# Multiscale Guitar Question



## JackJackMcCrack (May 28, 2012)

O.k. so I decided to join the forum after a few weeks of checking it daily. I looked for an answer to this question and couldn't find it anywhere. I was wondering is there a significant difference in playing a multiscale/fanned fret guitar to a regular one?

I'm looking at picking up a multiscale 8 string in the future but I've never had experience with one and its not really an option for me to check one out in my area.

If I posted in the wrong place or this has already been answered a thousand times sorry, just point me in the right direction and delete this thread. if not thank you in advance for all of the input.


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## Jordan Djenital Warts (May 28, 2012)

JackJackMcCrack said:


> O.k. so I decided to join the forum after a few weeks of checking it daily. I looked for an answer to this question and couldn't find it anywhere. I was wondering is there a significant difference in playing a multiscale/fanned fret guitar to a regular one?
> 
> I'm looking at picking up a multiscale 8 string in the future but I've never had experience with one and its not really an option for me to check one out in my area.
> 
> If I posted in the wrong place or this has already been answered a thousand times sorry, just point me in the right direction and delete this thread. if not thank you in advance for all of the input.



hey man, welcome to the forum. 

There's quite a few threads here on this subject. Just use the search facility at the top of the page


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## Stealthdjentstic (May 28, 2012)

Depends on the fan, and no not really that much time needed to adjust.


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## Durero (May 28, 2012)

No doubt that opinions will vary, but I find fanned frets significantly more comfortable and easier to play than straight frets. Also the improvements to the tone of the instrument are phenomenal.

I also switch between fanned and straight instruments on a daily basis without any trouble at all - in case that's a concern.


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## JackJackMcCrack (May 28, 2012)

Jordan Djenital Warts said:


> hey man, welcome to the forum.
> 
> There's quite a few threads here on this subject. Just use the search facility at the top of the page



Sorry i searched and couldn't really find anything that specifically answered my question maybe I'm just not searching properly


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## JackJackMcCrack (May 28, 2012)

Durero said:


> No doubt that opinions will vary, but I find fanned frets significantly more comfortable and easier to play than straight frets. Also the improvements to the tone of the instrument are phenomenal.
> 
> I also switch between fanned and straight instruments on a daily basis without any trouble at all - in case that's a concern.



Thank you that was a concern of mine. How is it playing barre chords on one?


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## Stealthdjentstic (May 28, 2012)

Easier imo


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## Dayn (May 28, 2012)

I'd like to throw in an additional question if I may: what do you have as your perpendicular fret, and how is barring both low and high on the neck? Like 12th fret-ish?


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## Durero (May 28, 2012)

Regarding barre technique and multi-scale issues in general: make sure you get to know the FretFind 2D website intimately and print yourself out some full-scale mockups to run your fingers over.

This is a much much wiser course than asking for other players opinions on the matter.


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## Stealthdjentstic (May 28, 2012)

Dayn said:


> I'd like to throw in an additional question if I may: what do you have as your perpendicular fret, and how is barring both low and high on the neck? Like 12th fret-ish?



The one on my vik is at the 7th IIRC. Felt better for me than the 12th...


Like leo said use fretfind, then print it onto some mdf or something, you're dropping a lot of money (most likely), so spend the half hour or whatever testing things out!


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## Explorer (May 28, 2012)

If you plan on using tapping/touchstyle at all, keep in mind that the more the frets are adjusted to make one hand more ergonomic, the more the fanned frets make playing un-ergonomic for the other hand. 

Just my two cents, as I use tapping a lot.


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## Dayn (May 28, 2012)

Explorer said:


> If you plan on using tapping/touchstyle at all, keep in mind that the more the frets are adjusted to make one hand more ergonomic, the more the fanned frets make playing un-ergonomic for the other hand.
> 
> Just my two cents, as I use tapping a lot.


That's my main worry, personally. I use all parts of the neck equally for every technique and don't want to be limited. I'll have to print out some stuff later, and may have to opt for a lower fan...


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## Go To Bed Jessica (May 29, 2012)

I don't want to hijack the thread, but I do have a quick additional question regarding fanned fret necks.

How do they go with bending at the extremes of the fretboard? Is it possible to bend "down" by pushing/pulling the string in the right direction on one of the more slanted frets... or does the pitch just increase more slowly? I realise this is dependent upon the position on the fretboard - I am thinking mostly of the first few and last few frets (assuming the perpendicular fret is somewhere in the middle of the fretboard).


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## Durero (May 29, 2012)

Explorer said:


> If you plan on using tapping/touchstyle at all, keep in mind that the more the frets are adjusted to make one hand more ergonomic, the more the fanned frets make playing un-ergonomic for the other hand.
> 
> Just my two cents, as I use tapping a lot.





Dayn said:


> That's my main worry, personally. I use all parts of the neck equally for every technique and don't want to be limited. I'll have to print out some stuff later, and may have to opt for a lower fan...



I have the same priority - eight finger tapping is equally important to me as any other technique and I use it a lot.

In theory it may seem that fanned frets would be problematic for tapping with your picking hand but in practice this problem solves itself. This is because of the natural keyboard-like tendency of the picking hand to play higher notes in higher positions than the fretting hand.

Keyboard players spend most of the time with their left hand playing in a range below their right hand. Of course hand crossing is used to ease certain types of keyboard phrases (and the same can be done on fretboards) but otherwise there is no reason to use the right hand to play below the left if the left is available and vice versa.

Even Chapman Stick players use the same hand configuration despite how vertically we hold the instrument. The key is that it is still tilted to one side (however slightly) and this makes it natural for the hand of that side to play in the lower positions.

I've been playing a 32" - 36" fan 7-string since 2003 and if I felt inhibited at all from tapping with all of my picking-hand fingers that would be completely unacceptable to me and I'd either play an instrument with a smaller fan or a straight fretted one.


Not particularly relating to tapping, there is one situation I can think of where fanned frets would be a significant problem and that's for players for whom Michael Angelo Batio-style fretting-hand-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-neck playing is important. To me this technique seems like more of a parlour trick than anything and I haven't encountered any musical situations where it is needed or even helpful.

Edit: Wait yes I have: if you play Jeff Healy style with the guitar on your lap and your fretting hand coming from the bass-string side of the neck that would certainly not be a fanned-fret compatible technique. It's a damn cool technique too - you can fret with your thumb all the time and make huge stretches.


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## Durero (May 29, 2012)

Go To Bed Jessica said:


> I don't want to hijack the thread, but I do have a quick additional question regarding fanned fret necks.
> 
> How do they go with bending at the extremes of the fretboard? Is it possible to bend "down" by pushing/pulling the string in the right direction on one of the more slanted frets... or does the pitch just increase more slowly? I realise this is dependent upon the position on the fretboard - I am thinking mostly of the first few and last few frets (assuming the perpendicular fret is somewhere in the middle of the fretboard).



No the angled frets have a much more subtle effect on bends than the scenarios you're describing - even on the extreme ends of the fretboard. It takes slightly more effort to bend along a fret that's angled away from the bridge and slightly less effort to bend along a fret that's angled towards the bridge.


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## Explorer (May 29, 2012)

I was trying to use a local 9-string fanned fret last summer, and anything below the parallel fret (towards the headstock) was problematic for me with my right hand. 

Nice guitar, and I told the builder I'd be interested if he ever wanted to do something with straight frets (he wasn't), but that time invested was just what I needed in terms of making up my mind regarding what works for me... and what doesn't.


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## Durero (May 29, 2012)

^ That sounds fair enough.

Like I said above, for a player like me who mostly has my left (fretting) hand in a lower position than my right (picking) that issue would be solved in a very satisfying way (for me) by designing the perpendicular fret at the 5th fret.


If you want equal ease of playing for your fretting hand even below the 5th fret - say all the way to the open position - have you considered the scenario of having a straight nut and angled bridge?

From the way I post about fanned frets I probably sound like some kind of fanned fret crusader  so I'll just say that I'm not trying to sell you on anything and I fully respect your preference for straight frets. I am genuinely interested to hear your opinion on the straight nut & angled bridge design and if you think it could be an ergonomic gain for both hands.



On side note, I'm curious to learn who this builder is who _refused_ to consider straight frets. Sounds like someone I'd get along with


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## Stealthdjentstic (May 29, 2012)

One other thing Leo forgot to mention is the great feature all fanned fret guitars come with...






The ability to keep morons who think your frets were installed completely wrong AWAY from your guitar  No more sweaty and questionable people asking to touch your pride and joy!


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## Explorer (May 29, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> No more sweaty and questionable people asking to touch your pride and joy!



Why would someone even consider asking to touch my woman?


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## Go To Bed Jessica (May 29, 2012)

Durero said:


> No the angled frets have a much more subtle effect on bends than the scenarios you're describing - even on the extreme ends of the fretboard. It takes slightly more effort to bend along a fret that's angled away from the bridge and slightly less effort to bend along a fret that's angled towards the bridge.



Thank you! That question has been in the back of my mind ever since I first saw a picture of a fanned fret guitar in a magazine about 15 years ago! 

I have still not had a chance to play one. Something I would definitely love to try at some point.

Sorry for the hijack - as you were!


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