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.
Do Stingrays have the infamous dead spot??
- Thread starter pingvuiini
- Start date
-
- Tags
- stingray dead spot
My ibanez musician had a dead note on the 9th fret of the g string. (the note was high E - always was inconvenient... and it was fretless so they happen on fretless also).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.
My warwick's dead note is around the same place.
Fender precision I had was around the 6th fret.
ibanez, neck through, I believe it was maple with mahogany strips (all musician basses are that, I think), but was never sure since it was painted.
warwick, bolt on, ovangkol neck.
fender precision, bolt on, maple neck.
They change depending on the build of the instrument.
Most people complain about them being in the range you said because most people complain about them on fender basses, where they are pretty consistently around the same area, roughly. As noted, it's due to the design, maple bolt on neck, shape/size/mass/tuners, etc, which are pretty darn consistent on them.
Last edited:
It never ceases to amaze me how on TB a simple practical question, such as "do Stingrays have the infamous dead spot?", will inevitably turn into discussions akin to how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. 
Last edited:
I said around 138 Hz. And I say that I will mostly lways be MAPLE + EADG tuned bass that WILL have dead notes WITHIN the playables ones on that combo. This is not false imho. But whatever. I don't really believe people who have a EADG 34" maple neck bass that doesn't have dead spot. Either they cannot 'feel' the dead spot, which is excusable, or they're just lying cause they pay 5 grand for their instrument. :')
It never ceases to amaze me how on TB a simple basic question, such as "do Stingrays have the infamous dead spot?", will inevitably turn into discussions akin to how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.
Actually, I've been wondering the answer to that question since at least 1 minute ago. Any idea of the answer? Not trying to hijack this thread, but that's a really fascinating question!
Are we talking Mississippi angels or Ethiopia Angels?It never ceases to amaze me how on TB a simple basic question, such as "do Stingrays have the infamous dead spot?", will inevitably turn into discussions akin to how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.
You don't believe it?
My ibanez sr300 has no dead spots in that range at all. maple neck EADG 34" bolt on.
"NO" dead spots is exactly the same thing as "cannot 'feel' the dead spot", since if you can't FEEL it (which actually means hear it), then it does not exist.
Dead means the string doesn't sustain the same or have same output level. pressing the note feels the same, as does plucking it.
Yes. Every bass I've had has it to some degree. It's just that depending on the strings, the eq, and where you pluck, not to mention the room, it can be more or less obvious.
I will ask for a video of yourself playing with the said be, DI with no compressor or EQ and a clear view of yourself playing all the notes, one by one, or then I don't believe it. I can't FEEL some truth in what you said, sorry. Make me feel the truth!
ask away. I have no access to most of my instruments these days, unfortunately. And I don't have to prove that my 3 decades of experience, most of it playing professionally, is worth anything as a defense of my statement of fact.
It never ceases to amaze me how on TB a simple practical question, such as "do Stingrays have the infamous dead spot?", will inevitably turn into discussions akin to how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.
You gotta moderate exposure, or succumb.
My '04 EB MM SR 4H with 3 band EQ has by far the worst 'C to D on the G string' dead spot of all my current basses, but having owned it since new {16 years} I've learned to live with it. Flat wound strings with 45 - 65 - 85 - 105 gauge helped a bit, and as others have said, it's not a deal breaker.
More annoying { i.e. until I learned how to deal with it } was the WGS; i.e. weak G syndrome.
If left untreated - especially when using round wound strings - I can understand why this could be a potential deal breaker for some, because it annoyed the !@#$% out of me before I learned how to fix it. Heck, the G string on mine was barely audible in a live mix.
Good news is that it can be treated to the extent that it is no longer an issue { for me at least }.
1. Use heavier gauge flats. IMO they sound better on a 'Ray anyway, but there's more fundamental to the note, which helps alleviate the problem in the first instance.
2. a) Raise the G-string magnet pole piece so that it's even with the others; b) Tilt the pickup slightly upward on the G-string side so it sits a little bit closer to the G; c) Bump mids ever so slightly when playing.
The G on a 4H 'Ray is always going to sound a little thin by virtue of the pickup's proximity to the bridge, but doing the above for all intents and purposes has alleviated the problem for me.
More annoying { i.e. until I learned how to deal with it } was the WGS; i.e. weak G syndrome.
If left untreated - especially when using round wound strings - I can understand why this could be a potential deal breaker for some, because it annoyed the !@#$% out of me before I learned how to fix it. Heck, the G string on mine was barely audible in a live mix.
Good news is that it can be treated to the extent that it is no longer an issue { for me at least }.
1. Use heavier gauge flats. IMO they sound better on a 'Ray anyway, but there's more fundamental to the note, which helps alleviate the problem in the first instance.
2. a) Raise the G-string magnet pole piece so that it's even with the others; b) Tilt the pickup slightly upward on the G-string side so it sits a little bit closer to the G; c) Bump mids ever so slightly when playing.
The G on a 4H 'Ray is always going to sound a little thin by virtue of the pickup's proximity to the bridge, but doing the above for all intents and purposes has alleviated the problem for me.
Last edited:
It’s more than sustain as a function of time.
My 1977 Stingray ( purchased new), had a noticeable tonal difference to the D note on the G string.
Yes I have been through 4 Rays that all had this, even after pro setups. I guess I was just used to the pop and snarl of my jazz bass's G strings..
Well...
I can't speak to every Stingray (Duh..), 'cause
- I haven't played every one;
- I have no interest in most of them; and
- I'm left handed, anyway. The only Stingray I did want - a 4HH Special - wasn't offered as a lefty until last year.
So, I do finally have one; a '20 Burnt Amber 4HH Stingray Special.
Does it have any dead spots? NO. I checked it this morning, in fact. It hadn't been out of it's case but once since I moved here to South Bend (to check for damage during the move); it was wildly out of tune, and slightly back-bowed as well. Took me all of 5 minutes to fix, and all is well again. I took the opportunity to check every string for dead spots, and... if there is one, I sure can't hear it. Even with a set of Galli Jazz Flats on it (most excellent flats, too, by the way) every single fretted note has annoyingly long sustain...
I also got my G&L Tom Hamilton Signature ASAT bass out as well. Didn't need as much attention as the 'Ray to get up to speed, but after checking every fretted note? Well, I had to fuss with it for quite a while, but the notes at the G string's 5th and 6th fret might have an RCH less sustain than every other fretted note. But, it would take headphones, a stopwatch, and lightning reflexes to tell for sure. It certainly doesn't affect the music I play; and - again - even with flats (old Chromes), the bass has far too much sustain for my taste, anyway...
Finally, we come to my '78 Fender P-Bass. Dead spots? It used to have a minor-but-noticeable one, years ago. Might have been minor because it has an "A" neck; might have just been luck. Or, as I've said before: it might have been because of the neck screws. They need to be torqued just tight enough to let the body/neck connection create a resonance that can mitigate/eliminate the potential dead spots. I read a couple of egg-head type articles about the subject several years ago, that mentioned neck screw torque as a possible mitigating solution/cure. My P-Bass did have a mild dead spot in the usual place, but after backing the back 2 neck screws off about an eighth of a turn? Don't have a dead spot no mo'.. at all.
So... does my Stingray have dead spots on the neck? No, it does not. Why not? I can't really say. Might be because of the tuner arrangement; might be because it's a lefty; or it might be because of both. Then again, it might be because of the roasted maple neck. Or, it could be because the neck screws are torqued just right. Or, maybe it's because GOD figures that we lefties have enough trouble as it is...
I can't speak to every Stingray (Duh..), 'cause
- I haven't played every one;
- I have no interest in most of them; and
- I'm left handed, anyway. The only Stingray I did want - a 4HH Special - wasn't offered as a lefty until last year.
So, I do finally have one; a '20 Burnt Amber 4HH Stingray Special.
Does it have any dead spots? NO. I checked it this morning, in fact. It hadn't been out of it's case but once since I moved here to South Bend (to check for damage during the move); it was wildly out of tune, and slightly back-bowed as well. Took me all of 5 minutes to fix, and all is well again. I took the opportunity to check every string for dead spots, and... if there is one, I sure can't hear it. Even with a set of Galli Jazz Flats on it (most excellent flats, too, by the way) every single fretted note has annoyingly long sustain...
I also got my G&L Tom Hamilton Signature ASAT bass out as well. Didn't need as much attention as the 'Ray to get up to speed, but after checking every fretted note? Well, I had to fuss with it for quite a while, but the notes at the G string's 5th and 6th fret might have an RCH less sustain than every other fretted note. But, it would take headphones, a stopwatch, and lightning reflexes to tell for sure. It certainly doesn't affect the music I play; and - again - even with flats (old Chromes), the bass has far too much sustain for my taste, anyway...
Finally, we come to my '78 Fender P-Bass. Dead spots? It used to have a minor-but-noticeable one, years ago. Might have been minor because it has an "A" neck; might have just been luck. Or, as I've said before: it might have been because of the neck screws. They need to be torqued just tight enough to let the body/neck connection create a resonance that can mitigate/eliminate the potential dead spots. I read a couple of egg-head type articles about the subject several years ago, that mentioned neck screw torque as a possible mitigating solution/cure. My P-Bass did have a mild dead spot in the usual place, but after backing the back 2 neck screws off about an eighth of a turn? Don't have a dead spot no mo'.. at all.
So... does my Stingray have dead spots on the neck? No, it does not. Why not? I can't really say. Might be because of the tuner arrangement; might be because it's a lefty; or it might be because of both. Then again, it might be because of the roasted maple neck. Or, it could be because the neck screws are torqued just right. Or, maybe it's because GOD figures that we lefties have enough trouble as it is...
Neither of my MIA Stingrays have one.
well i thought initially i was loosing my mind or sump and the guys in my band thought i was just hating on the bass because they know how i dislike the shape (top horn out to 12 fret w/strap button) and i do after 40 years of playing mostly gibson basses live. have a world of difficulty with the way the "fender" shaped basses hang if you will .... but that wasnt it and here is proof that i knew what i was feeling and hearing to be true ... that G string is weak , less resonant, possibly miss alligned from pickup view point l all the way from nut to saddle
. and with my late in career switch from plu n chug (no peddles) to a small array one of which is aliesis nano compressor ... the damn thing still was very noticeable and possibly even more using the outboard compression . Halleighjuah i wasnt hearing things .... or NOT hearing things and hell yes its detrimental to my playing and makes you strear clear of g string ... which isnt that bad of a proble because after all im / we are bass player and not lead bass guitar heros or whatever but my issue is the price in relation to playability and cionsequently the boat anchor you are left holding none the less
. and with my late in career switch from plu n chug (no peddles) to a small array one of which is aliesis nano compressor ... the damn thing still was very noticeable and possibly even more using the outboard compression . Halleighjuah i wasnt hearing things .... or NOT hearing things and hell yes its detrimental to my playing and makes you strear clear of g string ... which isnt that bad of a proble because after all im / we are bass player and not lead bass guitar heros or whatever but my issue is the price in relation to playability and cionsequently the boat anchor you are left holding none the less
by the way i bet it is due the fact your bass is a lefty and the way the strings allign over the coils and posts
by the im just glsd to know my perception were correct and i am NOT just a picky ass old geeezer of a bass player looking for an excuse to pick one of my Tbirds or Les Paul basses back ... which by the none of which have any of these flaws
