Dead Spots on Fenders..Huh?

[GBassNorth]

My fretless Yamaha BB-404F has a (noticeable to me) dead spot from 5th to 7th fret on the G string. The bass is 34", has a 2+2 tuner config, and is strung with regular tensioned D'Addario roundwounds (45...100).

If you've ever considered installing low tension rounds on your bass it might be a good candidate to see if the string tension change improves your dead spots. It did on mine, but my original strings were extremely high tension. I replaced them with TI Jazz Rounds and immediately heard a difference.
Only conjecture on my part but as an engineer I'd assume the neck mass, neck flexibility and string mass all play a part in creating dead spots. Fixes like the Fat Finger and JohnK's (?) neat hidden weights both change the mass of the neck, stiffening bars may change the flexibility of the neck, light guage strings may change the string to neck mass ratio by a bit, and low tension strings may create less pull on the headstock in essence making the neck react like a stiffer neck. Again all guesses on my part.
So, if you're really annoyed by dead spots you might give some low tension strings a try, worked for me. YMMV

 

[faulknersj]

Stop. Right now stop. Quit looking for them. Every bolt on wooden necked bass has them to some extent, although some of them, a very small minority, are extremely minor. Once you notice them they are annoying. If you haven't noticed them already, don't go looking for them.

So I just went thru the entire fretboard on my MIJ jazz at soundcheck... I think there is a dead spot on C# on the G String. The note actual sounds fine, but it decays faster into what kind of sounds like a harmonic.

 

[Batmensch]

The only dead spot I've ever noticed was on a Gibson EB3L I had.

 

[mntngrown]

'Fenders have dead spots.'

Who Hasn't heard this?

Ok...my experience is with MIJ, MIA, Vintage, and Custom Shop Fenders...and I have yet to find a quote 'dead spot.'

Can someone produce evidence to support this claim...maybe a YouTube video that clearly shows a dead spot?

Maybe I just don't know what I'm listening for? Or maybe this is just nonsense...

Anyone have proof?

Saw a video on TB once, with Duck Dunn playing, (with beard), so probably Blues brothers era. He had one of those clamps on the headstock designed to help with deadspots. Mind you Dunn played the old flats for years and probably liked sorta dead. Must have been really dead.
I have only experienced the G string 5 to 7 dead spot on a G&L L-2000. It was quite apparent. Enough that I actually used a cheap metal screw clamp on the headstock in the recommended spot. The guy that bought it from me did not even notice it. I however could not tolerate it since everytime I played that note it was like a "***" moment. really dead I have had several other Fenders and G&L's over the years. No such bad luck. I am thinking it's fairly rare. However I had two different Lakland 5502D's that had "muffled with a pillow" type notes on the bigger strings, i.e. A and E, up around 5-9 fret. Every hunk of wood especially maybe a hunk of wood with another bolted on, (just guessing), has characteristics, sometimes bad ones. I just got a Japan mid 80's P-bass, and first thing I check is playing up the G. This one is sweet. I put massive Jamerson flats on it. Still great everywhere, even after truss adjustment.
Sorry, this is not proof. Just my experience with the one G&L out of many basses, and some wimpy notes on other strings on Lakland.

 

[Kael]

So I just went thru the entire fretboard on my MIJ jazz at soundcheck... I think there is a dead spot on C# on the G String. The note actual sounds fine, but it decays faster into what kind of sounds like a harmonic.

That's it. Usual spot on Fenders is C# to D# on the g string but it can be other spots. Sorry you found it. If you are anything like me, that dead spot will annoy you whenever you play that note now.

 

[Showdown]

This answer is hilarious. Still no evidence.

I have owned a number of Fender basses with a dead spot. It is typically on the G string around the 5th fret. This has been so common since the beginning, experienced by thousands of people, that "evidence" seems unnecessary. It is like providing evidence that the sky is blue. It can be done, but what is the point?

There have been several devices sold to fix the dead spot, mostly adding weight to the headstock, like Fat Fingers and in the 70s a brass plate shaped like the headstock that bolted to the back of it and had the tuners mounting on it. They generally worked ok, although they can cause neck dive. I still have a Fat Fingers, although I no longer have the bass that I needed it on.

 

[lowsideonacurve]

'Fenders have dead spots.'

Who Hasn't heard this?

Ok...my experience is with MIJ, MIA, Vintage, and Custom Shop Fenders...and I have yet to find a quote 'dead spot.'

Can someone produce evidence to support this claim...maybe a YouTube video that clearly shows a dead spot?

Maybe I just don't know what I'm listening for? Or maybe this is just nonsense...

Anyone have proof?

Fender has not only addressed "dead spots", they manufacture and sell a device that helps eliminate dead spots for both Bass and Guitar., So they must exist. You can find dead spots on just about any instrument with all tuning keys on one side of the head stock regardless of brand. Dead spots are not a setup issue, it has to do with the way a note resonates throughout the neck. (Think wood density Vs. string density.)

https://www.google.com/search?q=fen...AaLwoDYCw&sqi=2&ved=0CFIQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=634

 

[elBandito]

I have this going on my jazz bass

However I had two different Lakland 5502D's that had "muffled with a pillow" type notes on the bigger strings, i.e. A and E, up around 5-9 fret.

 

[faulknersj]

That's it. Usual spot on Fenders is C# to D# on the g string but it can be other spots. Sorry you found it. If you are anything like me, that dead spot will annoy you whenever you play that note now.

Ha ha!! Honestly I don't really play a lot of music that requires that notes sustain for long and I even throw a foam mute under the bridge sometimes. My C# is really not that bad...it sings as long as I'll need it to...just a little less than all the other notes.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

All my basses have them, some more pronounced that others. They're almost always in the 5th to 7th fret area on the G-string. This includes three Fenders and some Fender style basses.

I find the best way to hear them are in headphones while playing some whole notes. The dead spot(s) notes' sustain drops off really quick.

 

[Ewo]

That's it. Usual spot on Fenders is C# to D# on the g string but it can be other spots. Sorry you found it. If you are anything like me, that dead spot will annoy you whenever you play that note now.

Yup. Or me. Arggggh!

It's like that very old Peanuts cartoon: "I'm aware of my tongue..."

 

[BassHappy]

Stop. Right now stop. Quit looking for them. Every bolt on wooden necked bass has them to some extent, although some of them, a very small minority, are extremely minor. Once you notice them they are annoying. If you haven't noticed them already, don't go looking for them.

I think it is everyone's responsibility when purchasing a bass to at least discover whether or not they are purchasing a bass with dead spots. If it has them, and you are fine with it - then it's absolutely and obviously not a problem. If it has them and it cramps you style in some way - then perhaps you should move along with respect to your purchase.

I also think any reasonable person could surmise from this thread and many other threads - that dead spots are all over the place - some basses have them - and some do not. It seems a substantial number of basses of any brand - for maybe not completely understood reasons - and according to the testimony here - simply don't have dead spots. Others do.

My limited understanding is - it is the way a particular piece of neck wood interacts with a particular piece of body wood. Many TB'ers have stated that certain replacement necks have completely eliminated the problem when attached to the same body. A different neck takes care of the problem.

It is simply not the truth that "every bolt on wooden necked bass has them to some extent".

Yes, absolutely not true. I have 15 of them that have NO dead spots whatsoever. Come for a visit to New York - happy to let you see for yourself.

Of course - and here is the punch line - mine are all MEDIUM scalers.

BassHappy
Link Removed

Crusader against untruths.

 

[Kael]

em.

It is simply not the truth that "every bolt on wooden necked bass has them to some extent".

While I have not played every single bolt on wooden necked bass in existence, I still feel confident that I am correct. Every single time someone has said they have a bass without them and allowed me to play it, I've located it. I usually smile, hand the instrument back to them and let them continue thinking it doesn't have one. It is simply the truth whether you acknowledge it or not. Big freaking deal. Every instrument has more resonant notes and less resonant ones.

Also, my comment was towards the fact that if someone can't detect them yet, then what's the freaking point of looking for them. Just play the damned thing and make music. I once thought that dead spots were rare. One day decided to be anal about looking for them. Now I notice them.

 

[mntngrown]

Yep! I have heard the OP's videos re his speaker. He does not sit still long enough on notes to hear a moderate dead spot. He is a funk and r&b machine. I bet Rocco Prestia never noticed dead spots either. But a really bad one is really obvious.

 

[David Jayne]

Ha ha!! Honestly I don't really at music that requires a lot of sustain and I even throw a foam mute under the bridge sometimes. My C# is really not that bad...it sings as long as I'll need it to...just a little less than all the other notes.

Whoops, there it is. Sorry! Should have kept my mouth shut. Anyway yours is minimal and no big deal as you say. Be glad you don't have my G&L.

 

[faulknersj]

Yep! I have heard the OP's videos re his speaker. He does not sit still long enough on notes to hear a moderate dead spot. He is a funk and r&b machine. I bet Rocco Prestia never noticed dead spots either. But a really bad one is really obvious.

Ha ha! Thank you for the kind words....I do tend have a very 'bouncy' style.

 

[thmsjordan]

'Fenders have dead spots.'

Who Hasn't heard this?

Ok...my experience is with MIJ, MIA, Vintage, and Custom Shop Fenders...and I have yet to find a quote 'dead spot.'

Can someone produce evidence to support this claim...maybe a YouTube video that clearly shows a dead spot?

Maybe I just don't know what I'm listening for? Or maybe this is just nonsense...

No Nonsense in my experience. If you are ever in Pittsburgh, you can play mine. terrible dead spot at the 7th fret on the G string.

Anyone have proof?

Terrible dead spot on my 2004 Precision, G string 7th fret. You can play it if you are ever in Pittsburgh. It was very noticeable on a recent recording session. Tune was in D and the 7th fret D just would die so quickly compared to any other note on the bass.

 

[BassHappy]

While I have not played every single bolt on wooden necked bass in existence, I still feel confident that I am correct. Every single time someone has said they have a bass without them and allowed me to play it, I've located it. I usually smile, hand the instrument back to them and let them continue thinking it doesn't have one. It is simply the truth whether you acknowledge it or not. Big freaking deal. Every instrument has more resonant notes and less resonant ones.

Also, my comment was towards the fact that if someone can't detect them yet, then what's the freaking point of looking for them. Just play the damned thing and make music. I once thought that dead spots were rare. One day decided to be anal about looking for them. Now I notice them.

Tee Hee chuckle chuckle....

When talking about LONG scales, bro - I have to admit - at least in my experience - I agree wholeheartedly!

All the best,

Bass Happy

 

[GBassNorth]

Tee Hee chuckle chuckle....

When talking about LONG scales, bro - I have to admit - at least in my experience - I agree wholeheartedly!

All the best,

Bass Happy

BH - I gotta admit, I was skeptical about medium scale basses being free of dead spots but since I saw your post on it several months ago I've tried a number of 32" scale basses and have yet to find one with a dead spot. I did find a very mild dead spot on a short scale but you really had to listen for it.

 

[DWBass]

Weird. My dead spot was 'slap' related. The A on the E string. But when played fingerstyle, it was fine. Probably fret job. The C/C# on the G string was fine on mine. Both slap and fingerstyle.