I finally got to try a fanned fret guitar

[Fernando Vidal]

Jim, I was thinking the same thing. Although in the other link that I posted above, the reviewer mentioned a range from 24.875" - 25.75".

[Jim Soloway]

Jim, I was thinking the same thing. Although in the other link that I posted above, the reviewer mentioned a range from 24.875" - 25.75".

I'm actually moving forward with a one-off custom build with a really talented luthier who's been a part of my operation since long before we built the first Soloway. It's 25.5 on the treble side and 27 on the bass side. My interest is really more for tuning down than using in standard pitch and we'll probably end up tuning it to C (I'm at C# with a 25.5" scale length now). With all the great guitars out there for conventional tuning, I just don't know if I'd bother for standard pitch.

[Woody Sound]

Also, bending and vibrato would be strange as well. I play bottle-neck slide... forget about it!

Hmmm, good point. I guest as you bend strings up (push), the scale gets longer as the note is being bent. As you bend down (pull) the scale gets shorter as the note is being bent.

[Fernando Vidal]

With all the great guitars out there for conventional tuning, I just don't know if I'd bother for standard pitch.

It's funny; I've been playing guitar for nearly 30 years, and within the last year I've discovered both baritone guitar and open tunings. I feel like I'm finally finding my voice, and this is why I'm intrigued by the possibilities of fanned fret guitars.

[Gilpy]

What are the benefits of this fanned-fret multi-scale neck? Tonal improvement? Ease of playing? What are the drawbacks compared to a conventional neck?

[marcwhy]

What are the benefits of this fanned-fret multi-scale neck? Tonal improvement? Ease of playing? What are the drawbacks compared to a conventional neck?

Read the Novax link on an earlier post, #19 above.

[pingu]

My bass player calls this "modern old school," and I think he's right:

I love that shape man !
that is an interesting design too
(apart from the fan fret thing I mean)
I mean the hollow mahogany scooped out back
with a braced floating f hole top on it
that ought to sound REALLY good plugged in I reckon

I don't think so , some do the scooped mahog
but unfortunately they leave wood under the bridge
to make a semi-hollow (too tempting to do it that way I guess)

[Jim Soloway]

I don't think so , some do the scooped mahog
but unfortunately they leave wood under the bridge
to make a semi-hollow (too tempting to do it that way I guess)

It's a very good compromise for a modern guitar. The wood under the bridge reduces the feedback and unless you're specifically after a truce acoustic tone, you really don't get a lot of benefit from having the top float freely. Having air move throughout the body does change the tone and gives it more acoustic presence than a true semi-hollow.