Any fix for a dead spot?

[overtone]

I picked up an E-II Eclipse about 6 months ago and love it. In fact, it is one of those guitars that I've continued to enjoy more and more after the honeymoon period.

The one problem is that it has a dead spot on the 10th fret of the B string. The fundamental note dies out fairly quickly and leaves only the higher harmonics ringing out. I noticed it not long after first picking up the guitar but it seemed much more subtle then. Not sure if anything is changed or I'm just more aware of it now but I can't un-hear it whenever I hit that note.

I've seem some recommendations for using a Fat Finger, which seems like it changes the mass of the headstock to shift the problem to another spot on the fretboard. I haven't tried that yet and might end up doing that just to see if it works but I'm keen to hear if anyone has had success dealing with the same issue?

 

[Eagle]

Yes it moves it but on a fixed neck guitar you’re going to struggle to change anything enough to eliminate the problem. On a Fender style the solution is swap the body. If it had a Floyd you could try a high mass block . But you are unlikely to find anything that has enough of an effect.

 

[overtone]

Yeah, I thought that would be the case. Thanks @Eagle. I'll add some mass to the headstock and see if I can shift it to somewhere less noticeable, but it doesn't feel like it'll be a great longterm solution or possibly even that effective.

Maybe the real solution is to play the guitar with the headstock resting against a wall. No sustain issues there and it sounds killer

 

[laxu]

I had a dead spot on the 12th fret on one guitar. I tried the Fat Finger clamp and it just moved it to the 10th fret, while making the guitar neck heavy. Ended up selling the guitar.

 

[Frankencat]

It could possibly need some fret work. I have experienced this where a slightly high fret causes a “dead note” in the middle of the neck. It’s sometimes hard to detect but easy to fix. Find a good repairman or luthier and let them diagnose it for you.

 

[Sleezy E]

Sounds like a high spot on the 11th fret. Should be an easy fix

 

[Achilles]

Usually there's a pretty audible difference between a fundamental tone decaying too quickly into the wood vs one
getting choked off by a fret. Resting an ear right up against the neck should confirm it.

A dead note due to a funky wood spot sucks. You might be able to shift it a few cents one way with mass but it's
bubble gum on top of duct tape. Just use more gain!

 

[Eagle]

It could possibly need some fret work. I have experienced this where a slightly high fret causes a “dead note” in the middle of the neck. It’s sometimes hard to detect but easy to fix. Find a good repairman or luthier and let them diagnose it for you.

This is not a dead spot it’s just fret out or buzz . It’s a totally different problem. I dead spot will happen all of the neck when you play the same note. Nothing whatsoever to do with frets.

 

[Eagle]

Sounds like a high spot on the 11th fret. Should be an easy fix

If it is a dead spot it has nothing whatsoever to do with frets.

 

[Eagle]

Usually there's a pretty audible difference between a fundamental tone decaying too quickly into the wood vs one
getting choked off by a fret. Resting an ear right up against the neck should confirm it.

A dead note due to a funky wood spot sucks. You might be able to shift it a few cents one way with mass but it's
bubble gum on top of duct tape. Just use more gain!

This is the issue and most guitars have some notes that either jump out or are quite. How much is what matters.

 

[TSJMajesty]

This is the issue and most guitars have some notes that either jump out or are quite. How much is what matters.

I wonder if Aristides are more consistent, since they're not made of wood.

 

[overtone]

The slightly high fret was a good shout @Frankencat and @Sleezy E but it doesn't appear to be the problem here. I've had sustain issues due to fret buzz on other guitars and this definitely behaves in a different way. Who knows, it could actually be both problems and a trip to my local guitar tech would be a good idea anyway.

Without a Fat Finger to try, I put my heaviest capo on the headstock and feel that it made a very minor difference. It does feel very "bubble gum on top of duct tape" though and I wouldn't love to keep something on the headstock permanently.

This is the issue and most guitars have some notes that either jump out or are quite. How much is what matters.

This is my first time experiencing it so pronounced on a guitar, and is quite surprising to be honest. I'll live with it a while longer and see if it's something I can put up with longterm.

 

[Eagle]

I wonder if Aristides are more consistent, since they're not made of wood.

Yes but any material will resonate differently at different pitches. You just need to make sure the extreme ends of this spectrum aren’t on your instrument when you choose it.

 

[State of Epicicity]

I wonder if Aristides are more consistent, since they're not made of wood.

And Vigier; supposedly because of their neck with no truss rod they are immune to dead spots. I've never played one to see for myself.

 

[State of Epicicity]

If it helps at all, I had a Gibson Shred V from 2008, a limited edition piece of shit that came with a Kahler and a terrible dead note. After the most amount of time, money, and effort I've ever put into a trem, I cried uncle and replaced it with a Hipshot Tone-A-Matic. To my complete delight, not only did it make the tone of the instrument overall turn from thin crap to robust and soulful, it completely removed the dead note. I couldn't believe my ears, so I went up and down the neck, checking every fret on every string, and they all sustained beautifully. So in that very weird case it was the trem that caused it! I have no idea if trying another tun-o-matic or tailpiece might help, but if you have one lying around that fits, you might try it for shits and giggles.

 

[Shredder777]

I picked up an E-II Eclipse about 6 months ago and love it. In fact, it is one of those guitars that I've continued to enjoy more and more after the honeymoon period.

The one problem is that it has a dead spot on the 10th fret of the B string. The fundamental note dies out fairly quickly and leaves only the higher harmonics ringing out. I noticed it not long after first picking up the guitar but it seemed much more subtle then. Not sure if anything is changed or I'm just more aware of it now but I can't un-hear it whenever I hit that note.

I've seem some recommendations for using a Fat Finger, which seems like it changes the mass of the headstock to shift the problem to another spot on the fretboard. I haven't tried that yet and might end up doing that just to see if it works but I'm keen to hear if anyone has had success dealing with the same issue?

Its possible the fret is not anchored. You could try super glue. I have heard sometimes that frets that are not seated well and this impacts tone.

Also, it could be a symptom of needing a spot level. Check with fret rocker.

Because it got worse over time, its probably because of additional fret wear. String probably getting pinched out by adjacent fret.

 

[Blix]

IIRC one of Ned Steinberger's ideas with smaller bodies and composite construction was to eliminate dead spots completely.

 

[Eagle]

And Vigier; supposedly because of their neck with no truss rod they are immune to dead spots. I've never played one to see for myself.

Not immune but almost.

 

[Eagle]

IIRC one of Ned Steinberger's ideas with smaller bodies and composite construction was to eliminate dead spots completely.

I have never seen a problem on a GL.