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Fretless Glass Fingerboard Guitar

In: Electric guitars Tuesday Oct 21,2008

ned evett fretless guitar with glass fingerboard Remember my story of a few days ago about fretless guitars?

Well, OK, I didn’t think much about it either, until today when I stumbled upon Ned Evett and his guitar. What’s so special about his guitar? Not that being fretless is not enough, but it has a very interesting fingerboard made of…glass!

Now, if this isn’t interesting from a freaky point of view, then I don’t know what it is…

Also, I was impressed by the “link love” that Satriani gave him:

Ned Evett plays a mirrored glass fingerboard in a completely new and exciting way. When you see Ned do it, you just have to bow down and say, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe somebody can do that.’ But it’s only part of what he does. I think the larger part of what he does is songwriting and his unique style of performing. And then, all the time, you’re going, ‘Wait a minute. He’s doing that without any frets. That’s pretty cool.’”
Guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani

How many guitar players can say they received such a review from Satch? Uh?

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12 Responses to “Fretless Glass Fingerboard Guitar”

Mike
October 21st, 2008 at 6:58 pm

Haha, I had forgotten about this guy. I saw him open up for Joe the first time I saw him. At the time, I really didn’t get what the big deal was about the fretless thing, but now I think it’s pretty interesting.
Ovidiu
October 21st, 2008 at 8:27 pm

Well, you’ve forgotten, I didn’t even know about him. I am not a big fan of fretless guitar music, I like the guitar the way it is, but I like to believe I have an open mind so I do my best to understand this music. The glass fingerboard seems interesting since I guess nothing is better for a fretless fingerboard than glass.
Emon
October 21st, 2008 at 8:57 pm

Have you played a fretless guitar? I was surprised to find playing one is rather freeing, for lack of a better term (played one for a few minutes that’s all). Sure you hit a few false notes but it doesn’t trick the mind into following the frets to see if you’ve hit the right notes.

I compare it to drawing a straight line the first time without using a ruler. You’ll be surprised how close to mark you can be.
Ovidiu
October 21st, 2008 at 9:37 pm

I haven’t played any so far, but I admit, it may be an interesting experience. I like your comparison, with the straight line.
Jon
October 22nd, 2008 at 12:30 am

ooooooooh shiny fretboard I like it!!

I’ve always wanted to try a fretless, must go in search of one!
Sans Direction
October 22nd, 2008 at 7:13 pm

I’ve seen the guy before. There was one music video that wasn’t impressive, and a few concert videos that are more so.

Pribek’s been railing recently about the lack of thirds and other interesting intervals in today’s chords, and part of the problem is that the fretboard doesn’t get ‘em right and so, in high gain situations, they sound off. If you have no frets, you can make sure you have the right intervals.

Part of me thinks “it’s right there, all you gotta do is get it and get started”. More of me thinks “lap steel and fiddle are kicking your butt, so you need another instrument where your ears are your only intonation tool?”

The Ned argument for glass fingerboards, IIRC, is that strings are hard on other fretboard and glass resists it better. Wikipedia says that Jaco never practiced on his fretless bass because the strings tore up the fretboard, and that glass withstands it better. It also gives you a bit of the sound of slide with the control of all your fingers.

The one thing I’ve heard is that having no frets really cuts down your sustain, so adding Sustainer or Sustainiac systems is a big thing.
Ovidiu
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:06 pm

I have also thought about the strings damaging the fingerboard, but I thought the glass was more for sustain and clarity, not for resistance, but you may have a point. For me slide guitars are a bit too “free”, if it makes sense, I need frets and I like them, Having no frets is a bit scary to me, but that may be because I have never played a fretless instrument
Sans Direction
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:42 pm

Believe me, I get you on the fear, but I love how they can get the perfect microtonal note. Consider the first bit of “Don’t Keep me Wonderin’” by the Allman Brothers. It’s all about how to make it perfect. Duane is free as a bird there, as well as in his parts on “Layla”.

Meanwhile, first piece of lap steel tab I learned was “Sleepwalk”. I was so happy and jazzed, only having heard myself play it against myself, that when a friend who knew the chords played along, I was so off, so out of tune, that I felt sick and boxed the instrument in it’s case for a year.

But you can’t get all the right notes on just the fretboard. Listen to Steve Kimock.
Ovidiu
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:38 pm

I will listen Steve Kimock since I am not familiar with his music and also Don’t Kepp me wondering to see what you mean. I guess it would be interesting to play a fretless, at least as an exercise of freedom from a musical point of view. Unfortunately I don’t know anybody having one…
Joaquins Musikblog
October 28th, 2008 at 12:48 pm

Fretless Gitarre mit mit Glas-Gitarrenhals…

Fretless Bässe kennt man ja aber wie schaut es da bei den Gitarren aus? Was ist so schön glatt, als dass man darauf Frettless spielen könnte? Natürlich Glas.
Nun es gibt da Ned Evett der Gitarren mit einem spiegelndem Glas-Gitarrenhals spielt und…
G-V
October 28th, 2008 at 7:56 pm

That sounds great. Never played fretless, but I’d imagine you’d have to be very familiar with the fretboard (and have a good ear) to play in key. Nice.
Ovidiu
October 28th, 2008 at 9:52 pm

I was thinking about the same thing, you really must have a good year and I think about this when I tune my guitar. If I do it without the tuner, it sounds fine, I would say it’s ok, but when checked with the tuner, I still need to fine tune it…
I can only imagine how it is with a fretless guitar.

Fretless Glass Fingerboard Guitar

12 Responses to “Fretless Glass Fingerboard Guitar”

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