Dead spot on F# common on SG´s?

[WhiteRaven]

My two SGs have this exact same problem (one gibson, one epiphone), almost in the exact same place; my dead spot is on F, most prominent at the 10th fret of the G string. Several SGs I've tried at various stores and such have had the same issue, too. It drove me crazy at first but eventually I learned to play around it (the guitars are too nice to neglect just because of one dead note). It seems to come and go with humidity and weather changes, too. I also managed to eliminate it by using a "Fat Finger", basically, a C Clamp which you attach to your headstock and which adds mass to the guitar. The fat finger sits in the closet, though, I've gotten over the dead spot more or less now.

[max2343]

It just needs more Forward Bow. Simple

[Boston004681]

Zero Dead Spots on Mine. Hopefully none is the future.

[80LPC]

It's interesting how people are noticing this on SGs with one piece necks. With one piece construction, you get the tonality of that particular wood. But with 3 piece construction, slightly different strips (with respect to grain orientation) are glued together which spreads out the tonal characteristics. It tends to smooth out the peaks and troughs, balancing out the frequency response.

 

These ideas have been used for many years by boutique guitar / bass makers. Laminated construction also produces stronger necks, but there is a degree of customer resistance to the idea - one piece can look very attractive, but in the case of a guitar with an opaque finish, who cares ?

 

My SG with 3 piece neck doesn't have any dead spots at all (1970s Gibsons typically had 3 piece). But there are other factors also - walnut body / neck with ebony fretboard means different resonant frequencies - but there's still plenty of warm SG character !

[Kzin]

My two SGs have this exact same problem (one gibson' date=' one epiphone), almost in the exact same place; my dead spot is on F, most prominent at the 10th fret of the G string. Several SGs I've tried at various stores and such have had the same issue, too. It drove me crazy at first but eventually I learned to play around it (the guitars are too nice to neglect just because of one dead note). It seems to come and go with humidity and weather changes, too. I also managed to eliminate it by using a "Fat Finger", basically, a C Clamp which you attach to your headstock and which adds mass to the guitar. The fat finger sits in the closet, though, I've gotten over the dead spot more or less now.[/quote']

 

I´ve also tried those fat fingers. It mostly seemed to move the spot to a different note. Although the dead note might have been sliightly less dead. Yeah, mine drove me crazy at first to but now I´ve gotten over it.

[Kzin]

It's interesting how people are noticing this on SGs with one piece necks. With one piece construction' date=' you get the tonality of that particular wood. But with 3 piece construction, slightly different strips (with respect to grain orientation) are glued together which spreads out the tonal characteristics. It tends to smooth out the peaks and troughs, balancing out the frequency response.

 

These ideas have been used for many years by boutique guitar / bass makers. Laminated construction also produces stronger necks, but there is a degree of customer resistance to the idea - one piece can look very attractive, but in the case of a guitar with an opaque finish, who cares ?

 

My SG with 3 piece neck doesn't have any dead spots at all (1970s Gibsons typically had 3 piece). But there are other factors also - walnut body / neck with ebony fretboard means different resonant frequencies - but there's still plenty of warm SG character ! [/quote']

 

Thanks for the info on one piece vs three piece necks, very intresseting read. Maybe thats why the sg gothic and special faded I tried didn´t have any dead spots.

[Geff]

I didnt think the gothic or faded had three piece necks. In fact Im sure they dont.

[Kzin]

I didnt think the gothic or faded had three piece necks. In fact Im sure they dont.

 

I´m sure you´re right. I was only speculating.

[Jimbo]

It's interesting how people are noticing this on SGs with one piece necks. With one piece construction' date=' you get the tonality of that particular wood. But with 3 piece construction, slightly different strips (with respect to grain orientation) are glued together which spreads out the tonal characteristics. It tends to smooth out the peaks and troughs, balancing out the frequency response.

 

These ideas have been used for many years by boutique guitar / bass makers. Laminated construction also produces stronger necks, but there is a degree of customer resistance to the idea - one piece can look very attractive, but in the case of a guitar with an opaque finish, who cares ?

 

My SG with 3 piece neck doesn't have any dead spots at all (1970s Gibsons typically had 3 piece). But there are other factors also - walnut body / neck with ebony fretboard means different resonant frequencies - but there's still plenty of warm SG character ! [/quote']

 

Very interesting.I'll get out the saw.

Only kidding!

[jazzlake]

I have an SG Special.  The dead spot (F#) is the worst I have ever experienced.  - really awful.  Anybody try a "Fat Finger" ?  A device made by Fender you stick on the headstock?

[JWH]

Have the Guitar Pleked.  It's worth it.  a Plek machine will correct any dead spots.

[Pinch]

6 hours ago, JWH said:

Have the Guitar Pleked.  It's worth it.  a Plek machine will correct any dead spots.

Nope. Not resonance dead spots. 

Pleking is still awesome, though. 

Edited September 24, 2020 by Pinch

[SGgypsyboy]

I have a 2011 SG Standard Ltd. (right) and a 2012 SG Standard '60 GC (left). Neither have any dead spots anywhere. After reading about all the others with that issue I am thankful I got lucky with these.

Edited September 24, 2020 by SGgypsyboy

[Pinch]

I sometimes wish I could go back to when I didn't even know know what sympathetic resonance was... I just played the damn things 😉

[01GT eibach]

I am not the expert on such things, but when I have had dead spots previously (never had one on my Gibsons, btw), it was due to an issue with the fret height in the vicinity of the dead spot.  You need to address that along with possibly tweaking the overall string height -- I don't think a proper intonation would affect it (although it is obviously super important for playability).  These things can be fixed -- check out Google and Youtube.  I am surprised that a new Plek'd Gibson has a dead spot. 

[Pinch]

On 9/27/2020 at 5:31 PM, 01GT eibach said:

I am not the expert on such things, but when I have had dead spots previously (never had one on my Gibsons, btw), it was due to an issue with the fret height in the vicinity of the dead spot.  You need to address that along with possibly tweaking the overall string height -- I don't think a proper intonation would affect it (although it is obviously super important for playability).  These things can be fixed -- check out Google and Youtube.  I am surprised that a new Plek'd Gibson has a dead spot. 

That's because a true dead spot has nothing to do with frets. When a note resonates at the same frequency as the neck, the energy of the string is sucked up by the neck's vibration. The note doesn't sustain. 

If you detune or tune up a guitar with a true dead spot, it moves with the tuning. It can be severe or less severe (and bother you to varying degrees).  Plek-ing won't do a thing.