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The aluminum foil I wrap over the top of my head keeps me in balance.
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09-08-2012 02:31 PM
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Is this suposed to be funny? It isn't.
Originally Posted by Patrick2
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Greeting Gertie: but, I must disagree. I thought it was indeed funny. Maybe because after owning many, many, many guitars I have never encountered a dead spot. Maybe also because if I ever did . . . I would just . . . "play another note". Originally Posted by Gertrude Moser
Also, before you start to go and get all self righteous with your commentary towards me, in an open forum . . . go back and read the question from the OP.
In case you don't care to go back there, please allow me to restate the OP's question; "Dead spot . . . it happens but how do YOU deal with it?"
So then, please allow me to repeat my answer . . .
"Damn . . . just play a different note! Sheezzz!!
Have a nice day . . . . . .
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I wouldnt say it is funny but I have to agree with him.. thank god it wasnt Bb!!! Originally Posted by Gertrude Moser
No offense taken at any rate and since othe notes of the same pitch dont die as badly on other strings I am developing a very unique non linear technique
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I might have to call BS on that solution Patrick. As one who shelled out a lot of money on a guitar to find out it has a defective unplayable part of the neck you might feel different. I am not picking sides here my friend, I thought you were joking actually, but during a solo are you really capable of thinking "OK, I can't go there on that run because it will lead me to the dead spot on the neck?". Maybe just my inferior musical abilities, but I couldn't. This was the first guitar that I have had after many guitars myself that had a dead spot, and believe me if one of your guitars had one I think you would wanted it fixed QUICK. Originally Posted by Patrick2
Please take the above as intended, just a different way of thinking about dead spots, not intend by any means as a way to flame you.
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I would dig in and play that note with tremolo.
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OK John. Call BS if you want to. But, if I'm in the middle of blowing . . . and a single note is dead . . . what should I do?? Stop the performance?? Take the guitar to Aaron and say .. . "please fix it.?" A dead spot. BIG DEAL!!! The world will NOT come to an end. Too many people seek a guitar that performs at absolute perfection . . . . and too often they do so to cover for their inabilities to over come minor bumps in the road. Tell me John . . . what do you do when you pop a string?? Is that not worse than a dead spot?? Also, the OP did not reference an "unplayable part of the neck" . . . as you referenced. He asked about a single dead note. So then, once again . . . if you're blowing . . . and you discover a particular single note is dead . . . . then, play a different note. There is not a run or a phrase in the whole entire world that can not survive the lack of a single note. Also, to answer you question if I'm really capable of knowing "I can't go there during a solo" . . . . yeah . . . I am. But, then after the gig, the next day . . . . I take the guitar in to have it corrected. Originally Posted by Kuz
If you discover a dead spot on the fret board . . . play through it. Then, take the damn guitar to a competent tech and have it fixed. I know my fret board well enough, that if I discove a dead spot . . . I can easily compensate . . . . correction . . . . I can VERY easily compensate for that dead spot. Then, I take it in to have the issue addressed.
As one who "shelled out a lot of money on a guitar" . . . . you may need to have a serious conversation with the person who made that guitar for you. Whether it's Terry M. or anyone else . . . if he delivered to you a guitar with a dead spot . . . then, he did you wrong. I don't care if he ponied up and changed out your neck or not. The guitar shouldn't have been delivered with a "dead spot" to begin with. Also, if you discover it during a gig/performance . . . . guess what . . . . you play through it . . . and as I said . . . "just play a different note".
If, on the other hand, you misinterpreted my response to mean that one should just live with it and never have it addressed . . . . then, either I was unclear in my response . . . or you misinterpreted it.
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[Patrick] >>> I have never encountered a dead spot.
Earlier I said something like that I have never NOT encountered one. But that was a dopey way to put it. I mean that I have never played a guitar that did not have at least one noticeable resonance peak - but that can often just mean a bit more harmonic emphasis and quicker primary note decay at a frequency.
But for a very acoustically active guitar I still think it is pretty reasonable to expect at least one note somewhere to be noticeably resonant in the un-wonderful way described above. It is just that one may reasonably consider this part of the character of an instrument.
I have never really given enough thought to tuner weight and resonant peaks. I understand that on a solidbody (with no vibrato, B-bender, or other goofiness) the neck is a good place to look for resonance trouble - but on a hollowbody it would be low on my (in need of improvement) list.
Considering how much light tuners and a mahogany neck can affect the sound of a hollowbody, the Drew tuner caper makes much sense.
Drew, Can we talk you into a clip illustrating before and after the capo?
Chris
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Well, after reading this response, I think we both have misinterpret some aspects of this topic. Originally Posted by Patrick2
I thought the question was "How do you overcome (fix) a dead spot on the neck?". Thus meaning what do you do to remedy the situation if you discover you have a dead spot after buying a guitar? Not "What do you do if if you suddenly discover in the middle of a gig that you have a dead spot?" (in this case "playing a different note WOULD be the only choice you have).
Like I posted earlier, Once I identified the dead spot ( and using tremolo has minimal to no effect on changing the decay of the fundamental note with a dead spot), I had the luthier make me a new neck and the problem is solved. Also for the record I bought the guitar used from a mutual friend of ours and he was unaware of the dead spot on the neck (I don't think he played the guitar lomg enough to find the issue, and I don't suggest that he did know). This luthier did stand behind his product because even though I was not the original owner he made me a completely new neck for the guitar and only charged me for shipping.
Also, Terry McInturff was not the luthier, he was just offering suggestions and information about the topic.
So yes, I did inadvertently misinterpret your response as it was no big deal and to live with a guitar that has a couple note that are unplayable. To this I am sorry.
One final thought, as I stated I have only had one guitar that has had an issue with a dead spot, but it is not just a simple fix. You really only have a couple options, a lead weight band-aid on the headstock or a new neck with different mass to counteract the frequency response.
Hopefully I clarified my misinterpretation, or made it worse. LOL
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Wow, in the interest of keeping this thread derailed (joke), I gotta agree with Patrick, Kuz. I have had guitars that have a single note with a rapid decay compared to the other notes. I just didn't play that note... sort of; I compensated. I did get very comfortable knowing that this certain note would die off so, when I went there, I made sure to make up for that instance's of note decay. I would usually employ a picking device to cover for it. No biggie. Now, I prefer that my guitars' notes all ring true but if I get one that doesn't... I make do.
Not saying I wasn't sore at getting a new guitar and it had an expensive-to-fix flaw. Just saying I did pretty much what Patrick says he does.
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>>> Just saying I did pretty much what Patrick says he does.
Well that's got to be the road to ruin.
I understand that we find resonance peaks playing in the neck, but in my goofing around that does not always mean the fix is on or in the neck.
To go to the opposite end of the spectrum, most (really most) classical guitars will have a few significantly resonant notes. Some loud and fast, some with a quick primary and lingering harmonic set, some with an inexplicably thudding attack, then settling into a perfectly normal note, and some the opposite - smooth long decay but lower volume, which sort of makes sense.
It may be that tradition (hah, or my tradition anyway) ignores the possible role of some neck tonnage in this sort of problem with acoustic guitars. I am definitely getting some new clarifications here.
I made a guitar last winter that was a tiny but very acoustically lively design. I expected it to be a little hairy trying to squeeze too much out of a micro box. But in carving the top it was making encouraging "bong" sounds even with less reflex than I was figuring on using. So I ended up with as much a dome as a traditional arch. Anyway, it has a few (typical in my opinion) resonant peaks, with the only noticeable one at around E 329.63 (most noticeable on the 3rd string 9th fret).
I tried a heavier bridge which brought it up about a step and a half but also made it a much sharper peak. This would kill doing "Puff the Magic Dragon" of course.
So I lightened the bridge and base as much as practical - which did not lower the note noticeably, but softened it to the level that in my opinion is typical of any fairly acoustically responsive guitar.
For chuckles I tried clamping two brass Shubb capos on the headstock last night. No change.
Likewise no change with the capos on my Bravo which has a single quick decay primary at G (392) but only on the second string 8th.
Interesting thread in my opinion. I'll fool with the headstock weight more.
ChrisLast edited by PTChristopher; 09-09-2012 at 08:31 AM.
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I dont know why I am answering.... Originally Posted by Kuz
If you read the thread this became an issue after I changed the tuners. The guitar was fine for 2 years prior. Should I send it back to Gibson for warranty work?
Off topic.. if it is the resonance frequency of the neck that is the issue perhaps changing to an ebony fingerboard would help.... hmmm...
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I wouldn't sweat it , all guitars have dead spots
(all physical objects have resonances / dead fz)
sustain is over-rated anyway
maybe just play that note again
It's not a dead spot it's character !
of course if its not that but a dodgey fret ... that is nasty
(and fairly easily fixable)
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If you replaced the tuners(not stock tuners), it might affect the warranty on the guitar.
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>>> I wouldn't sweat it , all guitars have dead spots
(all physical objects have resonances / dead fz)
100% agreed. But I also understand if a player says he has none on a particular guitar. In practice many resonant peaks may just not sound bothersome to a given player.
Changing string mass can also help - but I have only noticed a small change from this.
>>> replaced the tuners(not stock tuners), it might affect the warranty
I rather took Booka, S.'s comment to be in jest regarding the warranty.
Chris
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Originally Posted by PTChristopher
"wut chu talkin' bout Chris?"
Chris[/quote]
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