Fretless Guitar Build Thread

JookyChap

Aye, I'm getting on a bit now, things slow down, horizons get limited

The one I did before was great fun to play, and the neck will be a lot flatter on this than that one was, which makes life simpler as the action has to be ultra low. I'll get a video done - or rather - I'll get somebody who is more likely to be able to play it to do a video

Right, where's me slipper...

lamf68

Fretless!!!! :-O ....Years ago when I first started playing I was of the 4 stringed population, had a lovely 1970's Fender Precision in Antigua Burst(probably worth a nice wedge these days but I sold it to a music shop in Neath for £50.00 including the case to pay an electric bill when me and the mrs first moved in together!) anyway, I also had a fretless bass for a month or so but was way way way too inaccurate to hit the notes. Is a fretless guitar in the same vein as a bass, in that you have to sound the note directly on the mark of the fret? besides all that waffle, that looks lovely mate, slightly insane but lovely.

ChrisMusic

Oh yes, except with the shorter scale there is even less room for inaccuracy.

A mere change of finger angle changes intonation.

Still violin players seem to manage it.

Coming along nicely Mark  

JookyChap

Cheers chaps.. yeah, I think it will be "fun" to play (gulp).

Luckily those nice chaps at Warmoth scored the fret positions for me, not that you can feel them but  there is some kinda guidance (which I am tempted to fill with something fluorescent..

bertie

what is James Went doing these days ?

octatonic

I've considered doing a fretless guitar but with inlay to give you fret markings- as in vertical lines of contrasting wood, like maple on a rosewood board, where the frets should go, so you can intonate fairly well.

WezV

that's the way i normally do it. you can slot the board as normal  and its a lot cleaner than using a paste filler.

its does confuse people who are used to unlined fretless basses as these have side dots on the note, not inbetween like a side dot on a normal fretted guitar

i like doing ghost lines, ones that the player can see but disappear from a few feet away

This one is mostly pear wood lines in acrylised maple, but i actually went a step further and added 10mm of walnut to the bass side of each line.  totally visible from the players perspective, not so much from the front 

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/complete guitars/wv24.jpg

JookyChap

Cheers @WezV and @Octatonic - both fine ideas.

Not that I am a little lower of tech, but I'm thinking of something similar with a stick of chalk

axisus

fascinating project! I'l love to try a fretless guitar, although I'm sure I would sound atrocious. I have to say, as always, Hats off to Guthrie for some amazing fretless playing on that video.

ThePrettyDamned

axisus;147944" said:

fascinating project! I'l love to try a fretless guitar, although I'm sure I would sound atrocious.



I have to say, as always, Hats off to Guthrie for some amazing fretless playing on that video.

I really want him to sound crap, just once...

But he never does. I don't like the music, but it's so good!

JookyChap

ThePrettyDamned said:

axisus;147944" said:

fascinating project! I'l love to try a fretless guitar, although I'm sure I would sound atrocious.



I have to say, as always, Hats off to Guthrie for some amazing fretless playing on that video.

I really want him to sound crap, just once...

But he never does. I don't like the music, but it's so good!

The guy is amazing, but I can't whistle one of his tunes... *sniff*

JookyChap

Well, I've got strings on now - though there will probably be a few sets before I get it set-up right, but man it is fun to play.

I've found that the best way to play it is to treat it as you would playing slide, but err, without a sliding thing (probably not the best approach but my brain works that way). Still got a way to go on getting the action lower, but it is down to 1.2mm all over which works well.

I do keep finding myself playing things that sound like Ravi Shankar was a goth with a love of nursery rhymes, but it is definitely fun.

The higher gain pickup is definitely needed and the previously unknown (to me) high gain settings on a Line 6 amp seem to suit it too, in overcoming the zero sustain. Just wish I could remember not to bend strings, stupid habit that one.

Still got a few things to do - scratchplate, replace the string tree with one of those bar things, get all the way thru three blind mice, but shouldn't take too much longer now.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DO3KBHTtySU/UuveFqKB11I/AAAAAAAAG00/2uWAdq2ZnZE/s1600/IMG_5254.JPG

JookyChap

Finally finished this last week, and I have to say it is seriously cool to play. I went for 11 flatwounds in the end which work perfectly, the action is low (though could probably go lower for the fleet of finger) and the whole thing has a beautiful buzz about it, so sliding into notes can give a lovely sitar feel to it.

I lost track of how many times I had to plane the 'board  and tweak the TR to get it exactly flat or how many nut blanks I got thru before I finally got it just right, but well worth the effort.

I went for a high output pickup, which helps on the sustain front, and not being a rock player, some big reverbs and a touch of fuzz are just plain beautiful.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cRu5XHTXP_0/UzlEr1ItaVI/AAAAAAAAHFI/syxj4sHt4-s/s1600/IMG_5521.JPG
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_IfO_jS6IYY/UzlEoy4QdtI/AAAAAAAAHFA/GwzKrhOiWqA/s1600/IMG_5519.JPG
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZwuujE9P1g4/UzlE1roJxRI/AAAAAAAAHFY/aqtwJVUvytY/s1600/IMG_5522.JPG
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fdQdEnnRRZM/UzlFK7UoQDI/AAAAAAAAHF4/deX_J_bCztE/s1600/IMG_5526.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GLWYWkTdiYc/UzlFF4jF8-I/AAAAAAAAHFs/8MJl6iyU0IU/s1600/IMG_5525.JPG

Megii

That is a stunner! I think the MOP finish is one of the nicest things I've seen on a guitar for a long while, and very individual. The headstock is great as well - I have to ask about the "J" plaque on there - how was that done? I might like to use something similar for some of my own parts builds.

ChrisMusic

Very nicely done sir  -  that is one very COOL guitar  

I would love to give that a try, what an interesting project !

JookyChap

Cheers - glad you like it It is national walnut month...

@Basher did me a Jooky logo, and I got the plates made by @CustomCoolEtch in Geordieland. They are basically etched on nickel silver by a very talented lady called Jane.

JookyChap

ChrisMusic said:

Very nicely done sir  -  that is one very COOL guitar  

I would love to give that a try, what an interesting project !

Now that is something we should definitely organise Chris, if they ever let me out of this poxy hospital

Megii

JookyChap said:

Cheers - glad you like it It is national walnut month...

@Basher did me a Jooky logo, and I got the plates made by @CustomCoolEtch in Geordieland. They are basically etched on nickel silver by a very talented lady called Jane.

National walnut month! - like that... Cheers for the info re CustomCoolEtch - I'm thinking I might like a letter C etched onto a small circular metal plate for my own parts builds - not that you needed to know that, but cheers for the inspiration.

ChrisMusic

ChrisMusic said:

Very nicely done sir  -  that is one very COOL guitar  

I would love to give that a try, what an interesting project !

JookyChap said:  Now that is something we should definitely organise Chris, if they ever let me out of this poxy hospital

They warned you not to smoke in the oxygen tank !

Seriously though take care and we'll arrange something when you are OK,  all the best, and a seriously cool guitar IMO  

JookyChap

ChrisMusic said:

ChrisMusic said:

Very nicely done sir  -  that is one very COOL guitar  

I would love to give that a try, what an interesting project !

JookyChap said:  Now that is something we should definitely organise Chris, if they ever let me out of this poxy hospital

They warned you not to smoke in the oxygen tank !

Seriously though take care and we'll arrange something when you are OK,  all the best, and a seriously cool guitar IMO  

True, but I wish they'd said something about the joss sticks...

See you soon Chris