Night of The Living Deadspot...

Claymore · Nov 26, 2020

I was gonna suggest this on the "Dead spot" thread @forrestlaw but it was too long and I didn't wanna hijack it. I don't know where I heard this (maybe TB?) and I have yet to implement the idea but, going along with the concept of adding mass to the headstock, this seems feasible.
So, the idea was to buy tungsten slugs (which are crazy-heavy for their size) and a forstner bit (which drills a perfectly clean hole) and seat one or more of these slugs behind the tuning pegs out of view. You would have to drill shallow with the bit to avoid coming out the other side of the headstock, obviously.

Assuming my dead spot is near the 5th fret of the G string, which tuner would you place the slug behind? Depending on how far out the slug(s) are on the headstock will have an effect on how far the dead spot is moved. I'm allowing multiple votes because it might require multiple slugs behind different tuning pegs to move the dead spot down the neck to a less-annoying location. What do you think? Extra points if you know where this idea came from.

Datsgor · Nov 26, 2020

Yep, there was a thread where someone put 4 of those weights behind the tuners. I don't have the skills to flush it out though....

Claymore · Nov 26, 2020

C'mon... no engineers or steely-eyed missile men on TB today? Surely someone can weigh in on this. FYI- The slugs each weigh around 1/4 oz.

Claymore · Nov 26, 2020

Datsgor said: ↑

Yep, there was a thread where someone put 4 of those weights behind the tuners. I don't have the skills to flush it out though....
Click to expand...

I knew I wasn't imagining that. Thank you.

Datsgor · Nov 26, 2020

Claymore said: ↑

I knew I wasn't imagining that. Thank you.
Click to expand...

It may have been JohnK...I don't know.

Claymore · Nov 26, 2020

Datsgor said: ↑

It may have been JohnK...I don't know.
Click to expand...

Found it. Thanks.

johnk_10 said: ↑

i was noticing that one of my jazzmaster basses (the featherweight, 7lb 9 oz shoreline gold one) had a slight dead spot on only one note. it was the very common 'D' on the G string (7th fret). the surrounding notes were ringing out and sustaining fine, but when i played the D, i could actually feel the neck shake/resonate and it slightly choked out. since the swamp ash body on this particular bass was so light, i made a point of selecting the lightest weight neck that i could find for it which weighed only 1lb 6 oz (most fender type necks are 1lb 8oz - 1lb 13oz).

way back in 1979, when i discussed this issue that's very common on Fender basses with Leo Fender, he pulled out a small C clamp, clamped it on the headstock and said, 'play it now'. sure enough, it was gone, and although it probably moved to a lower note, i sure as heck couldn't find it. this is also the same premise/solution that the 'fathead' (brass plate on the back of the headstock) and later 'fatfinger' (a small c clamp), both of which have been discontinued, were based on, which is adding mass to the headstock to change the neck's resonant frequency.

so, yesterday, i started experimenting with various sized (and weight) C clamps to see if i could solve the dead D problem on my bass. since the body is so lightweight, i wanted to make sure that i added only enough weight to solve the problem and not create any neck dive/balance issues. i'm using gotoh's res-o-lite reverse tuning heads on it, which made it balance perfectly. after a bit of experimentation, i found that the smallest 3 oz C clamp that i had, completely eliminated it. i figured that if i installed a standard weight set of heads (or just two of them) it would solve the problem, but i didn't want two of one type, and two of the other. i also didn't want to just replace the res-o-lites with a whole set of standard weight ones, since 6.5oz would surely create neck dive, plus the res-o-lites are so much smoother and have no slop in them whatsoever. so, i went to my local hobby shop and bought a pack of tungsten 3/8' cylinder weights that are used for pinewood derby cars.

tungsten is the new replacement for lead, since it's non toxic and actually weighs 1.7 times more than the same size piece of lead (which i learned 8 years ago when i was making and balancing my own r/c micro helicopter blades).

anywho, figuring that it was going to take at least 2 oz of weight to solve it, i removed two machine heads and bored two 3/8" holes under each of them to inlay the 1/2oz tungsten cylinders (see pic below with all four inlaid and an extra one laying on top to show it's size)).

View attachment 1740840

i first tested it with only 1 oz added (under the A string key), and while it was a bit better, the dead spot was still noticeable. while testing, i left the holes slightly shallow so that the base plate of the tuning key would 'clamp it in place'. so i ended up using four cylinder weights (two under the D key and two under the A key). i tested it again and the dead spot was not only gone, but it didn't seem to affect any of the other notes, so i bored the holes so the weights would sit flush and epoxied them in. the 2oz of added weight has not upset the balance of the bass at all, it's still very lightweight at 7lbs 11oz, and all of the notes sustain and ring out beautifully (running a set of TI Jazz flats on it). i couldn't be happier with the bass now.

sorry for the long post, but i just thought that i'd post this as a possible (and an invisible) solution for those of you that may be experiencing a dead spot issue.
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Bruce Johnson · Nov 27, 2020

Well, you aren't going to get a precise answer from us engineering-types. Calculating the natural resonant frequency of an electric bass frame would take a lot of measuring, testing, and calculation. It can be done, but it's a whole lot of work. It's going to be much easier to just test it. Temporarily attach weights to the headstock and see what happens.

My educated guess is that you first need to figure out how much weight you need to attach to the headstock to make the deadspot move. Use tape or baling wire to fasten weights on the headstock, and keep adding weights until you see some change. Experiment to get an idea how much weight will "fix" the deadspot to your satisfaction. Then start thinking about how to mount the weights, and where. The position of the weights on the headstock isn't going to be that important.

Yahboy · Nov 28, 2020

You already has Pinewood tungsten rod.
Now you also need Gotoh GB640 tuning machines set which has large plate to hidden the rod.

One tungsten rod under each A and D stock small tuning plate are not enough add mass.

Treating your bass' deadspot | eBass

Yahboy · Nov 28, 2020

I been use Wilkinson Vintage tuning machince and solve the Squier CV60J G string dead spot well. Overall weight increase around 250grams than Squier CV60J stock tuning machince include ring and screws.
The tuning machince set weight on Squier CV60J and Fender MIM std/player are almost same.

Hopehelp

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Night of The Living Deadspot...

How far out on headstock to put the weight?

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A string

D string

G string

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Night of The Living Deadspot...

Behind E string

A string

D string

G string

This will not have the effect you are looking for. Do not proceed.

Bruce Johnson Gold Supporting Member Commercial User

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