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Fret zero? Why? Why not?
Fret zero? Why? Why not?
I'm talking about the setup of a separate nut to constrain the string
spacing across the fretboard, and a separate first fret to set the
height- you tend to see them on older guitars, and on Fylde acoustics.
The big advantage that I can see is that I can experiment with heavier
strings without wrecking the action set by the nut. The big
disadvantage of a conventional nut is that six of the 40 or so notes
available come from strings stopped...differently. Cutting and
compensating a standard nut seems to be a time consuming black art, so
why is a conventional nut still the norm? My own set up is a plastic
bodied Wesley Jasper electric- cheap enough to tweak and modify- which
I play round local open mike nights. I now put a capo on the first
fret, with a noticable improvement on the sound of open chords. What
do others think?
I'm talking about the setup of a separate nut to constrain the string
spacing across the fretboard, and a separate first fret to set the
height- you tend to see them on older guitars, and on Fylde acoustics.
The big advantage that I can see is that I can experiment with heavier
strings without wrecking the action set by the nut. The big
disadvantage of a conventional nut is that six of the 40 or so notes
available come from strings stopped...differently. Cutting and
compensating a standard nut seems to be a time consuming black art, so
why is a conventional nut still the norm? My own set up is a plastic
bodied Wesley Jasper electric- cheap enough to tweak and modify- which
I play round local open mike nights. I now put a capo on the first
fret, with a noticable improvement on the sound of open chords. What
do others think?
Re: Fret zero? Why? Why not?
Zero frets make a lot of sense for many reasons. I think it's a matter of
convention. Back in the day, zero frets were usually found on low quality
imports, and this tended to be a hallmark of an inferior instrument.
Zero frets make a lot of sense for many reasons. I think it's a matter of
convention. Back in the day, zero frets were usually found on low quality
imports, and this tended to be a hallmark of an inferior instrument.
Re: Fret zero? Why? Why not?
FirstAlternate <firstalternate@yahoo,com > wrote:
> Zero frets make a lot of sense for many reasons. I think it's a
> matter of convention. Back in the day, zero frets were usually found
> on low quality imports, and this tended to be a hallmark of an
> inferior instrument.
Except that the high-quality Gretsches had them, even way back when. I
have a couple of guitars (including a Gretsch) and I don't see an issue
with them. It puzzles me, too, that they weren't (and aren't) more
popular.
FirstAlternate <firstalternate@yahoo,com > wrote:
> Zero frets make a lot of sense for many reasons. I think it's a
> matter of convention. Back in the day, zero frets were usually found
> on low quality imports, and this tended to be a hallmark of an
> inferior instrument.
Except that the high-quality Gretsches had them, even way back when. I
have a couple of guitars (including a Gretsch) and I don't see an issue
with them. It puzzles me, too, that they weren't (and aren't) more
popular.
Re: Fret zero? Why? Why not?
On Sun, 11 May 2008 14:52:30 +0000, RichL wrote:
> FirstAlternate <firstalternate@yahoo,com > wrote:
>> Zero frets make a lot of sense for many reasons. I think it's a matter
>> of convention. Back in the day, zero frets were usually found on low
>> quality imports, and this tended to be a hallmark of an inferior
>> instrument.
>
> Except that the high-quality Gretsches had them, even way back when. I
> have a couple of guitars (including a Gretsch) and I don't see an issue
> with them. It puzzles me, too, that they weren't (and aren't) more
> popular.
I heard it called a compound nut. daveA
--
email: darnold4@cox,net (put "poisonal" anywhere in subject)
DGT: The very best technical exercises for all guitarists:
http :// www .openguitar,com /dynamic.html. Original easy solos at:
http :// www .openguitar,com . :::=={_o) David Raleigh Arnold
On Sun, 11 May 2008 14:52:30 +0000, RichL wrote:
> FirstAlternate <firstalternate@yahoo,com > wrote:
>> Zero frets make a lot of sense for many reasons. I think it's a matter
>> of convention. Back in the day, zero frets were usually found on low
>> quality imports, and this tended to be a hallmark of an inferior
>> instrument.
>
> Except that the high-quality Gretsches had them, even way back when. I
> have a couple of guitars (including a Gretsch) and I don't see an issue
> with them. It puzzles me, too, that they weren't (and aren't) more
> popular.
I heard it called a compound nut. daveA
--
email: darnold4@cox,net (put "poisonal" anywhere in subject)
DGT: The very best technical exercises for all guitarists:
http :// www .openguitar,com /dynamic.html. Original easy solos at:
http :// www .openguitar,com . :::=={_o) David Raleigh Arnold
Re: Fret zero? Why? Why not?
>
> Except that the high-quality Gretsches had them, even way back when.
Back then if I got close enough to a high quality Gretsch to examine the
nut, someone would call security.
>
> Except that the high-quality Gretsches had them, even way back when.
Back then if I got close enough to a high quality Gretsch to examine the
nut, someone would call security.
Re: Fret zero? Why? Why not?
RichL wrote:
> FirstAlternate <firstalternate@yahoo,com > wrote:
>> Zero frets make a lot of sense for many reasons. I think it's a
>> matter of convention. Back in the day, zero frets were usually found
>> on low quality imports, and this tended to be a hallmark of an
>> inferior instrument.
>
> Except that the high-quality Gretsches had them, even way back when. I
> have a couple of guitars (including a Gretsch) and I don't see an issue
> with them. It puzzles me, too, that they weren't (and aren't) more
> popular.
>
>
New Orleans Guitar axes have a zero fret, and frankly I'm not sure why
more guitars don't have them. I've had the pleasure of actually getting
to play a New Orleans Voodoo Custom and they are with out a doubt one of
the finest, most beautiful hand-built custom electric guitars I've ever
seen or am ever likely to -
http :// www .rahanguitars,com /imageview1.asp?piid“4
http :// www .rahanguitars,com /inventory.asp?mfgid'
http :// www .rahanguitars,com /imageview1.asp?piid“0
Hand made from matched exotic chunks of wood straight out of the
Louisiana swamps, so each one is truly a one-off - even the control
knobs and pickup rings are made from matching woods...hard to find and
get, if you have the bux and want one. Where I know to get them each
one they had/were getting were sold in advance, and a customer had
loaned them a couple back as demos.
http :// www .musicianshotline,com /archive/builder profiles/new orleans.htm
http :// www .musicianshotline,com /archive/reviews/no voodoo.htm
--
- Rufus
RichL wrote:
> FirstAlternate <firstalternate@yahoo,com > wrote:
>> Zero frets make a lot of sense for many reasons. I think it's a
>> matter of convention. Back in the day, zero frets were usually found
>> on low quality imports, and this tended to be a hallmark of an
>> inferior instrument.
>
> Except that the high-quality Gretsches had them, even way back when. I
> have a couple of guitars (including a Gretsch) and I don't see an issue
> with them. It puzzles me, too, that they weren't (and aren't) more
> popular.
>
>
New Orleans Guitar axes have a zero fret, and frankly I'm not sure why
more guitars don't have them. I've had the pleasure of actually getting
to play a New Orleans Voodoo Custom and they are with out a doubt one of
the finest, most beautiful hand-built custom electric guitars I've ever
seen or am ever likely to -
http :// www .rahanguitars,com /imageview1.asp?piid“4
http :// www .rahanguitars,com /inventory.asp?mfgid'
http :// www .rahanguitars,com /imageview1.asp?piid“0
Hand made from matched exotic chunks of wood straight out of the
Louisiana swamps, so each one is truly a one-off - even the control
knobs and pickup rings are made from matching woods...hard to find and
get, if you have the bux and want one. Where I know to get them each
one they had/were getting were sold in advance, and a customer had
loaned them a couple back as demos.
http :// www .musicianshotline,com /archive/builder profiles/new orleans.htm
http :// www .musicianshotline,com /archive/reviews/no voodoo.htm
--
- Rufus
