Dead spots: What to do about them?

**oli@bass** · 04-19-2008, 10:07 AM

We all know them. Well all hate them. And regardless of what some may tell, these damn dead spots are omnipresent. I can only remember to have played one bass that did not have any dead spots at all -- an Ernie Ball Cutlass I (graphite neck without trussrod). All of my basses have them to a higher or lesser degree, most of them around the 7th fret on the G string. Even the graphite necked NAMM bass, although very consistent over the fretboard, does have that one, but rather slightly.

On some instruments, the dead spots are more prominent than on others. Those that don't bother me are if the note sustains a little less long, or if the note does flip into the first overtone while ringing out. But those that freak me out are the ones where there's absolutely no body to the note, no sustain, nothing but a short "thud".

Instrument building science seems to have widely neglected this phenomenon, although it is widely known, and some more or less accurate descriptions of the involved physics are available. I've recently discussed this phenomenon with my dad (a turbine engineer with background in physics of vibration and waves), who also found it most interesting that the phenomenon exists regardless of the (rigidity and density of the) materials used in construction of the instruments. There must be some other contributing factors that have not yet been looked into (If I still was working in musicology, I'd start a research project on that topic!).

In order to get rid of the dreaded dead spots, I've tried all the obvious (and often mentioned) suspects: fastening the neck screws, adjusting the trussrod for proper relief and higher action, new strings, different strings of the same brand, other strings with different tension, clamping a weight to the headstock (actually just the clamp itself)... of all of them only the clamp showed a slight effect.

I'd love to hear what you have done (successful or not) about the more annoying dead spots, short of selling the instrument.

**Rod Trussbroken** · 04-19-2008, 10:25 AM

THey don't worry me...I avoid them by playing with a pick.

DEAD SPOT EXPLANATION

**TNT** · 04-19-2008, 11:34 AM

Although I have honestly not had a "dead" spot with a MM guitar (I know you're talkin' bass), it's interesting.

I would like to know what the "technical" term is for this (or is there one?), and what symptoms constitutes this. Does it really exist?

I always assumed a "dead" spot was associated to a higher/lower fret in proximity to the spot (causing the note volume to diminish greatly) or a portion of the string being dead (having the same effect).

**oli@bass** · 04-19-2008, 11:44 AM

This is the link that Gav wanted to post:

ASA/EAA/DAGA '99 - Dead Spots of Electric Guitars and Basses

**GHWelles** · 04-20-2008, 08:10 AM

Use a compressor.

**73jbass** · 04-20-2008, 03:16 PM

Dead spots on a MM bass? That's news to me.

**oli@bass** · 04-20-2008, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by GHWelles

Use a compressor.

You can't compress a tone that is not there...

Originally Posted by 73jbass

Dead spots on a MM bass? That's news to me.

...and ignoring them doesn't make them go away either...

Believe me, I tried both!

**73jbass** · 04-20-2008, 06:20 PM

What I meant was that I've never found any dead spots on any MM bass I've owned. Both my Fenders have the 5th position/g string syndrome. But all my MM basses are fine.

**oli@bass** · 04-21-2008, 02:52 AM

Originally Posted by 73jbass

What I meant was that I've never found any dead spots on any MM bass I've owned. Both my Fenders have the 5th position/g string syndrome. But all my MM basses are fine.

Ah, sorry, I misunderstood! Then you're extremely lucky. I've yet to find a bass (with a bolted on neck), EBMM or not, that does not have dead spots at all. There are many good instruments where the dead spots are minor and don't pose a real probem. That is also true for most of my current StingRays. But on two of them, the dead spots are pretty severe.

Now the scientifically interesting part is, that the two instruments which show them so prominently are quite different: My lightest (3.9kg), is probably a poplar body with plain maple neck and rosewood fretboard, and the second heaviest (4.5 kg) has a mahogany body with birds eye maple and peau ferro fretbard. This spoils two other hypothesis I had before, that heavy basses don't have dead spots and that it is dependent on the neck and body woods.

BTW, I also tried playing with a pick as Gav suggested, and naturally, it didn't make any difference. Given the study Gav posted above, it would have been a miracly anyway because dead spots are not connected to how the string is plucked but to an instrument specific resonance pattern.

Just for the record: This is by no means any sort of EBMM bashing or the like. Both my Lakland 55-94 with graphite reinforced necks have dead spots as well. One of them the famous 7th fret D. The other somewhere on the upper frets of the B and E strings. So much for the myth that graphite reinforcements remove dead spots. Maybe weakens or moves them to other frequencies, if you're lucky.

I really find this topic interesting (although the reason is annoying) and think it would be great if we could spark a discussion where also some knowledgeable people from EBMM would take part.