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American Jazz dead spot C on A string agravated by strings?

acmeseed

acmeseed

Jun 15, 2009
243
205
Mission Viejo, CA
#1
I have a 2010 American Standard Jazz bass which has always had a dead spot on C on the A string. I have

La Bella deep talkin 45-65-85-105s in it installed about 3 months ago.

Lately it seems the dead spot is getting worse and perhaps I am imagining it, but it is extending past

the C fret and even showing up on the D string on F.

Do you think strings can agravate a dead spot? How about setup? Would lower or higher action have an

effect? How about truss rod setting?

I understand that dead spots are inherent in some bass/necks and it seems from what I read more

prominent on the Fender Jazz, but I would like your feedback if possible. I already tried clamping down

weights on the neck but that does not seem to help.

I can always replace the strings, but I love the way these sound and would like to try to avoid if possible.

I will greatly appreciate your response.

Mike.
 
#2
I remember my MIM jazz was dead at C. I noticed it during a gig where the B and D would ring out and the C would disappear into the mix. My solution was a Warmoth bass with the steel-rod reinforced Warmoth neck. Very smooth, very even.
 
#3
Dead spots are unfortunately a fact of life. Most of my basses have had them, usually on the 7th fret G. Between frets 5 & 7 on the G is actually more common than on the A though since the C on the G is one that commonly goes dead I suppose it's possible. Changing gauges can help a little but you'd have to go lighter to see any difference. Make sure your truss rod is adjusted properly. I've personally never had that help a dead spot but others have had some luck, but unfortunately it's an inherent problem in that neck. The neck is vibrating with the note and the frequencies are getting canceled out. You could add weight like a C clamp or a Fat Finger to the headstock and that may help but it may just move it somewhere where you won't look for it.
 
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#4
Thanks for you replies.

I guess the P-Bass does not have the problem or it is less because it has more mass on the neck?

I am going to look at the setup again, I had lowered the action quite a bit when I was just getting going, now that I have a little more experience I think I can probably raise it back up, not sure if it will help, but it is worth trying. I am going to put back the Chromes I had before when the problem did not seem so prominent.
 
#5
It may have something to do with the mass, but honestly I've had identical necks and one had a dead spot and the other one didn't. Even if you add graphite rods, have a rigid neck, there's no guarantee. Mike Lull, G&L, Fender, Musicman...all of them have had dead spots. Mike admits it's a fact of life. Even Roger Sadowsky does. Funny one of the few basses I've had that didn't have a dead spot was a G&L Tribute JB-2.
 
#8
A dead spot low on the A string is very strange. Describe what you hear on that note, i wonder if you have a low fret. Dead spots on the G or high on the D ... Thats the normal thing caused by resonance. Ive never had that happen on the A.
 
#9
On my MIM Standard Jazz the A on the E-5th fret is flat out dead. Hit that spot and it's like nothing happens and I can confirm it by listening to our version of Margaritaville.

Oddly enough, the Squier VM 70's bass, seen to your left, has a magical A note on the E-5th fret. Hit that sucker and it gets a really nice, fat, solid boom. Even listening to it on the stereo or headphones you can really hear how resonate that A note is, and I use that particular A a lot. So far I haven't found a noticed a really bad dead spot on it.

After catching that MIM dead spot of my gig recording I haven't played it out since.
 
#10
I am pretty sure my wife has a dead spot ;)

Seriously though, I am sitting with a 2014 Fender Jazz bass right now and the 5th fret on the G string certainly sounds softer and has less sustain. I've heard that this is a common location for a dead spot. But I am a simple "meat and veg" type of bassist, so I can't say that it bothers me that much.

Stoopid question from a passive bassist: is the dead spot phenomenon something more noticeable with active electronics?

I wonder how many bassists would pick up an early 1950's Precision or an early 1960's Jazz and criticize it for having dead spots.
 
#11
acmeseed said:
Thanks for you replies.

I guess the P-Bass does not have the problem or it is less because it has more mass on the neck?

I am going to look at the setup again, I had lowered the action quite a bit when I was just getting going, now that I have a little more experience I think I can probably raise it back up, not sure if it will help, but it is worth trying. I am going to put back the Chromes I had before when the problem did not seem so prominent.
Click to expand...

I found an MIM P at the local GC with the same C on the A string dead spot, and another one at Sam Ash that got dead on the D string down around where the neck meets the body.

I've seen this on enough basses now (and I haven't been around that long) that I don't think I'd ever buy a bass without playing it unless it was guaranteed I could return it.
 
#12
Jughead6 said:
I am pretty sure my wife has a dead spot ;)

Seriously though, I am sitting with a 2014 Fender Jazz bass right now and the 5th fret on the G string certainly sounds softer and has less sustain. I've heard that this is a common location for a dead spot. But I am a simple "meat and veg" type of bassist, so I can't say that it bothers me that much.

Stoopid question from a passive bassist: is the dead spot phenomenon something more noticeable with active electronics?

I wonder how many bassists would pick up an early 1950's Precision or an early 1960's Jazz and criticize it for having dead spots.
Click to expand...

All of the active basses I've played that were non-fenders were less noticeable, but the necks are completely different.

The active Fenders are batting .500 for me right now.

My one observation basses upon my own empirical evidence:
Dead spots more common on rosewood fb v. maple
More common on all wood necks than rodded next.

But as Fourstrings mentioned above, he had a Carvin with rods and a dead spot.

This is one of about 3 major reasons I hesitate to buy basses online.
No substitute for a test drive
 
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#13
pickles said:
A dead spot low on the A string is very strange. Describe what you hear on that note, i wonder if you have a low fret. Dead spots on the G or high on the D ... Thats the normal thing caused by resonance. Ive never had that happen on the A.
Click to expand...

Problems with the low A on a fender a pretty common, actually. The lack of a string retainer on the A, means that unless you have 3 or 4 full winds around the peg, the string will pop off the nut.

This is different than a dead spot at a single fret. I'd suspect the fret wire is low, or worn in this case, since it's both the A and D strings at the same fret.
 
#15
acmeseed said:
I have a 2010 American Standard Jazz bass which has always had a dead spot on C on the A string. I have

La Bella deep talkin 45-65-85-105s in it installed about 3 months ago.

Lately it seems the dead spot is getting worse and perhaps I am imagining it, but it is extending past

the C fret and even showing up on the D string on F.

Do you think strings can agravate a dead spot? How about setup? Would lower or higher action have an

effect? How about truss rod setting?

I understand that dead spots are inherent in some bass/necks and it seems from what I read more

prominent on the Fender Jazz, but I would like your feedback if possible. I already tried clamping down

weights on the neck but that does not seem to help.

I can always replace the strings, but I love the way these sound and would like to try to avoid if possible.

I will greatly appreciate your response.

Mike.
Click to expand...

Yeah check everything about the setup, especially the nut and break angle on the third string.

Those Deep Talkin strings are kinda thuddy anyway, so they may be enhancing the issue.

Also, I'd throw a set of different strings on for an A/B test.
 
#16
pickles said:
A dead spot low on the A string is very strange. Describe what you hear on that note
Click to expand...

Pretty much a heck of a lot less sustain on the C on A string that in other spots on the same string, kind of a dead thump rather than the same amount of sustain. I timed this note and others for sustain and pretty much there is a difference between 10 seconds on the good spots and 5 seconds on the others. Pretty noticeable when playing.

On the other hand I am going to go back and check the fret and probably replace the strings with a set of Fender flats I have, those have an .080 A string which may make a difference. I'll check the neck bolts, break angle, etc. Although I am wondering, once you fret the note, would the break angle still be in play?

Interestingly I checked my 60's Jazz with the factory round-wound and there is surely a totally dead spot on G on the 7th fret. This one does not bother me, as a relatively new player I live on the 3 low strings ;~)
 
#18
I made some progress with this. Put on a set of Chromes, but the dead spot was still too much to ignore; I put a set of Fender flats and they seem to help minimize it to the point that it is bearable. The third fret was slightly high which in my mind would do the opposite of creating a dead spot, but I am not too familiar with the dynamics that would come into play here.

I used the bass last weekend and noticed I was getting a bit of string slap on the frets, I guess the lower tension strings led to needing truss rod adjustment, I am doing that today, perhaps I'll get lucky and that will help also, crossing my fingers.
 

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