Official Luthiers Forum!

Here's an interesting development to deal with equal temperament intonation issues. The twisted fret idea seems pretty original and I don't recall seeing it discussed here. Perhaps our Swedish friends could do some recon work.

http://www.truetemperament.com/site/index.php

Bob

I saw that before, maybe here. I also saw an article on compensated nut.

PS Perhaps 30 years ago I heard about an experimental fingerboard on a classical (maybe by Brune) with individual movable frets for each string. That is, there were six fret segments at each position, one for each string, and the were adjustable in a slot the length of the fingerboard. One idea was to get proper intonation in all the keys, which I understand have slightly different notes if you are finicky.

very interesting...
but.. why?
the way i look at all these "perfect" intonation systems is this way...
if you are playing a note on the gutar, and holding it long enough to hear it is out of tune,
then maybe it would be necessary.
most players play fast enough that you wouldn't hear the difference,
unless the intonation was way off.
just my luddite attitude.
i don't even like those "fanned" frets, but then again i never tried them.

One of the things I love about the guitar is that you can get all bendy and adjust the notes yourself. Even piano players use voicing techniques. I don't get it. Nearly all of the music I've ever played moves through more than one key. and both flat and sharp keys are going by all the time. it sounds promising as a studio tool but impractical in many situations.

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"...you have to get over your strict adherence to your largely imagined notion of absolute perfection..."

I look at that and think... boy that would be annoying to play. Pain doing bends, harder to play right at the frets instead of a ways back, where you're more likely to bend it sharp anyway. Not to mention ugly.

But cool that someone did it just to see what it would be like.

I've never played a guitar with fanned frets, but it looks more comfortable, plus more logical having the low strings be longer. Although it may make them uneven in standard tuning since strings are manufactured for equal length. I'll just have to build one and try it out

Try taking one of them to a repair shop for a refret.

Bill S.

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Dream to be a luthier

How could you do controlled string bending?

I vote yes on staggered fret scales because I've built two and they feel excellent with very even string tension and enhanced bass on small body guitars.

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"Try to be the person your dog thinks you are."

http://sites.google.com/site/bertsguitarshop/

Although it may not the the most practical technique, I thought it was interesting to see how much difference there was between the standard equal temperament and this scale.

Sure.....to support career fret crowners....absolutely.

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

I can see the merit if using stainless or harder frets. Crowning them would be some work, but not dreadful if the right tools are available.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services