DEAD SPOTS

[Lowbrow]

OK, the majority opinion for battling Fender bass dead spots that I've picked up here is to somehow lighten the weight of the headstock, which can be accomplished by installing lighter-weight tuners. I've also noted truss-rod adjustment, but my action's just where I like it.

Any more simple conventional-wisdom approaches that can be easily performed by a non pro (that would be me)? I love my Road Worn, but I might as well just take off the G string.

 

[soulman969]

The neck is straight? Not torqued or twisted at all?

 

[msb]

Try a bigger G string .

 

[giacomini]

Well, first, there's 7 billion threads about the Fender dead spots. Please search!

Then I'd say you can add or subtract mass to the headstock to shift the dead spot up and down the neck, luckily you'll get to a sweet spot when you can't hear the dead note (it'll be there, but will be in the middle of a semitone, for example).

Changing tuners will help, not only if you install lighter-weight tuners, but also heavier ones.

The "Fat Finger" works as well. (it was made by Groove Tubes, now it is Fender)

You can add weights under the original tuners, like some TB member did and worked out great. (don't remember the thread, but it might show up in a search) But the point is to add mass, and not simply weight, so there's no use to tie up or stick something with a tape to the headstock, you must make that extra weight an integral part of the neck, so the best thing you can use to test the weights are C-clamps, but remember to put a felt or something between the clamp and the wood, otherwise you'll get a nasty ding in the finish.

Usually a setup, including truss adjustments, won't do anything to a dead spot.

 

[jbybj]

I had one experience where adding weight to the headstock made a big improvement.

 

[johnk_10]

it has to do with the resonant frequency of the neck. heavier or lighter tuning keys can help to minimize them. i already had gotoh resolites on one of my basses that had a dead spot at the 7th fret on the g string, so i added tungsten weights to its headstock:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/dead-spot-removal-743976/

you can also try a fatfinger to see if that will help:

FENDER® FATFINGER SUSTAIN ENHANCER (BASS GUITAR) *NEW* | eBay

 

[Lowbrow]

Thanks so much, all. I've been lucky and this is my first Fender dead spot issue in 30 + years as a P-er. I can deal with a dead C# but this one ranges from C to D
I remember seeing guys with heavy washers under the screws that secure the tuners - I imagine that this is another way to add weight?

 

[johnk_10]

heavy washers won't add much weight at all. i think that you'd be alot better off trying a fatfinger.

btw, all basses have them to some extent. it's just that some are more noticeable than others.

 

[ehque]

As mentioned above, dead spots are due to resonant frequency. If you imagine the neck as a cantilevered beam stessed by the strings and the truss rod, then at minimum these things should change the resonant frequency as well as its potential amount of effect:

Mass of neck, especially at headstock end
Stiffness of neck
Tension of strings
Tension of truss rod

You can change the frequency by using higher tension strings and then tightening your truss rod, for example.

To my understanding, it's not only possible to move the resonant frequency, but also to change its magnitude, which some people may not notice. Consider a steel plate and a wood one (xylophone vs marimba). They may be pitched at the same note but one will ring out louder and longer when struck. Using added mass just moves the dead spot around, whereas a stiffer neck could increase the frequency out of the bass range AND reduce its effect at that frequency as well.

 

[Lowbrow]

heavy washers won't add much weight at all. i think that you'd be alot better off trying a fatfinger.

btw, all basses have them to some extent. it's just that some are more noticeable than others.

Thanks again, John. That fatfinger's just soo darn oogly...