40hz Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 (edited) My Ray 34 had a dead-ish spot on the 6th fret of G so I know the telltale signs, but, my Fender Jazz just doesn't. I've just now because of this thread checked it against all the other notes surrounding it and it just doesn't! Edited January 24, 2016 by 40hz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1453658717' post='2961496'] ... a dead spot to some extent - where one or two notes ... have slightly lesser sustain than the surrounding notes ... [/quote] Hardly sounds worth worrying about then. [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1453658717' post='2961496'] ... So I find the "Well, [i]my[/i] Fenders never have dead spots" response of some posters entertaining ... [/quote] Not as entertaining as 'Well, [i]all [/i]Fenders [i]always[/i] have dead spots'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick's Fine '52 Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1453659096' post='2961500'] Ok..I guess I just haven't found them or heard them.... which I'd also guess is very unlikely. Since I set up all my basses and one of the few things I'm anal about, I think I'd notice. So, it is a no from me. I am also one for natural sustain so set-up and string and good basic construction is key. But yes, I don't have bad basses or old strings either. [/quote] This for me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1453659871' post='2961509'] Hardly sounds worth worrying about then. [/quote] Indeed. If what we call a dead spot is the effect of neck resonance on the tone and sustain of notes in a certain range on the instrument, I'd say that it's just a part of the sound of the bass guitar as we know it. Just as an example, James Jamerson had a very noticeable dead spot on his bass which you don't even need isolated tracks to hear, and that's one of the archetypal sounds you can make with a Fender bass. Admittedly, his heavy flatwounds and foam mutes make it stick out even more - they can be moved around or lessened somewhat by changing strings, hardware or setup. [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1453659871' post='2961509'] Not as entertaining as 'Well, [i]all [/i]Fenders [i]always[/i] have dead spots'. [/quote] I guess my point is that it doesn't make sense to assess instruments in terms of a binary "does this bass have a dead spot, Yes/No?" approach. It would make more sense to ask "Is the dead spot on this bass in a place that bothers me?". Often they can be minimised to the point where they are not noticed in use, but that doesn't mean that they're not there at all - the neck will still have a resonant frequency which can only be moved around or damped to a limited extent without substantially redesigning the instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1453659871' post='2961509'] Not as entertaining as 'Well, [i]all [/i]Fenders [i]always[/i] have dead spots'. [/quote] Just checked my P Bass and it really doesn't have a single dead spot. But to be pedantic, it's a Limelight and not a Fender. HOWEVER... my 76P is most definitely a Fender and that doesn't have any dead spots either. Well OK, one. In a position where I'd never play it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1453666452' post='2961610'] Just checked my P Bass and it really doesn't have a single dead spot. But to be pedantic, it's a Limelight and not a Fender. HOWEVER... my 76P is most definitely a Fender and that doesn't have any dead spots either. Well OK, one. In a position where I'd never play it. [/quote] Beyond the nut doesn't count Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick's Fine '52 Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 So, in summary, some basses have dead spots, and some don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1453666332' post='2961608'] ... I guess my point is that it doesn't make sense to assess instruments in terms of a binary "does this bass have a dead spot, Yes/No?" approach. It would make more sense to ask "Is the dead spot on this bass in a place that bothers me?". ..... [/quote] A very good take on the issue. Just to confuse the matter, my G&L SB1 (somewhat Fender like) suffered the opposite problem, G string 7th fret D massively louder than any other notes. Cured by a setup and not using strings with a single core over the saddles (I forget what they are called, seemed like a good idea at the time). TI flats or Chromes every time for me, YMMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pineweasel Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 I would have said my Jazz didn't have the classic dead spot, as I've never noticed it during ordinary playing. However, running it though a Boss OC-2 recently revealed it; the octave tracking wouldn't sustain as long around the 5th fret on the G as it would elsewhere on the fretboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 [quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1453667288' post='2961620'] So, in summary, some basses have dead spots, and some don't. [/quote] And who would have thought it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick's Fine '52 Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1453671115' post='2961691'] And who would have thought it? [/quote] Hold the front page! This should be pinned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musashimonkey Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 [quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1453667288' post='2961620'] So, in summary, some basses have dead spots, and some don't. [/quote] And yet... The posts are still landing..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazdah Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1453654774' post='2961444'] If all these basses you have, have had dead spots, i would suggest its how they are set up. [/quote] I thought about it for a moment and realized I haven't ever played fender without a dead spot on 6th or 7th fret of g string. CustomShop, American Vintage, American Deluxe, really old ones from 70s... Maybe we have worse ones here in Poland One beautiful P from 76 had a TERRIBLE one on 2nd fret of E string... Can't be setups fault in every of these cases. But I don't care. I didn't need to play the 6fret on g string since 2001 Edited January 25, 2016 by mazdah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 I would be interested in seeing if there is any correlation between dead spot location and weight of instrument. I found you can eliminate a deadspot on a bass by pressing the headstock into a wall or door frame (totally giggable). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigman Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 Last night my Warmoth DinkyP with a Status jazz neck (very light at 7lb3oz) was frustrating me. Symptoms were akin to a dead spot...the C on the A string (3rd fret) seemed much quieter than all the other notes. Never noticed it before. It's strung 45 65 80 100 d'Addario ENR71 half rounds. They've been on a while and I suppose the A string does the most work so perhaps all it is is an indication it's time to change strings? But I prefer the thud of old strings to the twang of new ones. But I prefer the feel of the half rounds over anything else so not going to go flats (been there).... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiipopes Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 (edited) [quote name='ubit' timestamp='1450526338' post='2933591'] Old flats= dead spots New rounds= musical bliss [/quote] Well, with due respect, not quite. The old flats were a higher tension string. Therefore the truss rod needed to be tighter to maintain optimal relief, and this resulted in more compression to the neck, which changed the resonant frequency to the dead spot. Putting lighter strings on necessitated loosening the truss rod marginally, again, to adjust the neck. This changed the compression and the resonant frequency. In this case, it got it off the G-string 7th fret. Edited January 26, 2016 by iiipopes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 [quote name='mazdah' timestamp='1453635496' post='2961186'] 99% have them. My Us Vintage P has a dead spot, my Squier VM jazz has one, my two Mexican standard Jazz Basses had them too. [/quote] How do you qualify this? I've got a trio of P's and a trio of J's, none of which have dead spots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 The term dead spot is misleading. It is more a position on the fret board that does it happen on fretless bassedhas cnoticeabley less sustain than other positions including the fret/note either side. One thought has just occurred to me, is a fretless any different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 [quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1454506949' post='2970319'] One thought has just occurred to me, is a fretless any different? [/quote] Yes, they still happen on fretless basses in much the same way, sometimes spot-on a specific note and sometimes in between. I think a lot of basses which are presumed to have no dead spots actually have one which falls in between two pitches and only affects the fretted notes to a minimal extent - these are easier to notice on a fretless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFitzgerald Posted February 6, 2016 Author Share Posted February 6, 2016 I played about 40% of last night's gig on my fretless with the new 40-95 rounds on it. The dead spot issue is gone. It was singing like Sinatra. (I'm a Jaco fanboi. I'll never escape that, so I've long stopped trying to.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Must say this is news to me too - I've owned five Fender basses, three of which i still own, and none have got dead spots. Saying that, I've got a bass Fatfinger clamp lying round at home which i don't use (having sold the bass concerned) if anyone wanted it for the purpose of moving/eradicating their deadspot.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinArto Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Every bass I've ever had has had a dead spot somewhere on the G. Usually around the D or Eb. I've got a graphite-necked Jazz at the moment which still has a dead spot on the G but a bit further up (I forget where exactly, haven't played it for a few months). If you use octavers you'll notice them a lot more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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