Problem spots on a neck

Paris Thalheimer

New Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2016
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4
I just picked up a '99 McCarty Hollowbody II and love it.

There does seem to be a problem with a spot or two on the neck. Some notes ring as clearly or as long as some. They sound a little "deadened" comapered to other notes. This on the bass side of the neck. Also, right around the 12th thru the 15th frets, fretted notes on the "D" sting have a "dissidence" (I may be using the wrong term). I ontice this most at high gain. Any ideas?

Being that it is used, I expected to have to make some adjustments to make it playable. The neck relief seems pretty sraight; I've adjusted the bridge hight to spec; I intonated it and set up the pickup hight to where it sounds very nice to my ears.
 
I think swede71 has it, and I think the word you were looking for might be dissonance. :)
 
Lightly tighten a small C clamp on the headstock (with a cloth on to prevent marks) and see if the dead spots move to new frets. If so, they are true dead spots and there isn't much you can do except learn to play around them. I have some on most of my guitars, especially 24 fretters. I also have wolf tones which I love to play at the end of a riff.
 
Another way to check it to lightly rest the tip of your headstock against a wall as you hit the dead note. If it rings way longer, then it is a dead spot due to oscillation of the waveform of the note resonating in the wood out of phase with the fretted note.
 
Wow second dead spot post of the night ;(
I am not convinced all guitars have to have dead spots , on a 17 year old guitar that is new to you I would start with a good fretboard condition , string change
PRS rarely have popped up frets because they are glued in but it could happen worst case a quick fret crown / dress might be needed, I have also found really small adjustments on the wraparound bridge ( or being sure you get a good bend on the string ) will fix most any issue
I also just picked up a HBII and LOVE it
Congrats on the new guitar
 
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