Weird phenomenon - dead note on 2 basses?

[bigthemat]

Hey guys,

So I just noticed something weird on both of my basses (family reserve sterling 5 HS and fender marcus miller 4). When I play a C 5th fret on the G string, it sounds dead. I have relatively new strings on both basses, and it sounds like it's only this note... all others sound fine.

Any idea what is going on? Is it possibly a set up issue or something?

tanks,

m

 

[MadMatt]

Did you try different cabs and amps? That harmonics on that C might be right on the cutoff or split frequency of your cab making it sound "dead". My 10" GB cab makes A#'s sound lifeless.

 

[projectapollo]

A dead fret, perhaps. No sustain on the fundamental, just dies out.

 

[bovinehost]

Every bolt-on bass I've ever owned or played has a spot where the fundamental doesn't sustain as well as it does elsewhere on the neck. Typically around the C on the G string. This is not always true, but generally. I've had a few Jazz basses in which that "dead spot" was very noticeable. Graphite necks don't solve the issue, either. Tried that. Roger Sadowsky says all bolt-on basses have it to some extent - even his. I believe him.

Marcus Miller said his bass has one, too. He has learned to play that one note differently. I have to assume the production model Marcus Millers are much the same.

So I guess what I'm saying is that it's not a bug, it's a feature! But in my experience, fewer Music Man basses have bad dead spots, which is part of the reason I've been playing them for lo these many decades. Before the forum, even.

People will blow a lot of hot air up your boxers about dead spots. They will tell you that you have a bad fret, maybe, or you need to change strings or - oh, the "cures" I've seen on the intertubes. Listen: don't believe those people. Believe me. Believe Roger Sadowsky. It is what it is. On better basses (such as Music Man), it is less of an issue.

One of the few things that will change if not eliminate a true dead spot is changing the mass of the neck, generally by clipping some type of weight onto the headstock. I don't really find it necessary to do that on my basses, but some people do it and I've seen it work. Or at least change the location of the offending spot.

But - we're bassists. How long do you really want a note to sustain?

 

[syciprider]

The dead spot on Fender style bolt ons can normally be found on the G string @ B, C, C#, or D. I say normally because I've seen some basses that don't have these dead spots (or at least they're not noticeable). My 2007 LE doesn't have them. My other EBs have them in varying degrees though none as bad as Fenders. No matter, like most ppl I just adapt my playing style to their presence and hit the dead spot harder if I have to use it.

 

[projectapollo]

One of the few things that will change if not eliminate a true dead spot is changing the mass of the neck, generally by clipping some type of weight onto the headstock.

Yes, EB customer service recommended this solution to me once.

 

[Vintage7]

[One of the few things that will change if not eliminate a true dead spot is changing the mass of the neck, generally by clipping some type of weight onto the headstock. I don't really find it necessary to do that on my basses, but some people do it and I've seen it work. Or at least change the location of the offending spot.[/QUOTE]


The 2 basses I have that don't seem to have dead spot problems are my Hamer 12 and my Stingray.
The 12 has a massive porcupine headstock of tuners, big neck, and 2 trussrods.
The Ray has the trademark compact headstock.
Both are very even sounding but, mass wise, complete opposites.
My Fenders all have deadspots.

But - we're bassists. How long do you really want a note to sustain?[/QUOTE]

Until I tell it to stop.

 

[oli@bass]

Every bolt-on bass I've ever owned or played has a spot where the fundamental doesn't sustain as well as it does elsewhere on the neck. Typically around the C on the G string. This is not always true, but generally. I've had a few Jazz basses in which that "dead spot" was very noticeable. Graphite necks don't solve the issue, either. Tried that. Roger Sadowsky says all bolt-on basses have it to some extent - even his. I believe him.

Marcus Miller said his bass has one, too. He has learned to play that one note differently. I have to assume the production model Marcus Millers are much the same.

So I guess what I'm saying is that it's not a bug, it's a feature! But in my experience, fewer Music Man basses have bad dead spots, which is part of the reason I've been playing them for lo these many decades. Before the forum, even.

People will blow a lot of hot air up your boxers about dead spots. They will tell you that you have a bad fret, maybe, or you need to change strings or - oh, the "cures" I've seen on the intertubes. Listen: don't believe those people. Believe me. Believe Roger Sadowsky. It is what it is. On better basses (such as Music Man), it is less of an issue.

One of the few things that will change if not eliminate a true dead spot is changing the mass of the neck, generally by clipping some type of weight onto the headstock. I don't really find it necessary to do that on my basses, but some people do it and I've seen it work. Or at least change the location of the offending spot.

But - we're bassists. How long do you really want a note to sustain?

There's an incredible amount of thruth in this one post.... Jack at his best!

However, I am with Vintage7, in that I like the notes to stop ringing when I tell them, not when they decide to do so by themselves....

 

[melvin7822]

My less than a year old Big Al has only two dead spots that are noticeable on the 7th and 8th frets of the G-string. The 7th fret isn't so bad, but the 8th is pretty noticeable. Thankfully, I don't really ever have to sustain that note too often.

 

[Straight UP]

I have also noticed a dead spot. Only one that is really noticable. I at first thought the string had pooched but noticed it was just too consistant. So have also learned to play it a bit differently.

 

[Basswave]

I just look at as thats that particular instruments idiosyncrasies and leave it at that.