Zero Fret and Tone?

Terence

I have noticed that many GJ guitars have zero frets--from 1930s Selmer Maccaferris to contemporary instruments.

Do the zero fret contribute to the GJ sound/tone?

If so, how?

Terence

Josh Hegg

This is one of those widely debated areas. I like the zero fret because then your open strings have a fretted tone rather then bone or what ever the nut is made from. I think this theory behind the zero fret.. Trying to get an even tone from open to fretted string.

I also have a non gypsy (but jazz) guitar that has a zero fret from 1952. So it was adopted in other jazz guitars out side of the Selmer design.


Cheers,
Josh

just the bassplayer

Many years ago I brought a 1958 Hofner F-hole archtop guitar to a repair shop for re-finishing. The owner of the place was renowned for not liking any guitars but Mosrite guitars. So, I thought I'd catch the usual 10 minutes of his criticisms when he got a look at the Hofner -which has a zero fret.

He shouted: Wow man, a zero fret! Real men play zero fret guitars!

Bob Holo

Zero frets rule!

- Consistent tone throughout the guitar's range
- Easy to setup and rarely need to be messed with (and event then - a few strokes with a crowning file and they're back to prime condition)
- Always the right intonation because they're thin and so if they're placed properly the string is always anchored in the right place.
- Never chip and get sharp and break strings
- You can easily see if they're worn or damaged and you can replace them in a few minutes

Zero frets rule.

I'm not sure why bone/tusq nuts are so prevalent.

Josh Hegg

Take Bob's word for it... He is a great builder.


Josh

Duozona

Bob,

So that explains the magical guitar you built! I should have known, the ZERO fret, its all in the zero fret.

Seriously though, wow, what a guitar Bob had with him, his 1st unless he was pulling my string, truly a stunning instrument. Bob and I enjoyed a magical moment when Pierre and Serge from Opus 4 played on our instruments, my Park and his Holo. Bob was all smile ear to ear, as was I.

Dont forget about me when you build the next one/bacth. Something to look forward to at next year's DFNW maybe?

-Chuck

Jack

Terence wrote:

I have noticed that many GJ guitars have zero frets--from 1930s Selmer Maccaferris to contemporary instruments.

Do the zero fret contribute to the GJ sound/tone?

If so, how?

Terence

One thing I've noticed is that all the zero-fret instruments I've owned fret easier in the lower registers (e.g., F, F#), but the bigger issue is just consistency...see what Bob mentioned about tone and intonation above. It's true! So it's not just that a zero fret gives you a certain tone or 'gypsy jazz' tone, but that it provides a consistent tone regardless of where you're playing...

Best,
Jack.

P.S.
I've also had all the local luthiers glad to see them...it seems akin to really good woodworking in the age of Ikea; a pleasant surprise to most professional repairmen...

Bob Holo

Wow...

(blush)

Thanks Gents... It was a ton of fun. DFNW psyched me up so much so that I stopped by my friend's wood-shop on the way back and went through the spruce & rosewood billets in the back part of his warehouse. I found some great spruce that had been sitting there on a back shelf for who knows how long - a really lucky find. I'm hoping to bring some guitars for next DFNW but work is really ramping up at my day job - we're going to be doing a LOT of new product launches between June & October of this coming year and I'm the product development guy.... so... it may be all I can do to take a vacation and come to Whidbey during that time. You can bet I'll be there if it is at all possible and with guitars if at all possible.

Hey Chuck - Josh recommended that I put 11's on (I think you did too) and it really rounded out the midrange - wow - I may have to consider moving to 11s. I've been a 10's fan, but those 11's sound WONDERFUL and they're not really noticeably harder to play.

By the way - for those of you who don't know it - Chuck's guitar is the reason I started building guitars. I played it and wanted it - but went to dinner to think about it and in the interim he discovered it and layed down the cash right there... smart man, Chuck! So - I did the only thing there was left to do... well the two things actually: 1.) Had Shelley build me its twin from wood from the same billets and 2.) Started building guitars.

-Bob