On my fairly new squier deluxe 5 string j bass I've noticed on the 5th fret of the G string it has very little sustain. All the other strings and frets are fine, even any other string on the 5th fret, it's just that one spot that has little sustain. The strings on it are the factory ones, and seem to hold a tune well. Should I replace them? Is it the fret itself?
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Dead note?
- Thread starter Muggle
- Start date
That's the world-famous Fender dead spot.
Hopkins
Commercial User
From what I understand this is caused by the neck wood and string vibrating at frequencies that cancel each other out causing very minimal sustain. Usually on the 5th to 7th fret of the G string (my P has this problem on the 7th). It can be remedied (or moved to a different fret) by adding mass to the headstock. There is a product called a fat finger that does this.
Look on the back of the neck and see if there is a wavey area or swirl in the wood behind the 5th fret. If so, that is the problem, the neck wood. Also, make sure that the 5th fret is seated completely in the middle. With radiused frets, they tend to pop up in the center with weather changes . If it is raised even slightly, it will casue a dead spot . Loose frets cause dead spots more than anything else. I fought this problem ona guitar once and finally had to remove the fret, clean out the groove, and actually glue that fret in but, it took care of the dead spot.
Classic dead spot. There's no cure, but you get used to it. It's rarely a problem in an actual performance situation.
I got dead spots on my Ibanez fretless, in roughly the same area. It's not brand or fret specific, I'm afraid.
Instead of the store-bought "Fat Finger" try double stick tape and a 1 oz lead car wheel balancing weight to the back of the headstock.
Adding weight to the headstock might (or might not) eliminate or reduce (partially or completely) the dead spot or move the dead spot to another fret or string or even create more dead spots. It's a cheap and easy test.
Adding weight to the headstock might (or might not) eliminate or reduce (partially or completely) the dead spot or move the dead spot to another fret or string or even create more dead spots. It's a cheap and easy test.
