dead frets

[rdlb]

Hi everyone

I have a line6 variax 700 bass. Frets 9-11 underneath the E string sound terrible, there is no sustain on the notes and a slight metallic buzz noise when I play them. Every other fret sounds fine. I contacted line6 about a replacement neck, but they said return to the point of sale - which I can't do because I got it online from a US store, who don't even post to the UK (had to get it sent to a friend in America who forwarded it on). Is this issue familiar to any other people, and if so how can I sort it out? Is it just a case of getting the bass professionally set up, or is a new neck required?

Thanks a lot

[bassbloke]

I once spoke to a luthier who said the main reason for dead frets was a gap between the fret and the filesslot on the neck. His solution to prevent dead spots was to stick a blob of glue in the fret slots and then press in the fret. You could get a guitar tech to do this for you.

[ThirteenDevils]

ok, so how come my fretless jazz has a dead spot at the 7th fret position on the G string?

[BOD2]

There might be a difference between a "dead spot" and a "dead fret".

I believe "dead spots" can be caused by resonances in the neck and are often cured by changing the effective mass of the neck, which then changes the resonant frequency (this is what the "Fat Finger" clamp does).

A "dead fret" might be different and caused, as suggested by your luthier, a problem with the installation of a particular fret.


rdlb - if you have a "G-clamp" in your toolbox at home, try clamping (carefully) this onto the headstock of your bass. If it solves the problem then you probably have a neck "dead spot". You could then buy a [url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/Catalogue/ViewProduct.aspx?productId=406"]Fat Finger[/url] which does the same as the G-clamp but looks prettier.

[chris_b]

[quote name='ThirteenDevils' post='7875' date='May 27 2007, 10:51 PM']ok, so how come my fretless jazz has a dead spot at the 7th fret position on the G string?[/quote]

I don't know what a dead fret is but I believe a dead spot is caused by the sonic properties of the wood of the neck. Fenders are renown for this. I have a DVD where Marcus Miller talks about the dead spot on his jazz bass. Bass makers use quarter sawn necks, graphite rods and multiple layered necks to get around this problem. Fatfinger or G clamp (I have seen this used on stage!!) are about all you can do, or don't play that note!!