It seems to me that frequently there are dead spots on basses on the G string somewhere between the 5th and 9th frets. Do others notice this? Why does this happen? Any way to fix it?
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Dead spots on G string - Why??
- Thread starter jeffkew
- Start date
Yep, common. The headstock causes a neck resonance that soaks up energy in that frequency range. Different woods and head stocks lead to the spot being in slightly different places on different bases. The mitigation of this is one of the main supposed benefits of basses without a headstock.
I've seen it on American P basses.
The volume, and especially the sustain is weaker. But not enough to make it unplayable.
If you look for it, it's there. If you're not looking for it, you don't notice it, at least for
the large majority of songs.
My guess is an anti-resonance at the frequencies of those particular notes.
It's been around forever. Back in the '80s, someone claimed that clamp on fishing weights
could help if you attached them on the string between the nut and tuner. I never tried it.
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The volume, and especially the sustain is weaker. But not enough to make it unplayable.
If you look for it, it's there. If you're not looking for it, you don't notice it, at least for
the large majority of songs.
My guess is an anti-resonance at the frequencies of those particular notes.
It's been around forever. Back in the '80s, someone claimed that clamp on fishing weights
could help if you attached them on the string between the nut and tuner. I never tried it.
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This is why some basses use laminated necks. Like a T Bird. Or a Warwick NT Thumb.
I had a bass that had that problem on the A on the E string.
Sold it.
I had a bass that had that problem on the A on the E string.
Sold it.
Some say yes, others say no. Have noticed some significantly less obvious than others. Give you something to do at GC when you are bored.
The worst: Squier VM Jag i own. Almost conpletely dead at 6. And 7
The best: MIM Precision, maple neck for what that is worth
The worst: Squier VM Jag i own. Almost conpletely dead at 6. And 7
The best: MIM Precision, maple neck for what that is worth
Means2nEnd
Supporting Member
Carbon fiber necks are the only necks I have ever played without some "dead" resonance issue...FWIW
BassHappy
Supporting Member
This problem is much more common that many of those on here care to admit. I consider it to be one of the dirty little secrets of long scale basses in general - and it is particularly common with their beloved long scale Fenders. You could do a search, this topic has been hammered over and over again but let me save you some time. Here are their comments and advice summarized for you:
1. Get used it - it is a necessary evil - the instruments are so amazing it is worth it.
2. I don't ever play with sustain so it doesn't bother me
3. Put a mute on the bridge and you will never even notice it.
4. Create work arounds and reconfigure your playing so that you avoid the dead spot note(s) when you need to sustain.
5. Get one of those ridiculous doohickeys that clip on and dangle from the headstock. They won't solve the problem but they MAY help in certain cases.
6. Don't bother experimenting with different strings - it won't help.
Did I miss anything?
Might I point out that I have never seen a medium scale neck - Fender or otherwise - that exhibited anything even remotely similar to this problem. In fact, if anyone has a quality medium scale bass with a dead spot I would love to hear about it.
At least in this respect, maybe Leo didn't get it right?
BassHappy
www.innertainment.net
Laminates have little impact on dead spots. Virtually every bass has one (or more). Some are relatively minor (just a slightly faster decay of the fundamental between the C and E on the G string). Some are more troublesome (an almost immediate drop off of the fundamental at the initial note attack, and these extreme cases can also impact the octave below).
All but the worst ones are easy to play around... 'it is what it is'. The only way to totally eliminate dead spots (or at least minimize them to the point of not really noticing them at all) is a full 'graphite' neck (i.e., some sort of pastic-like composit). Off course, those come with their own issues.
Not a big issue on most basses. Novak fan frets, different scale lengths, graphite bars in the neck, laminated neck, blah blah blah.... does bupkiss regarding dead spots.
If you have a really bad one, the only 'possible' solution is to increase the mass of the headstock (i.e., clamping a 'fatfinger' on there or something). I would sell the bass before dealing with that!
definitely do a search, this has been talked to death a couple of times 
in a nut shell, the neck is vibrating at the same frequency as the "dead" note and absorbing
the energy. changing the mass by either adding or subtracting can "move" the dead spot
slightly. the goal would be to "move" it between notes. clamping on a weight, using ultra-light or heavier tuners have worked for some people.
in a nut shell, the neck is vibrating at the same frequency as the "dead" note and absorbing
the energy. changing the mass by either adding or subtracting can "move" the dead spot
slightly. the goal would be to "move" it between notes. clamping on a weight, using ultra-light or heavier tuners have worked for some people.
I've always noticed it around the C# on the G string. I just play around it (substitute the C# on the D string, for example). No big deal.
One of my favorite examples is in the immortal James Jamerson performance of "What's Going On?" Whenever he hits that C#, it dies faster than anything else (even considering that all the strings are muted, and stone dead)... but, somehow, he makes it work perfectly.
One of my favorite examples is in the immortal James Jamerson performance of "What's Going On?" Whenever he hits that C#, it dies faster than anything else (even considering that all the strings are muted, and stone dead)... but, somehow, he makes it work perfectly.
This problem is much more common that many of those on here care to admit. I consider it to be one of the dirty little secrets of long scale basses in general - and it is particularly common with their beloved long scale Fenders. You could do a search, this topic has been hammered over and over again but let me save you some time. Here are their comments and advice summarized for you:
1. Get used it - it is a necessary evil - the instruments are so amazing it is worth it.
2. I don't ever play with sustain so it doesn't bother me
3. Put a mute on the bridge and you will never even notice it.
4. Create work arounds and reconfigure your playing so that you avoid the dead spot note(s) when you need to sustain.
5. Get one of those ridiculous doohickeys that clip on and dangle from the headstock. They won't solve the problem but they MAY help in certain cases.
6. Don't bother experimenting with different strings - it won't help.
Did I miss anything?
Might I point out that I have never seen a medium scale neck - Fender or otherwise - that exhibited anything even remotely similar to this problem. In fact, if anyone has a quality medium scale bass with a dead spot I would love to hear about it.
At least in this respect, maybe Leo didn't get it right?
BassHappy
www.innertainment.net
Oh my gosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At least in this respect, maybe Leo didn't get it right?
I can hear the burst-Tort helicopters coming now
Sounds like you guys bought your basses on looks did you not try them out first i own 2 basses a P ang a J Bass you could knock a building down with the G strings ..........anyways sooooo how old are your round wounds ????
I put heavy Labella flats on my pbass and dropped it a step, pretty much fixed the few deadspots I was finding. Johnk has a cool fix involving hiding weights in the headstock. Mass, tension and stiffness are about the only things you can play with to shift the resonant frequencies of the neck.
I've never played a graphite neck that didn't have some dead spots. Most basses will have at least one or two. It's just a question of where they are and whether you can live with them in those locations. Worst basses I ever had for dead spots: a Fender Precision '62 reissue and a Warwick Streamer Stage I.
Slap some Fralin's in it!!!
(According to TB conventional wisdom, 90% of the tone originates with the pickups, so that oughta cure 'em!)
(According to TB conventional wisdom, 90% of the tone originates with the pickups, so that oughta cure 'em!)
