oli@bass
Well-known member
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.
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.
