Dead spot on fretboard

[sixstring531]

Just got a guitar trade from another member. Love the guitar, feels great, sounds great, looks great.....I just now noticed a tremendously dead spot on the 15 fret G string. No other frets on no other strings do this and the frets look great.

Should I just try raising that string a little? What in the world is causing this?

[mhz88]

Dead spot as in a thud when u play that note or it sounds different like a clang?

[sixstring531]

Not a "true" dead spot -- it's a clangy buzz, which I think comes from hitting the fret in front of it (16), but it's the only string that does it. I did notice (modern tele bridge) the G string was a tad lower than the others, so I figured this would be the first place to start. Just raise it up a little.

Again, it only happens on this fret on this string. Everything else is as perfect as it gets. I did notice the D and G strings are a little indented on the 15th fret -- as in, there is a slight hump on the actual string when feeling it and looking down on it. I just figured the previous owner really liked to play up there (they seem like new strings though). Regardless, the frets "look" great. Under that G(15) there is, what appears to be, a slight scratch/notch where the string hits the fret, but it is so minuscule that you can't even feel it when rubbing the string over it like a bend -- I think it's just surface.

It's the weirdest thing - neck is straight as an arrow, all frets/strings are great except this one spot.

[nmiller]

Just raise the G string a little; that should take care of it. If you find that you have to raise it pretty far, it's possible that the fret is slightly too high in the center of the board.

[sixstring531]

And if she's too high -- some shaving may be in order? What would be the best process for this?

[tbonesullivan]

means either you've got a high fret or a loose fret. I'd see if there is any space between the fret bottoms and the fretboard. You might need to bang a fret in with the butt end of a screwdriver.

[mhz88]

I've had this issue and found out that certain woods respond differently to certain frequency. If all else is perfect then it's the wood. I had this on my McCarty and Prs told me this. I ended up unloading the guitar as I felt like it was a "tough shit" kind of situation

[sixstring531]

I checked the frets, they look great -- it's not a wood thing, it's definitely a metal on metal buzz. I can press it really hard and it kind of goes away..... I will raise the bridge at lunch and see if it goes away. If not, we'll try other means.

[tbonesullivan]

that means you've got some uneven frets. when you push harder you actually raise the string a bit as it ends up making contact on the back corner of the fret.

[Tone_Terrific]

Originally Posted by sixstring531

I checked the frets, they look great -- it's not a wood thing, it's definitely a metal on metal buzz.

Probably fixable.
Actual deadspots are built in.
You will see very few ads disclosing such flaws.

[sixstring531]

Originally Posted by tbonesullivan

that means you've got some uneven frets. when you push harder you actually raise the string a bit as it ends up making contact on the back corner of the fret.

This was my thought. What is the remedy for the unevenness here? Do you sand or file frets - and if yes, with what?

[Trebor Renkluaf]

The G and D strings are indented at the 15th fret? Did the guitar get whacked while being shipped? Anyway, I'd start with a fresh set of strings and see if that fixes the problem.

[dougk]

new strings, a setup then a fret level and recrown.... in that order.

[sixstring531]

I just raised the bridge a tad on that string and VIOLA, fixed.