Do Stingrays have the infamous dead spot??

[InstantEctobass]

This was my experience too. That weak G string was not caused by neck resonance though, that was some issue with pickups or the preamp.

The resonant dead spot, caused by the neck having a resonant frequency that equals, or is an integer multiple, of the frequency of a note, can affect a number of areas depending on the bass: 4th through 7th frets on the G string or in some cases, the D string.

All of my basses with headstocks suffer this issue to a greater or lesser degree. I only notice it when holding notes out or when using an analog octaver.

I would think Stingrays do suffer from this as well. Some people never even notice it though.

All your basses with MAPLE suffer from dead spot. It's not dependant of the size of the headstock and such... Maple will always resonate at approximately the same frequency, between 130 & 140 Hz, and it's within the range of the playable notes on a EADG bass guitar.

 

[Corigan]

This thread has saved me a ton of time. I had been wondering why the C on my G string on my fender jazz just wouldn't sustain and would decay sooner than other notes. good stuff everyone. thanks for the info. not even going to worry about it and just play around it if I need a long sustain.

 

[selowitch]

Asking the real question.

I love my EBMM Sterling. Possibly my favorite four-string.

 

[JuanB]

What unacceptable? Maple resonnates at 138 Hz approximately, what did you expect? All necks made with MAPLE are gonna resonnate at that frequency, its by NATURE.

These threads must be TROLLING, right?

Like I said in my post, I understand that wood necked basses will naturally have dead spots but these were unlike anything I've ever experienced. Those particular notes were completely useless. Also, due to the variability of wood density (even within same species), neck mass, neck dimensions, etc. there is significant variability of dead spot frequency and intensity among basses of all makes and models.

 

[HolmeBass]

All your basses with MAPLE suffer from dead spot. It's not dependant of the size of the headstock and such... Maple will always resonate at approximately the same frequency, between 130 & 140 Hz, and it's within the range of the playable note on a EADG bass guitar.

No, this is not the case. The size and shape of the material determines the resonance frequency as much as the material. If it did not, than all stainless steel strings would vibrate at the same frequency, regardless of size. All brass cymbals would vibrate at the same frequency, regardless of size.

In short, your assertion is incorrect.

I have dead spots around the 6th/7th fret on my Warwick Streamer Stage I and my Czech-built SSD (i.e. Spector), neither of which have a lick of maple anywhere.

 

[InstantEctobass]

No, this is not the case. The size and shape of the material determines the resonance frequency as much as the material. If it did not, than all stainless steel strings would vibrate at the same frequency, regardless of size. All brass cymbals would vibrate at the same frequency, regardless of size.

In short, your assertion is incorrect.

I have dead spots around the 6th/7th fret on my Warwick Streamer Stage I and my Czech-built SSD (i.e. Spector), neither of which have a lick of maple anywhere.

What wood is it then?

My assertion is correct for most EADG 34" basses with maple in their necks. You can change the size of headstock, its thickness, you won't do much change. You can go 40-95 or 55-110 strings, the difference is very subtle, it will always vary between 4 to 7th frets on the G string...

Unless you have a Custom Shop Fender. They apply a special treatment that makes you believe you don't have a dead spot: the price.

 

[bass12]

Regarding materials and headstocks: the worst dead spot I have ever encountered was on a headless graphite necked bass.

 

[HolmeBass]

What wood is it then?

My assertion is correct for most EADG 34" basses with maple in their necks. You can change the size of headstock, its thickness, you won't do much change. You can go 40-95 or 55-110 strings, the difference is very subtle, it will always vary between 4 to 7th frets on the G string...

Unless you have a Custom Shop Fender. They apply a special treatment that makes you believe you don't have a dead spot: the price.

Your assertion is fundamentally incorrect. Not all chunks of maple, regardless of size, will have the same resonant frequency.

If they would, then explain why cymbals of different sizes have different resonance frequencies.

The Wick has purpleheart and maybe ovankol laminate neck, not sure about the SSD but it’s not maple, here is a picture. Maybe it is maple? Used to seeing more figure though.

 

[dkelley]

From my experience, the G string on a ray is the even with the other strings' outputs.

And I've had a fair bit of experience recording with them and rehearsing with them.

I found the same thing with my own USA SUB rays. Perfectly even.

Also I had no dead spots on any of them.

My current warwick corvette has one or two dead spots where the note simply doesn't sustain - and it's the real dead spot syndrome.... nothing is hitting the string, it's just that the note being played happens to trigger vibration in the neck that kind of anti-waves against the note and makes it die much faster than the other notes. And, like any true dead spot, it is the same note on two different strings, but happens more dramatically on one string (higher position) than on the g string (lower position).

Dead spots do happen on lots of basses. But I didn't have issues on rays.

 

[Valvehead]

The infamous dead spot is in my soul. Not in my Stingray.

 

[treyydogg]

im not sure about dead "spots" however i found the entire "G" string to be deadish , by this i mean even when using compressor the string as a whole is/was dynamically inferior to the other three , i popped pickups and pushed posts up a little bit and it helped but now 6 - 8 months later .... the entire bridge pickup has ceased to make a peep ... of course warranty has been out ... I think? anyway I guess im gonna take it on to GC where it came from and throw it at them ... they are lucky I haven't already due the fact it was a gift from my son i feel i shouldnt mar it up on any of the sharp headed individuals that work there or whatever it is they call what they do up there all day... i iwould sell it but.... my son gave it to me which

makes it truly special and it sound unbelieveable but whats up with the longivity EB ? its definately overprice boat paddle if anything else fouls up with it ☹

 

[Planespotter]

I had an ‘03 Stingray 3eq that had noticeably less output on the G string, but it wasn’t a deal breaker. Sadly, I traded it for a 90s Precision Bass Plus that was a total dog. Whoops.

 

[treyydogg]

i would however trade for a new gene simmons binded tbird !

 

[rogerbmiller]

In my experience, Singrays DO have a quiet G string. But I have found that it can be eliminated.

I once had an SR classic that I string with flats and the quiet G went away. I also have a Sub 5 that has an SD bassline PUP in it and it has a screaming G string.

It might seem like alchmey but to me it feels like the magnetic pull of the PUP on the G string may be part of the problem. Try rasing the PUP on your SR and playing the G string up high. THe PUP literallyt pulls the string out of tune if it is not set pretty low. Hence flats help as do different pickups.

This is just my experience. YMMV

 

[InstantEctobass]

Your assertion is fundamentally incorrect. Not all chunks of maple, regardless of size, will have the same resonant frequency.

If they would, then explain why cymbals of different sizes have different resonance frequencies.

The Wick has purpleheart and maybe ovankol laminate neck, not sure about the SSD but it’s not maple, here is a picture. Maybe it is maple? Used to seeing more figure though.

View attachment 4209007

If my assertion is fundamentally incorrect... when why people always say "I have a dead spot at the 4/5/6/7th fret" ?????????????????? Tell me why. It's 95% on these location. I heard on the 1st fret of the E string for a Warwick; but 95% of the time, it's always between 130 and 140 Hz, PRETTY CLOSE, and ALWAYS in the range of the G string. So, sue me.

Edit : I have a 1992 EBMM StingRay with a maple neck (I think it's not one piece but 2 pieces) and my 4, 5 and 6th frets on the G string are sounding dead; the fundamental note goes away very fast. This is dead spot.

Just like ALL 6 of my others basses.

 

[HolmeBass]

If my assertion is fundamentally incorrect... when why people always say "I have a dead spot at the 4/5/6/7th fret" ?????????????????? Tell me why. It's 95% on these location. I heard on the 1st fret of the E string for a Warwick; but 95% of the time, it's always between 130 and 140 Hz, PRETTY CLOSE, and ALWAYS in the range of the G string. So, sue me.

You’re saying that maple always vibrates at that frequency regardless of shape.

I am saying that is incorrect, because it is. The size and shape of an object changes the mass and therefore the resonant frequency.

As for the dead spot, it can be as high as the 9th fret, and on some basses it’s actually on the D string.

There simply is not that much variation in necks with headstocks. Certainly the 4 inline vs 3 + 1 vs paddle 2+2 does not significantly change the size and mass of the neck.

But headless necks have a different profile for this. I don’t know about multi-scale necks, or 6-string necks either, but there would be variations.

Not every piece is maple in the world vibrates at 138 Hz. The maple tree in my yard and my maple cutting board do not both have a 138 Hz resonant frequency. They simply do not.

 

[MattZilla]

All your basses with MAPLE suffer from dead spot. It's not dependant of the size of the headstock and such... Maple will always resonate at approximately the same frequency, between 130 & 140 Hz, and it's within the range of the playable notes on a EADG bass guitar.

If my assertion is fundamentally incorrect... when why people always say "I have a dead spot at the 4/5/6/7th fret" ?????????????????? Tell me why. It's 95% on these location. I heard on the 1st fret of the E string for a Warwick; but 95% of the time, it's always between 130 and 140 Hz, PRETTY CLOSE, and ALWAYS in the range of the G string. So, sue me.

Edit : I have a 1992 EBMM StingRay with a maple neck (I think it's not one piece but 2 pieces) and my 4, 5 and 6th frets on the G string are sounding dead; the fundamental note goes away very fast. This is dead spot.

Just like ALL 6 of my others basses.

The issue is your lazy typing. You typed “maple will always...” instead of “maple full scale bass guitar necks will always...”

 

[HolmeBass]

If my assertion is fundamentally incorrect... when why people always say "I have a dead spot at the 4/5/6/7th fret" ?????????????????? Tell me why. It's 95% on these location. I heard on the 1st fret of the E string for a Warwick; but 95% of the time, it's always between 130 and 140 Hz, PRETTY CLOSE, and ALWAYS in the range of the G string. So, sue me.

Edit : I have a 1992 EBMM StingRay with a maple neck (I think it's not one piece but 2 pieces) and my 4, 5 and 6th frets on the G string are sounding dead; the fundamental note goes away very fast. This is dead spot.

Just like ALL 6 of my others basses.

Cantilever Beam Natural Frequency

A cantilevered beam is a good first approximation to a bass guitar’s neck.

Note that both length and moment of inertia are in this formula.

The shape and size of an object absolutely do affect the resonant frequency. Not all pieces of maple have a 138 Hz resonant frequency.

Necks of different woods, but similar shape and size, have similar vibration performance because various hardwoods do not have drastically different densities.

And still the variation in the dead spot is between the 4th to 9th fret on the G string, and sometimes on the D string. That is actually a big variation in frequency, almost an octave.

 

[ComeHomeShane]

Just to play devils advocate...

I have two Stingray Specials... A 4H and a 5H. Neither have significant dead spots. I will admit, the G string on both is somewhat weaker in signal than the other strings, but FAR from what I would call 'dead'. When I first got the 5H I had an issue with the B string producing way too many overtones and little fundamental. I took off the EB slinkys that it came with, replaced them with D'addario NYXLs (my go to for stingrays), and adjusted the pick-up height a little bit... boom, problem solved.

Also, the even response on my G&L M25k is probably the best of any of my basses.

Like one of the first posters mentioned, different strokes for different folks. A guy who normally plays on a $5k Fodera is probably going to be more picky about string response than someone who thrashes on a Squire CV. I know it's not financially the best move, but IME, the best thing to do is buy a used version of what you're interested in, play it, see if you like it, and if not, sell it.

my 2 cents...

 

[electracoyote]

To clarify, on my USA SUB, a standard 'Ray 1 bridge humbucker three knob configuration, made with mostly the same stuff as the regular 'Ray, the entire length of string 1, open or fretted, was noticeably quieter and weaker sounding than the other three. No specific "dead spots" or "dead frets," and sustain was about the same as other strings. It's been reported too many times to be just imagination. So if your MM has a different electronics array or you somehow avoided this anomaly, congrats.

As also mentioned here, futzing with set-up, string gauge, pickup height, onboard EQ, technique, and signal chain including amp settings can even things out to tolerable or less noticeable/intrusive/distracting.

I've had far better luck with Fenders (Jazz and P) of all stripes; any dead spots on the numerous Fenders I've owned over the years were practically unnoticeable compared to the MM string 1 issue being discussed here.