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Topic: Dead spot at 12th fret |
Jim Williams
From:
Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!
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Posted 4 Feb 2014 1:25 pm |
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I have noticed a couple of lap steels I play that seem to be somewhat "dull" around the 12th fret...less sustain and clarity than other notes, lower and higher.
Is this a common problem or is there something wrong with the guitars or strings?
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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 4 Feb 2014 1:34 pm
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From a recent thread;
| Ron Whitfield wrote: |
| The 12th fret area is notorious for being a dead zone on many steels, always look for a guitar that has the zing all the way past that spot. |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 5 Feb 2014 12:27 pm
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| The oddity is far beyond the muting aspect, but I've never heard any compelling explanation of it or a possible cure beyond making sure all fittings and contact points are solidly secured with no paint or whatever inhibiting string vibration and sustain. |
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Joshua Clements
From:
Tifton, Georgia.
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Posted 6 Feb 2014 7:27 pm
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| I have a Tiesco that is a short scale and it seems to dud around 12 fret as well. What type of steels are you playing that do this? |
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Chris Templeton
From:
The Green Mountain State
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Posted 6 Feb 2014 7:57 pm
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Just pick behind the bar, without muting and slide back and forth over the twelfth fret and it's easy to hear why the twelth fret is a "tone suck". This goes for the 7th fret, to some degree. Like Stephen says, good muting behind the bar is the only way to help with this problem, as far as I know.
Because the harmonic frequencies converge(?) at the 7th and twelfth frets, when using a bar without muting in these positions, the strings on both sides of the bar are easily "excitable".
_________________
Excel 3/4 Pedal With An 8 String Hawaiian Neck, Sierra Tapper (10 string with a raised fretboard to fret with fingers), Single neck Fessenden 3/5
"The Tapper" : https://christophertempleton.bandcamp.com/album/the-tapper
Soundcloud Playlist: https://soundcloud.com/bluespruce8: |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 6 Feb 2014 8:40 pm
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| Chris Templeton wrote: |
Just pick behind the bar, without muting and slide back and forth over the twelfth fret and it's easy to hear why the twelth fret is a "tone suck". This goes for the 7th fret, to some degree. Like Stephen says, good muting behind the bar is the only way to help with this problem, as far as I know.
Because the harmonic frequencies converge(?) at the 7th and twelfth frets, when using a bar without muting in these positions, the strings on both sides of the bar are easily "excitable". |
In ham radio, we have a similar problem with guy wires... if they are an integer multiple of the wavelength in use they'll 'sing', causing radiation pattern distortion and other problems. We either use non-conductive guying stuff or we break the guys up into random lengths with insulators.
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New FB Page: Lap Steel Licks And Stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195394851800329 |
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Chris Templeton
From:
The Green Mountain State
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