# Fretless guitar: Glass Fretboard?!



## 7deadlysins666 (Sep 21, 2008)

Wow, I want to buy a cheap guitar just to try this! I bet glass would be insane to have for a fretboard. Anyone know how the hell you would glue it to the neck?!?


----------



## Elysian (Sep 21, 2008)

so if i play that vid back in reverse do i get to hear what he really played?  that sounds so bizarre, not for me...


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Sep 21, 2008)

Elysian said:


> so if i play that vid back in reverse do i get to hear what he really played?  that sounds so bizarre, not for me...



I don't like his playing style...but I do like the idea of a glass fretboard on a fretless guitar. (I've been thinking about buying a pawnshop special and defretting it for months now)


----------



## TomAwesome (Sep 21, 2008)

Interesting! I'd go too insane trying to keep the fingerprints off of it, though. It got nasty just in the time he was playing it just then.


----------



## Naren (Sep 21, 2008)

Hm. That's interesting... a fretless glass fretboard... I can't imagine it'd feel good, though.


----------



## The Dark Wolf (Sep 21, 2008)

That was cool as all get out.


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Sep 21, 2008)

Naren said:


> Hm. That's interesting... a fretless glass fretboard... I can't imagine it'd feel good, though.



For a regular guitar, no but for a fretless I bet it feels amazing because its so slick. I also prefer flat fretboard radius, so this would be perfect for me. Again though, does anyone know what to use to attach it to the fretboard? Im guessing I just find a glass cutter to cut a piece to the fretboard dimensions and go from there.


----------



## Elysian (Sep 21, 2008)

7deadlysins666 said:


> For a regular guitar, no but for a fretless I bet it feels amazing because its so slick. I also prefer flat fretboard radius, so this would be perfect for me. Again though, does anyone know what to use to attach it to the fretboard? Im guessing I just find a glass cutter to cut a piece to the fretboard dimensions and go from there.



i'd cut it thinner than the fretboard by about 1/16" on each side, and give it some binding, that way you can easy shape it to the sides of the neck... i've got no clue how itd be attached though.


----------



## Naren (Sep 21, 2008)

7deadlysins666 said:


> For a regular guitar, no but for a fretless I bet it feels amazing because its so slick. I also prefer flat fretboard radius, so this would be perfect for me. Again though, does anyone know what to use to attach it to the fretboard? Im guessing I just find a glass cutter to cut a piece to the fretboard dimensions and go from there.



 I don't really like the way glass feels. It looks cool, though.


----------



## ILdÐÆMcº³ (Sep 21, 2008)

You would have to use a pretty strong epoxy but it shouldn't be too hard.

Also you would want some sort of frosting or dark coating on the downside so it didn't look too messy.


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Sep 21, 2008)

Elysian said:


> i'd cut it thinner than the fretboard by about 1/16" on each side, and give it some binding, that way you can easy shape it to the sides of the neck... i've got no clue how itd be attached though.



I was thinking about that, especially to make sure I don't somehow cut my hand (if Anyone cut their hand on it, even if its cut so you Can't, I would) but i've never bound anything before. I've never done any guitar work other than electronics and setups. I think I could do the fretboard seeing as it has no radius but binding, I don't know.


----------



## Shawn (Sep 22, 2008)

Sounds pretty cool. I'd like to try it out actually, glass is pretty cool.


----------



## Durero (Sep 22, 2008)

That's very cool. The Fernandes sustainer is a crucial part of it for sure.


----------



## noodleplugerine (Sep 22, 2008)

Reminds me of the Vigier fretlesses.


----------



## Justin Bailey (Sep 22, 2008)

yeah Vigier uses glass I'm pretty sure, not a new trick, but still very cool


----------



## jacksonplayer (Sep 22, 2008)

There's a guy out there who has a business retrofitting existing guitar necks with glass fretboards. Can't remember the name though. I believe he will also do a professional de-fretting job if you just want a wood fretboard, too.


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Sep 22, 2008)

jacksonplayer said:


> There's a guy out there who has a business retrofitting existing guitar necks with glass fretboards. Can't remember the name though. I believe he will also do a professional de-fretting job if you just want a wood fretboard, too.



If I go with just a regular fretless, I can just do it myself...not much work, just soldering iron (heat up the frets) fret puller, wood filler, and sanding. If you can find his name thought, if the price is right, I may be interested in a glass fretboard.


----------



## ibznorange (Sep 22, 2008)

Justin Bailey said:


> yeah Vigier uses glass I'm pretty sure, not a new trick, but still very cool



they use "delta metal" 

by appearance im betting its pretty much just some brassy alloy


----------



## drmosh (Sep 22, 2008)

Justin Bailey said:


> yeah Vigier uses glass I'm pretty sure, not a new trick, but still very cool



afaik they use a metal fretboard, dunno what kind though.


----------



## Justin Bailey (Sep 22, 2008)

welp you guys are right. I must have been thinking of some other guitar.


----------



## M3RC1L3SS (Sep 22, 2008)

It'd be pretty cool to have someone defret a Parker... I wonder how that would feel... not worth ruining a perfectly fine Parker though haha.


----------



## jacksonplayer (Sep 23, 2008)

Most fretless guys work with cheap guitars, since a lot of modification is involved and the biggest issue with cheapies is usually poor fretwork. Fernandes guitars are the most popular, since they often have the Sustainer pre-installed--and a Sustainer is pretty much necessary for most types of fretless playing, unless you are trying to imitate Arab instruments or something like that.

I highly recommend picking up a low-end Fernandes Dragonfly for that purpose, which is what I got. It's a very solid PRS-shaped bolt-on with an HSS pickup config and Sustainer. I blocked the vintage-style trem and de-fretted mine, but I still have to do the filling and sanding, which is kind of involved for a non woodworker like me. I also have to lower the nut to get the strings closer to the fretboard. You can get used a Dragonfly for around $200. Heck, they're not a bad deal even if you want to keep the frets, since they're not bad players.


----------



## Vairocarnal (Oct 2, 2008)

What happens if it gets dropped?


----------



## All_¥our_Bass (Oct 2, 2008)

What if instead of just using glass, go a step further and make the fingerboard one long mirror, or... a _prism_, now THAT would be the shit!!


----------



## cchhrriisstt (Mar 10, 2009)

I've heard that Glass fingerboards are pretty good on fretless guitars, but I've nerver tried.

If you want to hear how can sound different kind of Fretboard on fretless guitars, Those are my videos played with two kind of guitars (Ebony fretboard and metal fretboard for the Vigier guitar) :


----------



## Shredcow (Mar 22, 2009)

Nice! I wanted to try out a fretless myself... but I just never got to it.

Is it true you really need a sustainer system to get the most out of it? Or will the same old pickups do?


----------



## stubhead (Mar 22, 2009)

I read on one of those fretless sites that glass fretboards are pretty easy to obtain, from your local auto glass refitting shop. They have racks full of flat glass and the equipment to cut, bend and polish it to fit any automobile. So, if you go in there with the specific dimensions you want, they can do it - I don't know what price, you have to ask them. It's going to be sitting 1/4" thicker on top of any neck you use, and I don't figure you'll be wanting to crank the truss rod up and down too much....


----------



## shadowlife (Mar 25, 2009)

cchhrriisstt said:


> I've heard that Glass fingerboards are pretty good on fretless guitars, but I've nerver tried.
> 
> If you want to hear how can sound different kind of Fretboard on fretless guitars, Those are my videos played with two kind of guitars (Ebony fretboard and metal fretboard for the Vigier guitar) :




Great stuff!

This thread is not helping my GAS for a Vigier Surfetter lol


----------

