Alternative to Fatfinger

hkrle · #1 10-16-2007, 09:38 AM

is any clamp with some weight equal to Groove Tubes Fatfinger ? Pls comment. Thanks.

stedtale · #2 10-16-2007, 09:41 AM

basically, yes.

But the fatfinger may look nicer....

you could try self-adhesive weights that are used for balancing tires stuck on the back of the headstock.

John Wentzien · #3 10-16-2007, 09:45 AM

Put some vintage style tuners on. More mass and look good too!

hkrle · #4 10-16-2007, 09:47 AM

I put a kyser capo at headstock but no help to dead spot. Why? It's not heavy enough ? thanks

stedtale · #5 10-16-2007, 09:52 AM

all the fatfinger is doing is adding mass, it weights 3.8 ounces. I don't think the capo would be heavy enough. I have my reservations about the fatfinger really changing things a lot, you may get rid of or move a dead spot, but you aren't going to radically change anything, IMO anyway.

double_stop2584 · #6 10-16-2007, 09:53 AM

I have the fatfinger, and it doesn't really do much for the dead spots, in my opinion. My problem was more my lack of understanding of the amp's EQ - now that I figured that out, I'm not sure if the fatfinger's really doing much for it at all.

So maybe it's a matter of EQ, and you don't need any type of weight.

Pilgrim · #7 10-16-2007, 09:56 AM

You can always mount a basic C-clamp on the headstock, but it's not pretty.

All you're really doing is adding mass to change the resonant frequency of the neck. There used to be a brass plate available you could mount on the underside of the headstock to do the same thing but less visible - I don't recall the trade name.

mgmadian · #8 10-16-2007, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

There used to be a brass plate available you could mount on the underside of the headstock to do the same thing but less visible - I don't recall the trade name.

Fathead, IIRC

spade2you · #9 10-16-2007, 10:00 AM

A bass without deadspots?

Pilgrim · #10 10-16-2007, 10:01 AM

Yup, that's the name - although I think it was two words. They don't appear to be in production - but Ebay might yield one.

I would be concerned with neck dive, but I have played a Fender Jazz with a fat head on it and it didn't dive.

stedtale · #11 10-16-2007, 10:08 AM

go to the local car place and get these....they also help with neck dive if you put them on the body.....

http://www.amazon.com/Gasket-1428-We.../dp/B000BWCFJG

lefty007 · #12 10-16-2007, 10:10 AM

You need to apply enough pressure to properly connect the fatfinger's mass to the bass so it changes the point of resonance.

That is why a capo might not me doing anything at all. because it doesn't have the mecanism to clamp with enough force. The fatfinger has a clamp made for that.

I have one and it works okay, but it is no magic solution. The added weight to the headstock is a negative. I ended up doing the opposite and changing the vintage tuners to Ultralites, so I reduced the mass, and it worked better. The deadspot shifted from the 5th fret, G string, to the 7th fret, but it is much less now.

A9X · #13 10-16-2007, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spade2you

A bass without deadspots?

I have many. A neck with deadspots is faulty design and/or construction to my POV.

spade2you · #14 10-16-2007, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A9X

I have many. A neck with deadspots is faulty design and/or construction to my POV.

Out of 20 some instruments, I only have 1 bass with a few deadspots. Since they were on the 23rd and 24th frets, I didn't really fuss about it since the rest of the bass sounds great.

A9X · #15 10-16-2007, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spade2you

Out of 20 some instruments, I only have 1 bass with a few deadspots. Since they were on the 23rd and 24th frets, I didn't really fuss about it since the rest of the bass sounds great.

I don't think I'd care there much either. I was more thinking of the (apparently) somewhat common G string issues with Fender designs. Cheers.

Pilgrim · #16 10-16-2007, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stedtale

go to the local car place and get these....they also help with neck dive if you put them on the body.....

http://www.amazon.com/Gasket-1428-We.../dp/B000BWCFJG

I like that idea! Weight could also be added inside a bridge cover to counteract neck dive - might not even be visible if there was enough clearance to get it inside the cover.

I may have just found the way to reduce neck dive in my Jay Turser '54 P clone without having to install a heavier bridge. Tape weights are cheap and easy to test with!

ggunn · #17 10-16-2007, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

I like that idea! Weight could also be added inside a bridge cover to counteract neck dive - might not even be visible if there was enough clearance to get it inside the cover.

I may have just found the way to reduce neck dive in my Jay Turser '54 P clone without having to install a heavier bridge. Tape weights are cheap and easy to test with!

My Tacoma Thunderchief has pretty bad neck dive. I went to my local dive shop and got a 1 pound SCUBA weight, the kind that you wear by running a web belt though it, and I ran the back end of my strap through it so that it rides just above the rear strap button. It works like a charm.

bassman10096 · #18 10-16-2007, 12:46 PM

Adding weight to the bass's body is generally less effective for reducing head dive than reducing the tuners' weight. The upper strap button is the fulcrum and the neck and body are each levers. The neck is usually much longer (depending on the length of the upper horn). In that case, you have to remove much less weight from the headstock than you'd have to add to the body (even near the bottom) to get the same effect.
Not saying adding weight to the body won't work, just that it won't work as well and adds weight to the bass overall (Can't think why that would be desirable.). Hipshot ultralights weigh something like 1/2 lb less than regular open gear tuners.

ggunn · #19 10-16-2007, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassman10096

Adding weight to the bass's body is generally less effective for reducing head dive than reducing the tuners' weight. The upper strap button is the fulcrum and the neck and body are each levers. The neck is usually much longer (depending on the length of the upper horn). In that case, you have to remove much less weight from the headstock than you'd have to add to the body (even near the bottom) to get the same effect.
Not saying adding weight to the body won't work, just that it won't work as well and adds weight to the bass overall (Can't think why that would be desirable.). Hipshot ultralights weigh something like 1/2 lb less than regular open gear tuners.

Well, in my case my Thunderchief is very light so the added weight isn't a problem, and it already had light weight tuners.

Pilgrim · #20 10-16-2007, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassman10096

Adding weight to the bass's body is generally less effective for reducing head dive than reducing the tuners' weight. The upper strap button is the fulcrum and the neck and body are each levers. The neck is usually much longer (depending on the length of the upper horn). In that case, you have to remove much less weight from the headstock than you'd have to add to the body (even near the bottom) to get the same effect.

Great point, and the logic is clear!

However, contrasting the prices of a few ounces of adhesive tape weight ($10 or less) and Ultralite Tuners ($100?) I can easily be persuaded to try the tape weight first.