I think that dead spots relate to resonant frequencies of the neck. The wood itself. The weight of both the neck and body and how they interact play a significant role. The note being played is cancelled out or choked by the way the bass responds to the vibration. I've found that the same neck on a different body may not have the same dead spot (it will probably be on another note though). I have heard stories of upright bass luthiers removing wood from the end of fingerboards to affect dead spots -- by changing the weight of the neck/fingerboard. (once again, probably chasing the deadspot somewhere else) I dont think that pickups, strings, or setups have much to do with dead spots. Since 5 strings have larger, heavier necks, it's not uncommon for them to have deadspots in different places than the typical 4. The thing to do is to check a bass carefully before buying, and it's why it's a crapshoot to buy a bass without having played it.
Here are common dead spot areas I've encountered on 4-string, Fender-type basses.
G string -- either the 4th,5th,6th, or 7th frets. 6th (C#) is most common IMO.
D string -- 7th or 8th. the 7th (B) is most common.
A string -- 3rd -- curse of the weak C note!
E string -- 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th. most common is 4th (Ab). That damn note always wants to fight.
Many good basses will only have one of the dead spots on the G string. That's not a real big deal because that note will usually sustain when played on the D string. But, with low notes on the E, there's no where else to play them. You're screwed. Also, having to play a C on the E string 8th fret sounds a lot boomier than the 3rd on the A, so that one sucks too if it's bad. The dead B (7th) on the A string is a pain because a playing B on the G string is a much thinner sound. They all suck, really.
Bottom line: Don't buy a bass with nasty dead spots. To the person with the problematic 5 string, I'd see if I could return the whole bass and get another.
Has anyone tried this trick? :
If your bass has a typical dead spot on the G string, say C or C#, fret the C or C# note an octave below on the A string (don't play it, just keep your finger down) at the same time with another finger, fret the dead note on the G and pluck that note. You should hear a significant reduction of deadness.
....brought it to the attention of the shop I got the set from, they contacted the manufacturer (who will remain unnamed), and I got a full free set out of it.
