JMHO...it can change the resonant frequency of the neck and possibly move a dead spot or wolf tone to a less annoying place, but it cannot change the stiffness of the neck shaft. Ergo, the amplitude of the resonance or anti-resonance will not change -- only its location.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
dead spots in all fender jazz basses???
- Thread starter DEFELDUS
- Start date
Originally posted by Treena Foster
So, the answer for dead spots on a neck is to purchse a bass without dead spots? Right?
Treena
-you could swap the neck for a graphite replacement eg. Status.
none of the Status graphite necks (on an early Strata J bass at the Bass Centre, Musicman Limited edition Stingray, Status 3000) I've played had deadspots I could detect.
re. the Fatfinger, I was experimenting again with a C-clamp and found you get differing results depending on what part of the headstock you put it on-
between the 1st and 2nd machineheads, 2nd and 3rd, 3rd and 4th, or the end of the headstock.
so this is probably why Groove Tubes discontinued the Fathead (the brass plate fitted under the machineheads) in favour of the Fatfinger, as you couldn't vary the positioning.
an obvious drawback of adding mass to the headstock is that the balance will be upset- the bass will become neck-heavy.
Washburn had an idea similar to the Fathead in one of their RB basses- a brass plate recessed into the back of the headstock- IIRC they called it the Hammerhead.
Yes - the amplitude of the resonance would probably not change signifcantly.
It is possible in some cases that the dead spot, rather than moving, goes away completely. This would happen if the antinodal positions for the new resonant frequency do not coincide with any fretted string positions for that frequency.
In trying to reduce dead spots, the desired effect of increasing the stiffness of the neck (such as by FRP reinforcement) is not only (if at all) to reduce the excursion of vibrations, but rather by increasing the stiffness, to increase the resonant frequency, so that there no longer any antinodes of low frequency notes occurring up the neck where we fret the low notes.
The Fatfinger does not always provide a 100% fix, though occasionally a particular bass will let it, and on some basses its effect isn't very apparent. But in my experience there is a definite improvement, if not cure, especially on Fenders. The spot was moved toward the nut, where (for me) its impact is reduced. And yes, the placement on the headstock will influence the results - moving it around until you "tune out" the spot as much as possible.
It's an inexpensive alternative to a complete neck switchout that may be just enough of a fix - and there's no guarantee the neck you're putting on isn't similarly affected until it's mounted.
I like the neck on my '76 P and don't want to replace it - this thing is a big help (not a total cure), but enough for me.
It's an inexpensive alternative to a complete neck switchout that may be just enough of a fix - and there's no guarantee the neck you're putting on isn't similarly affected until it's mounted.
I like the neck on my '76 P and don't want to replace it - this thing is a big help (not a total cure), but enough for me.
None of my Fenders have dead spots and to be honest, if this "FatFinger" really worked you would see the pro's using them.
I have been all over the world on tour and I have never seen one in use.
You're pretty fortunate with your Fenders.
I couldn't imagine a pro owning one with a dead spot to start with. On the other hand, if dead spots were that rare to find on Fenders (or basses in general), this thread wouldn't be this long.
I couldn't imagine a pro owning one with a dead spot to start with. On the other hand, if dead spots were that rare to find on Fenders (or basses in general), this thread wouldn't be this long.
My '77 P has the typical dead spot around c-c# on the g string. I've heard it mentioned a lot more by players that work mostly in country music, probably because that style tends to have more sustained notes than pop. But you also don't hear that much about it because it's really not that big a deal to live with. If you're playing quarter notes at any normal tempo you don't notice it, and if you need a whole note in that range, just play it higher up on the d string. If the bass feels and sounds great with the exception of one or two notes on one string, I don't see much of a problem.
I've got 2 five strings, one an all wood neck, one with a graphite sandwich construction, and they both have a dead spot at the E string 5th fret (playing in a loud band setting). Sometimes I just play that note on the open A if it gets to bothering me. I've thought maybe it was just a dying string issue as the E string gets a good workout regardless of the song.
fat finger review. i bought a fat finger after working around the house for hours to get the money. i was pretty impressed with it. it added sustain to everything except the b string. it seemed to dampen the sound of the b string. i guess it moved all the dead spots to my b string. i cant find any anywhere else. i dont know what would happen on a four string. so, i was pretty impressed with the sustain of the bass, but i had to sacrifice a little of my low b.
Originally posted by DEFELDUS
hey, i know this could go in setup but i figured since its about fender jazz basses id put it in basses.
anyways, i have a mim fender (2000) and a mia (1999)(defretted) fender jazz bass and they both have dead spots on the g string at the 6th fret (pluck the string and get a weak tone with very little sustain). the fretless actually has a dead spot from between 5th and 6th to bethween 6th and 7th. so i was wondering have you guys had any similar experiences...
btw, ive changed strings and tried multiple neck tension and string height adjustments and i still get them there.
My P-bass had a deadspot on the 5th or 6th fret of the G string back when I first had it. My Rickenbacker rang out like crazy so I couldn't understand what was wrong with the Fender. This clunk with no sustain. It drove me crazy. I switched over to GHS Boomer strings and that seems to have gotten rid of it.
So you were able to rid yourself of dead spots by changing string brand?
Invalid Link Removed
Treena
I bought the bass in '77. I remember putting Rotosounds on it. I used it incessantly until I joined the service in the beginning of '83 and I put the bass away sometime in '82. While stationed in Philly, I bought an amazing fretless Rick 4003 and played it in the ship's band until some stupid jerk stole it.
When I got out in '89, I was into synths and sequencing for a long time up to about 2001. I made all my music that way and never used a "real" instrument during that time--everything was MIDI.
I started itching to get back into real playing. I bought my Schecter last year and it made me remember my Fender. Where was it?? I went to my parents' house earlier this year and there it was in the basement where I put it over 20 years before!!!
Luckily it was in its case the whole time. The strings had rusted but other than that it was fine. I changed the strings with GHS Boomers and plugged her in. It was like running into a dear old friend.
But I was worried about that deadspot because it was pretty bad and my Rick didn't have a deadspot on it. Rick makes a fantastic bass. I'll have to get another one because I really miss that 4003. Damn all axe thieves! Lowest form of scum there is. Pure scum. Subhuman less evolved life form IMO and I truly mean that.
But the GHS strings feel great and I love the nickel-wounds. I installed Boomers on the advice of a guy where I bought my Schecter and they seemed to have done the trick. There's still a slight deadspot but hardly noticeable. Maybe I notice it more because I know it's supposed to be there. I know no one else hears it if I can barely hear it. A lot better than before.
I don't know if letting the bass sit all that time contributed to reducing the deadspot or if the amp plays a part as well. I just don't know. All I know is that the deadspot is gone pretty much.
I agree and you are being to kind! They deserve nasty names but.....
Thats amazing about this bass being there for all those years!
Invalid Link Removed
Treena
Somebody in another forum told me to take an axe stand with me to shows and when resting the axe, put the strap under the legs of the stand. The thief will not figure it out and will grab the axe and pull the stand with it alerting you if someone tries to snatch it. He said he caught a guy he'd once played in a band with trying to make off with one of his guitars and then began stammering out a bunch of excuses when they caught him redhanded.
I wanted to kill the guy who ripped me off so imagine my glee when I learned he put a pistol in his mouth and blew off the top of his head some months later.
I went to his funeral and asked his widow if she had my axe. She started making a scene. All these tearful histrionics. She was as bad as he was and I know she knew all about his ripping me off.
"That's right, you punk b---h!" I said, "You need to cry!" I told her the universe had merely corrected a mistake it made by hauling this pus-bucket into the world without warning me. Then I gotted throwed out. Maybe his funeral wasn't the right place to do it but he had no respect for me so why should I show him any?
Damned if I'm going to mourn for him. I'm glad he's dead but I want Rick back!!!
Yeah, I even had a guy do a caliper check on the neck and everything and he said it was as perfect as any bass he'd ever tested. "Can't say Fender doesn't know how to make a bass," he said.
Fenders have the dead spot because of the way the neck and truss rod are made. Leo tried to solve this problem with the stingray.
A Jazz looks kinda like this: (l(
While with the Ray: (((
That solved a lot of the problems with dead spots. Neither my Reverend (jazz neck) or my Cort have dead spots that are at all noticeable.
Ricks don't have the problem because of the dual truss rods.
A Jazz looks kinda like this: (l(
While with the Ray: (((
That solved a lot of the problems with dead spots. Neither my Reverend (jazz neck) or my Cort have dead spots that are at all noticeable.
Ricks don't have the problem because of the dual truss rods.
What is your diagram showing? I don't pick up on these things too quickly.
Ahhh! But what does the double truss rod actually do to eliminate it? It definitely qorks, I can tell you that.
