G&L L2K: weird behaviour from g-string

[adytum]

Hi,

Ever since I picked up my L-2000 tribute I've noticed that when playing the 5-7th frets on the g string, the sustain is way shorter than on all other frets. After fingering i.e the 7th fret, which is the most severe one, only the harmonics sound after a very short while. It's the same on 5th and 6th fret, to a lesser extent. I can even hear how the harmonics take over when playing it unplugged.

I have:

• tried roundwound, halfwound and flatwound strings of different gauges and brands
• adjusted saddle height
• tried to gently wash the frets (very very gently)
• raised the pickups on the g string side

Today I tried a minor adjustment of the truss rod, about 1/4th of a turn to loosen it. Not much changed, but if anything, the 6th fret is a tiny bit better, and the 7th a tiny bit worse.

The weird thing is that the rest of the strings do not have this problem on these frets, no matter what I do the g string stays in this condition, and the rest are not affected.

Perhaps I could try to adjust the truss rod a bit more, but I'm always so paranoid with that
So, what could be the problem, besides a neck issue? The bottom part of the frets? Some kind of issue with the MFDs, since only the harmonics of the tone sound after a short while?

I will be taking her to a luthier if nothing else helps, but I really want to try to fix this myself.

Anybody?

[StrangerDanger]

Sounds like a dead spot on the neck. There are a lot of threads on dead spots. I went through it with a Squier. I dont think there is any real solution. I would try to get G&L to replace the neck.

[Nikoubis]

Dead spots are basically a fact of life, especially with bolt-on basses. Sounds like yours is a particularly nasty case.

[adytum]

After researching a bit more(which I should've done prior to creating this thread), many L2000's have dead spots this exact place, so that's obviously the problem. Thanks guys. Also makes me remember that I had a severe deadspot on a P-bass I owned.
Anybody got any experience with the fatfingers clamp you put on the headstock that supposedly can improve it?

[StrangerDanger]

Originally Posted by adytum

After researching a bit more(which I should've done prior to creating this thread), many L2000's have dead spots this exact place, so that's obviously the problem. Thanks guys. Also makes me remember that I had a severe deadspot on a P-bass I owned.
Anybody got any experience with the fatfingers clamp you put on the headstock that supposedly can improve it?

You should try to get G&L to replace the neck. Not all of them have dead spots. If that isnt successful then try some gadgets.

[Chrisk-K]

Anybody got any experience with the fatfingers clamp you put on the headstock that supposedly can improve it?

Temporarily put some weights on the headstock (e.g. bunch of quaters). If that improves dead spots, the fatfinger will.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by Nikoubis

Dead spots are basically a fact of life, especially with bolt-on basses. Sounds like yours is a particularly nasty case.

^^^^Yup!

[adytum]

Thanks guys. I tried to tie weights onto a capo and put it on the headstock, it actually improved it quite a bit. I can live with it, it isn't annoying at all when playing live or rehearsing with bands.