Dead spots

[danastas]

I have a dead spot on my Fender Strat. Still under a year old so I have a guarantee on the maple neck. 5th string, 11th fret, just kind of dies. Barely intones at all. 4th string same fret doesn't sound so hot either. I just got it back from my setup guy who decked the trem, replaced the stock pups with Fender 54s (they sound incredible! by the way) and adjusted the truss rod. No buzz whatsoever right now. Really nice guitar.

So, anyone ever had a dead spot on one of your necks? Did you just play through? Ignore? Should I go all out and have Fender replace the neck? What to do?

[jgcable]

Yep... I have a few guitars that have a wierd semi-dead spot on them.
I blame it on the seasonal climate change. They usually sort themselves out.

[Nazgul]

I also had them. Usually the cause is uneven fret and can get fixed in few minutes. I suggest taking it back to shop and let them check the frets. Raising the action also helps. Try this first, and then the shop and warranty.

[fett]

If you send it back to Fender, don't tell them you had a tech dink with it. It may void your warrantee.

[danastas]

I looked closely at the spot after reading the advice here. The top end of the 12th fret looks like it's flat, and it rounds as it gets to the bottom. This is what is causing the dead spot, I bet. Fender tells me to bring it in to my local shop, and if it's a defect, they'll take care of it.

Okay.

Thanks everyone.

[fett]

That's very cool of Fender.

[straycat]

Some times if you bend the string at the same spot fequently you will wear a flat spot on the fret.Sounds like a fret has popped up a little.

[danastas]

Some times if you bend the string at the same spot fequently you will wear a flat spot on the fret.Sounds like a fret has popped up a little.

Thanks. Actually, this is a brand new guitar, practically (1 1/2 months old), and the flat fret is on the upper strings.