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gnome44
Yak Addict
749 Posts |
 Posted - 05/02/2009 : 12:42:41 AM
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I'm interested in purchasing a fretless guitar. I'm thinking that the Godin Multiac Nylon Fretless would be the way to go.
Anyone play one? Anyone play any fretless guitars?
They look hard...but cool. I'm kind of getting into just intonation and other non-standard tuning systems. I'm intrigued by the possibilities opened up with having micortones to screw around with. Sometimes people make it sound good...sometimes it's pretty heady stuff that I can't get in to. |
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Ranting Thespian
Fluffy-Esque
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2009 : 05:25:27 AM
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I wouldn't dare touch a fret-less guitar. I just am not that good, nor do I desire to be.
However, I have heard MANY goods things about Godin's guitars, including their fret-less guitars. I have played Godin guitars with frets, and they are pretty damn sweet. I also played their solid bodied steel string acoustic which similar to a Chet Atkins SST, and that was superb. However, that model is now under the Seagull branch of the company (however, nothing changed other than the headstock).
From what I've played and heard, you'd have a good shot with trying the Godin. |
Not communicating can hurt more than any word that can be said -
Nick
-the Ranting Thespian |
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Kevin
Chatterbox
USA
196 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2009 : 11:02:28 PM
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| Good luck, if you do decide to pick one up. I've been studying fretless electric bass for a semester now, and man is it hard to do properly. Unless your technique is currently perfect, you're going to have to re-teach yourself in order to stay in tune. I am getting better now, but at first...oh man. I'm sure fretless guitar sounds awesome when it's played well...but be prepared to be practicing your intonation constantly. |
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gnome44
Yak Addict
749 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2009 : 11:22:26 PM
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Yeah, it'll be no problem. My technique is, in fact, currently perfect.
Seriously though...the point is going to be to get more into atonal and microtonal stuff. I don't think that I'd actually try to play real guitar stuff on it...but stuff more along the lines of a shamisen or an oud or something like that.
I have this idealistic thing in my head where I'd be some hot-shot experimental artist...when in reality it be some awful out of tune crap that drives everyone crazy. But isn't that what most experimental music is anyway? HAHA! |
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sciphish
Chatterbox
USA
155 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2009 : 12:07:25 AM
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I once talked to Tim about this and other atypical instruments. We just concluded that, with a fretted instrument there are only so many different notes you can make. Violins are fretless, etc. Anyways, I've never played a fretless guitar. However, My take on it is:
You do have an near infinite scale. Meaning, once you learn to control the note, you could make scales between notes. I am certain of this, but either technique or never having actually played such an instrument (frettless guitar) prevents me from truely knowing. Either way, A reason to use one is a very important step. |
I'm almost there... |
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gnome44
Yak Addict
749 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2009 : 07:14:29 AM
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And really...how hard can it be?
Violin, viola, cello, bass, etc. are all fretless. People have "perfect" intonation on those. In fact, 10 year old kids can play those instruments very well.
Although I'm sure it'd be quite a shock going from guitar to something like that, I'm confident that it isn't something that's "impossible" by any stretch of the imagination. |
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Ranting Thespian
Fluffy-Esque
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2009 : 2:27:34 PM
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It just takes getting used to. However, without frets, it's EXTREMELY hard to play chords. Think about doing a barre chord and let's say your index finger isn't naturally thta straight, you are kind of screwed.
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Not communicating can hurt more than any word that can be said -
Nick
-the Ranting Thespian |
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gnome44
Yak Addict
749 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2009 : 3:40:45 PM
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Forget barre chords...what about an open Em? You'd have to stack your fingers exactly on top of each other. The only advantage is being close to the nut so that you have a good guidline.
I'd probably stay away from chords (out of necessity and desire) and stick with melodic lines and maybe some jazzy triads on the top strings or something.
Ultimately it's something that I just want to try at some point... |
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Kevin
Chatterbox
USA
196 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2009 : 10:07:28 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by gnome44
And really...how hard can it be?
Violin, viola, cello, bass, etc. are all fretless. People have "perfect" intonation on those. In fact, 10 year old kids can play those instruments very well.
Although I'm sure it'd be quite a shock going from guitar to something like that, I'm confident that it isn't something that's "impossible" by any stretch of the imagination.
Surely you've heard Boyd Tinsley fall drastically out of tune before? Because it happens rather often...and he's so good, he has his own line of violins. It literally adds an entire other aspect of playing music, and it legit sucks  or at least for a year or so.
Just like an F# needs to be played directly on to be in tune, an F(quarter-sharp) also needs to be played in tune. I've been dabbling with it latey on fretless bass; it's definitely something worth exploring. Unfortunately, I wasn't raised listening to smaller subdivisions than semitones, so it's a lot harder to hear when I'm in or out of tune with that stuff. |
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gnome44
Yak Addict
749 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2009 : 10:47:50 PM
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Yeah, man, Boyd can really suck it up sometimes. I'm not a big DMB fan...but it seems that quite often he's horribly sharp when I see a live performance. But that probably fell in that time period.
I kind of love the whole challenge/idea of the fretless and learning something new.
The beginning part of this video is kind of where I see myself going with it (although he's orders of magnitude better than me). He's not "in tune" the whole time...but "in tune" is all subjective anyhow.
http://www.gearwire.com/media/godin-bossme50.mov |
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sciphish
Chatterbox
USA
155 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2009 : 02:26:35 AM
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| Agreed that being "in-tune" all the time is subjective... I think at the very least, that it is a very good lead guitar. Solitaire rhythms for this instrument are a pipe dream. |
I'm almost there... |
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gnome44
Yak Addict
749 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2009 : 09:50:23 AM
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I think it'll help me get chicks...
"What's that weird, out-of-tune guitar that the short, chubby guy is playing? That sounds hot."  |
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Ranting Thespian
Fluffy-Esque
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2009 : 1:12:46 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by gnome44
Yeah, man, Boyd can really suck it up sometimes . . .
I will admit, that for a time Boyd was slipping out of key for a little while. However, recently all the recordings I have heard seems like he's back to what he used to be. It felt like he was being more careless for a while, but now he seems more focused.
Also, if you can play slide guitar well you have a better chance of playing fretless guitar and/or bass well. Also, something that will work great on either a freless guitar or bass is something called the Ebow. If you don't know what it is, check it out (I got one for x-mas):
http://www.ebow.com/ |
Not communicating can hurt more than any word that can be said -
Nick
-the Ranting Thespian |
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Topic |
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Fretless Guitar
