what exactly does a dead spot on a neck sound like?

i wanna knwo the same thing.

 

Either the note won't ring thru clearly or not at all. It will either be kinda plunky and doinky with a partial note or completely plunky and doinky with no note.

 

It would probably sound like someone stepping on a grape fruit, akward.

 

Hey guys!

I just signed up on Talkbass again.. i hadn't visited the site for many years. It certainly has improved! And grown a lot! Nice job Paul, and guys.

Anyway, i saw this post and thought i could contribute with a little something right away.

A dead spot is simply a note on your neck that has no sustain. So if you play a note and let it ring, but the sound dies out right away (or faster than the usual), then you've found a dead spots.

My ricky has no dead spots (of course ) but my cort has a couple. Ive heard that you can get rid of them by readjusting the action, or just trying new strings. But i guess i just got used to mine and i work around/with them...

Happy groovin'!

 

That sounds more like a high fret.

 

I was just going to ask about the raising the action, thanks berns.

 

To me it's a dampened sound. Like playing on a rubber fret. Especially with no harmonics.

GRC

 

Mine neither, of course! I can't seem to find any on my Jazz bass, either. Lucky me!

Welcome back to TB.

--jeff

 

It sounds like nothing Dead things dont make sound just like a dead spot on a fretboard! I got one on the 22nd fret of the D string on my Essex Course I never play way up there so it dont matter!

 

It could just be that you need your truss rod in you neck adjusted.

Graphite necks, BTW, were created to eliminate dead spots. Some people complain that the graphite necks sound "sterile", which I would disagree.

Anywho...

 

You might notice a dead spot more when you are playing in a mix. Many basses have a dead spot on the G string at the 7th fret. You'll notice that the fundamental note gives way to the harmonic rather quickly. Since the harmonic won't cut through the mix, it will sound like the note just evaporates. Dead spots are all about physics and have to do with the resonant frequency of the instrument battling with the frequency of the note...that's as techical as I can get. The situation is mitigated by the stiffness of the neck. That's why you won't hear of them on a graphite neck but you'll find that the plague the heck out of wooden necks with rosewood fretboards. It's just the nature of the beast.

 

I think both of my basses have a dead E string.

 

my stingray has a dead spot @ fret 6 on the g string. Its annoying, but I only play that fret in one or two of my bands songs. I would like to get rid of it though.

Mike