***** Guitar Project Jigs, Tools & Techniques Online Resources Archives OLF Video Page Library of plans MP3 Library Inlay Class
Offical Luthiers Forum





And our community proudly sponsored by:

RC Tonewoods | Stewart MacDonald | LuthiersForum
TasmanianTonewoods | OLF | OLF MERCH
Luthier Suppliers | Pacific Coast Woods | ELEVATE
OLF X | Tasmanian Acoustic Tonewood | Luthiers Forum Store!
Luthiers Forum | OLF Facebook | AVAIL SPACE
OLF | Alaska Specialty Woods | A.Hix Tonewood
Duke of Pearl | Birkonium CNC | Space




Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Mon Nov 25, 2024 7:11 am


Board index » Electric Guitar & Bass Construction

All times are UTC - 5 hours





Post new topic Reply to topic  Page 1 of 1
  [ 8 posts ] 
  Print view Previous topic | Next topic 
Author Message
Smylight
 Post subject: PRS Santana SE dead spot
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 2:09 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo
User avatar

Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2017 8:42 pm
Posts: 400
First name: Pierre
Last Name: Castonguay
City: Québec, Qc
Country: Canada
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
Hello all,

A few weeks ago I changed pickups on a PRS Santana SE, as the original ones sounded lifeless and quite dull. The body itself has great sustain and punch, so we elected to install a pair of StewMac's Parsons Street to give 'em a try. Happy to say those are great sounding units. The guitar now sounds up to its potential. Will try a pair of SD 59s too.

Now, to my point . Those new pickups have revealed a rather annoying dead spot, G string 14th fret. Hard to avoid playing this very note. ;-)

I have come across dead spots on basses in the past, but never on a guitar. The neck in this guitar is rather extraordinary, V into fat 50s Gibson, so lack of wood is not an issue I believe.

Anyone has an opinion, theory or even solution for this kind of problem? As I'm writing the little voice at the back of my head has begun screaming "loose fret!!!" so I’m going to have a look in this direction, but anyhow I’m interested in your input.

Thanks a lot, have a nice day and an even nicer 2019!


Pierre
www.torvisse.com

_________________
Pierre Castonguay
Top
 Profile  
 
DavidSchwab
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 2:18 pm 
Offline
Mahogany
Mahogany
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2015 4:43 pm
Posts: 56
Location: Staten Island, NY
First name: David
Last Name: Schwab
City: Staten Island
State: NY
Zip/Postal Code: 10201
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
One way to determine if it’s a fret is tune that string a step higher or lower. If it still dies on the same note it’s the fret.

It seems unlikely that it’s an actual dead spot, but clamping a small weight to the headstock often gets rid of those.

There used to be a product called a “fat head” made just for this purpose.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Top
 Profile  
 
Smylight
 Post subject: PRS Santana SE dead spot
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 3:13 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo
User avatar

Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2017 8:42 pm
Posts: 400
First name: Pierre
Last Name: Castonguay
City: Québec, Qc
Country: Canada
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
DavidSchwab wrote:
One way to determine if it’s a fret is tune that string a step higher or lower. If it still dies on the same note it’s the fret.


It seems unlikely that it’s an actual dead spot, but clamping a small weight to the headstock often gets rid of those.

There used to be a product called a “fat head” made just for this purpose.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Great tips, thanks.

I believe Fender calls the gizmo the "Fat Finger". I'll get one for the shop, thanks for your input.




Pierre
http://www.torvisse.com

_________________
Pierre Castonguay
Top
 Profile  
 
Chris Pile
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 4:13 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:04 am
Posts: 5821
First name: Chris
Last Name: Pile
City: Wichita
State: Kansas
Country: Good old US of A
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
Sadly, no longer made - but this is what Fatheads looked like. They made them for Teles, Strats, basses, etc. They worked great, and I sold a load of them back in the 80's.

https://images.reverb.com/image/upload/ ... o43awv.jpg

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince


These users thanked the author Chris Pile for the post: DavidSchwab (Fri Jan 11, 2019 5:03 pm)
Top
 Profile  
 
Jim Watts
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:02 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 12, 2005 5:46 am
Posts: 2968
Location: United States
Do get the same response on the B string, 10th fret? It's the same note, this would help narrow down a fret problem.

_________________
Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com


These users thanked the author Jim Watts for the post: Smylight (Wed Jan 09, 2019 11:55 pm)
Top
 Profile  
 
Smylight
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 11:54 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo
User avatar

Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2017 8:42 pm
Posts: 400
First name: Pierre
Last Name: Castonguay
City: Québec, Qc
Country: Canada
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
Chris Pile wrote:
Sadly, no longer made - but this is what Fatheads looked like. They made them for Teles, Strats, basses, etc. They worked great, and I sold a load of them back in the 80's.

https://images.reverb.com/image/upload/ ... o43awv.jpg


This! It's been a very long time since I've seen one of those. I can get one made by the machinist friend.


Pierre
www.torvisse.com

_________________
Pierre Castonguay
Top
 Profile  
 
Smylight
PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:00 am 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo
User avatar

Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2017 8:42 pm
Posts: 400
First name: Pierre
Last Name: Castonguay
City: Québec, Qc
Country: Canada
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
Jim Watts wrote:
Do get the same response on the B string, 10th fret? It's the same note, this would help narrow down a fret problem.


Been working on other guitars all day, I'll try this tomorrow, thanks a lot!


Pierre
www.torvisse.com

_________________
Pierre Castonguay
Top
 Profile  
 
DavidSchwab
PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 5:05 pm 
Offline
Mahogany
Mahogany
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2015 4:43 pm
Posts: 56
Location: Staten Island, NY
First name: David
Last Name: Schwab
City: Staten Island
State: NY
Zip/Postal Code: 10201
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Smylight wrote:
DavidSchwab wrote:
One way to determine if it’s a fret is tune that string a step higher or lower. If it still dies on the same note it’s the fret.


It seems unlikely that it’s an actual dead spot, but clamping a small weight to the headstock often gets rid of those.

There used to be a product called a “fat head” made just for this purpose.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Great tips, thanks.

I believe Fender calls the gizmo the "Fat Finger". I'll get one for the shop, thanks for your input.




Pierre
http://www.torvisse.com


Here’s the Fat Finger

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... for-guitar


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


These users thanked the author DavidSchwab for the post: Smylight (Fri Jan 11, 2019 7:21 pm)
Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  Page 1 of 1
  [ 8 posts ] 

Board index » Electric Guitar & Bass Construction

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com