Dead Spots and How To Fix Them?

[lowregisterhead]

Got a new bass, bought unseen. Got a stonking dead spot in just the wrong place, 7th-8th fret on the D string...

What could our learned readers suggest as a possible remedy? I've tried a 'Fat Finger' on the headstock that seems to shift the dead spot down a tone or so (still not good) but are there any other mods that might shift it up a bit closer to the dusty end where I can live with it? The bass is great in many other ways, so I don't want to get rid of it without at least trying to find a solution.

How about fitting a brass / bone / graphite nut (currently plastic)? Anyone tried trimming the headstock? Would shaving the neck help?

All suggestions welcomed!

Edited April 27, 2015 by lowregisterhead

[Roland Rock]

I started a thread on this recently (possibly in the Technical Issues forum) as a friend was having this issue. It turned out that loosening and retightening the neck screws did the trick.

Edit: Found it ☺ http://basschat.co.uk/topic/254993-dead-spot/page__fromsearch__1

Edited April 27, 2015 by Roland Rock

[ikay]

What bass is it? Knowing this may suggest a few different options. If it has old style heavyweight tuners then swapping in ultralights will lose a few ounces at the headstock and shift the resonant frequency up a few steps. If it's a bolt-on then a trick that may be worth trying is to rest the bass face down on a (padded) flat surface and EVER SO SLIGHTLY loosen the neck bolts while the strings are under tension. Idea is that the pull of the strings will bring the heel into more solid contact with the end of the pocket and improve neck/body coupling. Don't forget to tighten them up again! (disclaimer - I've read this but not actually tried it myself). Installing threaded inserts and machine bolts instead of wood screws for a bolt-on also improves neck/body coupling. Lightweight strings can help to reduce the severity of dead spots as less energy is being transferred into the neck and therefore less neck resonance. Shaving the neck would probably lower the resonant frequency as the neck would be less rigid (the stiffer the neck the higher the resonant freq) so that's probably not such a good idea.

[lowregisterhead]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1430119742' post='2758016']
I started a thread on this recently (possibly in the Technical Issues forum) as a friend was having this issue. It turned out that loosening and retightening the neck screws did the trick.

Edit: Found it ☺ [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/254993-dead-spot/page__fromsearch__1"]http://basschat.co.u...__fromsearch__1[/url]
[/quote]

Very interesting, thanks for that. I just tried it, and it did seem to help a little, but didn't solve the problem unfortunately. Any other suggestions?

[lowregisterhead]

[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1430120969' post='2758030']
What bass is it? Knowing this may suggest a few different options. If it has old style heavyweight tuners then swapping in ultralights will lose a few ounces at the headstock and shift the resonant frequency up a few steps. If it's a bolt-on then a trick that may be worth trying is to rest the bass face down on a (padded) flat surface and EVER SO SLIGHTLY loosen the neck bolts while the strings are under tension. Idea is that the pull of the strings will bring the heel into more solid contact with the end of the pocket and improve neck/body coupling. Don't forget to tighten them up again! (disclaimer - I've read this but not actually tried it myself). Installing threaded inserts and machine bolts instead of wood screws for a bolt-on also improves neck/body coupling. Lightweight strings can help to reduce the severity of dead spots as less energy is being transferred into the neck and therefore less neck resonance. Shaving the neck would probably lower the resonant frequency as the neck would be less rigid (the stiffer the neck the higher the resonant freq) so that's probably not such a good idea.
[/quote]

It's a custom 5-string with a bolt-on neck, and I've just tried the looseing/tightening of the neck screws which did seem to help a little. I was interested in the idea of reducing the headstock mass (as a Fat Finger seemed to move the dead spot down) as logic would seem to suggest that trimming a bit off the tip (which I'm thinking of doing for aesthetic reasons anyway) might move it up? Obviously there's no way back from that kind of mod, so I wondered if anyone had tried it!

[BigRedX]

[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1430122625' post='2758047']
It's a custom 5-string with a bolt-on neck, and I've just tried the looseing/tightening of the neck screws which did seem to help a little. I was interested in the idea of reducing the headstock mass (as a Fat Finger seemed to move the dead spot down) as logic would seem to suggest that trimming a bit off the tip (which I'm thinking of doing for aesthetic reasons anyway) might move it up? Obviously there's no way back from that kind of mod, so I wondered if anyone had tried it!
[/quote]

In that case I'd try some lighter machine heads first. You can always sell them on an refit the old ones if it doesn't have the desired effect.

[Twincam]

Shim the neck even if it does not require it. With a super thin shim. Try a hard material and a soft material.
I have cured dead spots with a shim, however the basses actually needed one anyhow. Also actually just taking the neck fully off cleaning out any left over wood shavings etc can help.

Also try adjusting the truss rod slacken off then re tension.

Some dead spots are inherent to the wood no matter what you do.

[Machines]

I think the only solution is to change the mass of the bass. Prove this by clamping on something (FatFinger) or a G-clamp, but this generally just moves the deadspot a fret or two.

Or just hold your head stock against a wall when playing (or corner of a door frame) and instant no dead spots AND extra sustain.

Perfectly practical for gigging too.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Machines

[ikay]

Leaning the headstock against something solid always does the trick! Assume it already has lightweight tuners? Re reducing the size of the headstock, you'd have to remove quite a chunk to make much difference. As a reference point, I swapped the standard tuners on a Squier jazz for lightweight ones which lost about 100gm and shifted a dead spot on the G string up about a tone.

[JTUK]

To me, this is all about natural resonance which has gotten complicated with
all the addiitional kit you need to add. You can swap out all sorts and change
strings etc ... but you may also have to come to terms with this being the reason
the bass was sold..??

[Machines]

I'm sure Leo Fender made the original Precision headstock bigger to get around the 5th fret deadspot (it's around 6 now) and was surprised nobody complained about it.

[lowregisterhead]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1430126591' post='2758101']
In that case I'd try some lighter machine heads first. You can always sell them on an refit the old ones if it doesn't have the desired effect.
[/quote]

It already has Hipshot Ultralites with small posts, so nowhere to go with that one, I'm afraid.

[lowregisterhead]

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1430131826' post='2758172']
I think the only solution is to change the mass of the bass. Prove this by clamping on something (FatFinger) or a G-clamp, but this generally just moves the deadspot a fret or two.

Or just hold your head stock against a wall when playing (or corner of a door frame) and instant no dead spots AND extra sustain.

Perfectly practical for gigging too.
[/quote]

Sounds interesting, but I've a feeling adopting that stance would reduce my already wafer-thin stage presence to virtually zero. I'll give it a go!

[lowregisterhead]

Great advice, thanks for all the input. I shall put my jigsaw away for the moment and try cleaning, shimming and re-bolting. Once I get the headstock out of the door.