Dead spots

[Mr. Loar]

Is there such a thing as "dead spots" on a mandolin? Instruments with long scales like guitars and basses typically have dead spots.

[Kevin Briggs]

Steve from Gianni will probably chime in here. His Mandovoodoo process addresses this issue, I think. My Fern doesn't have any that I've noticed. Pac-Rims I've played do. I think setup can fix most of this probem to. I've always been under the impression that dead spots will open up after years of playing, and also that the MandoVoodoo addresses issues that time will cure. I think the MandoVoodoo is a good way of opening up a mandolin earlier than it would if allowed to age as usual.

[Chip Booth]

Yes. I had an instrument that had a few dead notes, but over time that mandolin changed and the dead spots went away.

Chip

[Ken]

Assuming that there are no fret or fretboard issues creating dead spots, I think that dead spots vs no dead spots is one of the key differences between a medicore instrument and a good instrument.

[Rick Schmidlin]

My Collings MF5 and Roy Noble guitar do not have any dead spots, they are both perfect up and down the neck. On all the guitars you said in your collection are any perfect? I am sure the Loar you purchused has a few http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Stephen Perry]

Sometimes really sensitive and powerful instruments have odd spots. Getting these out is always an interesting exercise. In violins, those with high break angles seem to be more squirrelly.

Often simply finding the spot that's sucking the energy out and changing it eliminates the dead spot. This is a problem if one thinks it's a spot along the fingerboard! A violin advantage.

[Timbofood]

Kind of off the subject but, Ken is that a "Farmall" in your avatar?
My Dad worked for IH before I was born.

[Ken]

Tim,
Yes, it's an M, my favorite from farming days many years ago. Wish it was mine, but it's just occupying my driveway for the picture.
Ken