[Jon Hallam]

Hi, I'm new to Unfretted, pretty new to fretless guitar, about 8 months now, really enjoying it but finding it very hard to find resources and inspiration, any suggestions?

So far I have 2 fretless guitars, an electric and a nylon string acoustic, I'm still finding out what does and doesn't work, and what would work if I had more (or some) talent.

The biggest problem I've had so far is finding a type and gauge of strings for the electric, I want to tune EADGBE for the time being because I've not as yet got into alternate tunings, unless drop-D counts (I don't think it does, Jon) I'm currently using D'addario halfwounds 8-39 which seem pretty good. The main problem I've had is because my electric has a 26inch scale, which is great for string tension, unless you don't want lots of it, If I'd known that a year ago, I'd have had a shorter scale guitar de-fretted. Still, If I ever do, I can use Fretless number 1 as a Baritone.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=6149...mp;l=f8e55249ae

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1423...mp;l=776b02cf98

[jahloon]

Jon Hallam, on Aug 3 2009, 07:26 PM, said:

Hi, I'm new to Unfretted, pretty new to fretless guitar, about 8 months now, really enjoying it but finding it very hard to find resources and inspiration, any suggestions?

So far I have 2 fretless guitars, an electric and a nylon string acoustic, I'm still finding out what does and doesn't work, and what would work if I had more (or some) talent.

The biggest problem I've had so far is finding a type and gauge of strings for the electric, I want to tune EADGBE for the time being because I've not as yet got into alternate tunings, unless drop-D counts (I don't think it does, Jon) I'm currently using D'addario halfwounds 8-39 which seem pretty good. The main problem I've had is because my electric has a 26inch scale, which is great for string tension, unless you don't want lots of it, If I'd known that a year ago, I'd have had a shorter scale guitar de-fretted. Still, If I ever do, I can use Fretless number 1 as a Baritone.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=6149...mp;l=f8e55249ae

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1423...mp;l=776b02cf98

Hi Jon,

I've moved your post to the appropraite section, you really don't want to start off in Bollocks do you?

Will catch up with your facebook tomorrow,

Best,

Jah

[Jon Hallam]

jahloon, on Aug 3 2009, 10:42 PM, said:

Jon Hallam, on Aug 3 2009, 07:26 PM, said:

Hi, I'm new to Unfretted, pretty new to fretless guitar, about 8 months now, really enjoying it but finding it very hard to find resources and inspiration, any suggestions?

So far I have 2 fretless guitars, an electric and a nylon string acoustic, I'm still finding out what does and doesn't work, and what would work if I had more (or some) talent.

The biggest problem I've had so far is finding a type and gauge of strings for the electric, I want to tune EADGBE for the time being because I've not as yet got into alternate tunings, unless drop-D counts (I don't think it does, Jon) I'm currently using D'addario halfwounds 8-39 which seem pretty good. The main problem I've had is because my electric has a 26inch scale, which is great for string tension, unless you don't want lots of it, If I'd known that a year ago, I'd have had a shorter scale guitar de-fretted. Still, If I ever do, I can use Fretless number 1 as a Baritone.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=6149...mp;l=f8e55249ae

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1423...mp;l=776b02cf98

Hi Jon,

I've moved your post to the appropraite section, you really don't want to start off in Bollocks do you?

Will catch up with your facebook tomorrow,

Best,

Jah

Cheers, though I talk a lot of bollocks anyway, it might have been appropriate. I e-mailed a couple of pictures of my geetars to admin@unfretted.com, any chance of either of them making the gallery, especially the electric, it cost me loads and has quite an interesting story behind it (in my opinion, possibly no-one else's)

Jon.

[jahloon]

Jon Hallam, on Aug 3 2009, 11:23 PM, said:

Cheers, though I talk a lot of bollocks anyway, it might have been appropriate. I e-mailed a couple of pictures of my geetars to admin@unfretted.com, any chance of either of them making the gallery, especially the electric, it cost me loads and has quite an interesting story behind it (in my opinion, possibly no-one else's)

Jon.

Well... I gotta day job, that's sometimes a weekend job too. Will get round to it on the next update.

[rob]

Hi Jon and welcome.

Your electric looks quite nice. I see you have my new favorite pickup in the bridge position. How do you like it?

String size preference seems to be as variable on the fretless as it is on the fretted. But, for me, it isn't the tension that's important from the bigger gauge string. It's just that they have more vibrating mass. I found a lower tension string sounded sweeter on my nylon string then a high tension, but still worked very well sustain wise.

[Jon Hallam]

jahloon, on Aug 4 2009, 09:14 AM, said:

Jon Hallam, on Aug 3 2009, 11:23 PM, said:

Cheers, though I talk a lot of bollocks anyway, it might have been appropriate. I e-mailed a couple of pictures of my geetars to admin@unfretted.com, any chance of either of them making the gallery, especially the electric, it cost me loads and has quite an interesting story behind it (in my opinion, possibly no-one else's)

Jon.

Well... I gotta day job, that's sometimes a weekend job too. Will get round to it on the next update.

Cheers.

[Jon Hallam]

rob, on Aug 4 2009, 02:36 PM, said:

Hi Jon and welcome.

Your electric looks quite nice. I see you have my new favorite pickup in the bridge position. How do you like it?

String size preference seems to be as variable on the fretless as it is on the fretted. But, for me, it isn't the tension that's important from the bigger gauge string. It's just that they have more vibrating mass. I found a lower tension string sounded sweeter on my nylon string then a high tension, but still worked very well sustain wise.

Thank you, I like the P-Rails, it's almost like having a 3 stage gain boost when you go from single/P-90/Humbucker and tonal variation is always good, I have a Steinberger copy that's desperate for a pickup upgrade, I'm thinking 2 P-Rails and Alnico Pro 2 in the middle, effectively I'll have 5 pickups and so many combinations.

I might lower the tuning on the electric back down to BEADF#B again, I found a set of D'addario Chromes 13-56 in a pile of books and CDs, I have no recollection of buying them but they're definitely real. I did prefer the tone at the lower tuning, at that point I wanted it in standard because it seemed like an easier starting point for what is essentially learning a new instrument, But I've been noodling for 8 months and I'm coming up with my own stuff now so having it in standard tuning isn't so much of an issue, If I put some heavier strings on it, it would also be better for the Sustainer pickup, it has no effect on the first string, even with loads of gain, the other strings are fine. The acoustic is in drop-D and I can put that back to standard in seconds if I want to.

I've bought some of the Thomastik S-series strings for the acoustic, there is a lot of noise when sliding on the wound strings and I've had friction burns off the top 3, these are apparently the answer.

[jahloon]

Jon Hallam, on Aug 4 2009, 06:25 PM, said:

I've bought some of the Thomastik S-series strings for the acoustic, there is a lot of noise when sliding on the wound strings and I've had friction burns off the top 3, these are apparently the answer.

Oh Yes!

[gazmungus]

Jon Hallam, on Aug 4 2009, 12:23 AM, said:

Cheers, though I talk a lot of bollocks anyway,

welcome!

[Jon Hallam]

corcoran, on Aug 5 2009, 02:42 PM, said:

Jon Hallam, on Aug 4 2009, 12:23 AM, said:

Cheers, though I talk a lot of bollocks anyway,

welcome!

Cheers. Glad to be here.

[n4vgm]

Welcome to the forum, Jon. Very knowledgeable, helpful folks hang out here. I fit into the helpful category, btw.

[Jon Hallam]

n4vgm, on Aug 6 2009, 03:43 AM, said:

Welcome to the forum, Jon. Very knowledgeable, helpful folks hang out here. I fit into the helpful category, btw.

Thank you, I probably don't fit into either.

[n4vgm]

There's also a "DANGEROUS" category!

[Jon Hallam]

n4vgm, on Aug 6 2009, 04:40 PM, said:

There's also a "DANGEROUS" category!

Surely anyone who plays a guitar with no frets should be considered a little bit dangerous, cuz like, it's got no frets.

[Jon Hallam]

jahloon, on Aug 4 2009, 07:59 PM, said:

Jon Hallam, on Aug 4 2009, 06:25 PM, said:

I've bought some of the Thomastik S-series strings for the acoustic, there is a lot of noise when sliding on the wound strings and I've had friction burns off the top 3, these are apparently the answer.

Oh Yes!

I've put the Thomastik KR116 strings onto my classical, I like them, though they're not what I was expecting, they're much brighter than normal nylons and not as deep, but I like the clarity, it has elements of sitar in the tone, to my ears anyway. And the reduction of extraneous noise is a definite bonus.