that sometimes it sucks up the fundamental of a particular note.