# Ibanez microtonal Arabic guitar models:



## tabqwerty (Jun 2, 2011)

I hope these truly will be available worldwide, and in optional 7 and 8 string builds with or without trems.


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## decypher (Jun 2, 2011)

I always voted for eehbanez...


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jun 2, 2011)

$600 dollars for microtonal fun, very tempting!


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## Isan (Jun 2, 2011)

Fuck yes


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## Dunloper (Jun 2, 2011)

This looks pretty sweet! But is this microtonal range really not available on a regular fretted guitar? If not I'm definitely investing in one of these.


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## xmetalhead69 (Jun 2, 2011)

* awaits arabcore band fad* ....



One of these would be super fun to screw around with, but I feel like I wouldnt be able to come up with anything that sounded good using quarter tones


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## Arterial (Jun 2, 2011)

woah wth


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## theo (Jun 2, 2011)

I'm going to be brutally honest. I don't like his tone or his playing in the slightest. Cool idea though.


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## Mindcrime1204 (Jun 2, 2011)

Ill jam that crazy ass shit for 600 bucks!


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## Necris (Jun 2, 2011)

It's about time a guitar with microtonal capabilities came on to the market. I don't see it selling particularly well though. Although for the price I certainly can't complain I'm going to do so anyway and say I'd much rather have a guitar fretted for 24tet to experiment with quarter tones. Right now I just tune everything a quarter step up or down.



tabqwerty said:


> and in optional 7 and 8 string builds with or without trems.



Never going to happen. The Ibanez Custom Shop is not, and likely never will be open to the public.


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## ittoa666 (Jun 2, 2011)

Very cool.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jun 2, 2011)

Necris said:


> It's about time a guitar with microtonal capabilities came on to the market. I don't see it selling particularly well though. Although for the price I certainly can't complain I'm going to do so anyway and say I'd much rather have a guitar fretted for 24tet to experiment with quarter tones. Right now I just tune everything a quarter step up or down.
> 
> 
> 
> Never going to happen. The Ibanez Custom Shop is not, and likely never will be open to the public.



You were the first person I thought of when I saw this. I was like, "Damn, Chris is going to be all over this like hot butter on toast".


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## highlordmugfug (Jun 2, 2011)

Stealthtastic said:


> $600 dollars for microtonal fun, very tempting!


Fuck yeah.

This + fretless instruments: I want both, and now I've got another thing to lust after.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jun 2, 2011)

KMM1VV | Oriental Series -Additional Fretted Guitar- | Ibanez Guitars

As of now only available in the UAE and Kuwait. 

Gotta love Ibanez first production 7-string, first production 8-string, and now first production microtonal guitar.


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## Bloody_Inferno (Jun 2, 2011)

...adds this to the list of instruments to consider...


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## SilenceIsACrime (Jun 2, 2011)

Holy hell, count me in!!


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## highlordmugfug (Jun 2, 2011)

Fretless acoustic with additional fretlines.
EDIT: Check the bottom left hand corner of Max's link.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jun 2, 2011)

Im having trouble between either buying something else and defretting it or going with this. I guess I'll wait and see. Worst comes to worst I can just defret one of my cheapo PoS's lying around and nab this 

Meantime, time for some inspiration.


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## Xaios (Jun 2, 2011)

Pretty cool, but I'm pretty sure G&L came out with a microtonal guitar a few years back. I remember reading about it in one of my dad's Guitar Player magazines something like 10 years ago.


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## highlordmugfug (Jun 2, 2011)

Xaios said:


> Pretty cool, but I'm pretty sure G&L came out with a microtonal guitar a few years back. I remember reading about it in one of my dad's Guitar Player magazines something like 10 years ago.


But was it a production model guitar?


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## MaxOfMetal (Jun 2, 2011)

Xaios said:


> Pretty cool, but I'm pretty sure G&L came out with a microtonal guitar a few years back. I remember reading about it in one of my dad's Guitar Player magazines something like 10 years ago.



Sorta. What they would do is install a Freenote (third party) neck if it was provided. So yes and no. You could get a G&L with a microtonal neck, but it's far from being in production, more akin to a custom order.


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## Bloody_Inferno (Jun 2, 2011)

highlordmugfug said:


> But was it a production model guitar?


 
EDIT: Damn Max, you're too fast. 







The 62-Tone Just was reviewed on Guitar World a while back via Freenote instruments.


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## Variant (Jun 2, 2011)

Awesomesauce. I'd be totally down with something like this. 

Also:


Fuck yeah.


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## JaeSwift (Jun 2, 2011)

Whilst I certainly wouldn't buy it, this just proves to me that Ibanez is the most innovative company in the mass market, musical instruments wise.


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## BrainArt (Jun 2, 2011)

This looks awesome. If/ when they come to the US if I can get one, I will. I'd love to mess around with it and see what I can come up with.


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## CD1221 (Jun 2, 2011)

very nice


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## 13point9 (Jun 2, 2011)

I'd actually be more tempted to buy the acoustic, but thats mainly because I would most likely play more quater note style pieces on it rather than an electric, hopefully it will come out in Europe and not have a massive up charge


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## ShadyDavey (Jun 2, 2011)

Some interesting possibilities abound but all bets are off until I play one and see exactly how shite I sound


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## MrMcSick (Jun 2, 2011)

Thats awesome. Would be even cooler if they could have some type of removable bridge insert or something to make it twang like a sitar!


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## vampiregenocide (Jun 2, 2011)

I'd be totally tempted by that acoustic if it was released here.


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## Cyntex (Jun 2, 2011)

Seems pretty cool, I wouldnt mind trying one out/


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## AxeHappy (Jun 2, 2011)

I've had a fretless acoustic for a while now, and I've been working to totally redoing an old Electric Vantage into a fretless but if is available for $600...it'd be awesome.


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## BigPhi84 (Jun 2, 2011)

Sweet, I have a close fraternity brother moving to the UAE in a couple of months.


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## ShadowFactoryX (Jun 2, 2011)

xmetalhead69 said:


> * awaits arabcore band fad* ....



microtonaldjentdown


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## SirMyghin (Jun 2, 2011)

Necris said:


> It's about time a guitar with microtonal capabilities came on to the market. I don't see it selling particularly well though. Although for the price I certainly can't complain I'm going to do so anyway and say I'd much rather have a guitar fretted for 24tet to experiment with quarter tones. Right now I just tune everything a quarter step up or down.
> 
> 
> 
> Never going to happen. The Ibanez Custom Shop is not, and likely never will be open to the public.



There is a company that makes microtonal necks for G&Ls , usually using tribute models (USA electronics either way, and hardware). 

Freenote Music - Catalog - Guitars

They also just make the necks, albeit more expensive than these.


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## ellengtrgrl (Jun 2, 2011)

These are SOOOOOOO intriguing to me! As I mentioned in a thread several months ago, I'd love to have a microtonal guitar, if it didn't cost a bundle! I think the Freenote guitars are cool, but I'm not going to spend a grand for a microtonal guitar, until I know I'll get some serious use out of it, beyond the honeymoon phase/novelty instrument level. Even the necks Freenote sells, cost $550! Ouch!


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## xmetalhead69 (Jun 2, 2011)

ellengtrgrl said:


> These are SOOOOOOO intriguing to me! As I mentioned in a thread several months ago, I'd love to have a microtonal guitar, if it didn't cost a bundle! I think the Freenote guitars are cool, but I'm not going to spend a grand for a microtonal guitar, until I know I'll get some serious use out of it, beyond the honeymoon phase/novelty instrument level. Even the necks Freenote sells, cost $550!



I just had really really super hardcore deja vu while reading this post. Felt inclined to share.


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## Thep (Jun 2, 2011)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Gotta love Ibanez first production 7-string, first production 8-string, and now first production microtonal guitar.



first production ball bearing floyd rose, first production tension-free necks, first production fixed double locking bridges.....

There's alot to love about Ibanez's philosophy, now if only we could go back to the days of early 90's MIJ quality.


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## Explorer (Jun 2, 2011)

I used to play violin (still have my six-string electric), and have a good ear, so I'm pretty happy with my fretless. This way, I'm not locked into any given microtonal scale....


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## highlordmugfug (Jun 2, 2011)

Explorer said:


> I used to play violin (still have my six-string electric), and have a good ear, so I'm pretty happy with my fretless. This way, I'm not locked into any given microtonal scale....


I like the idea of the extra halftones because it'll give someone time to get their ears accustomed to those scales/sounds, whereas with a fretless, some people may still just play the western 12 note scale with them anyway.


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## Explorer (Jun 2, 2011)

I can see the appeal of that. I'm spending a lot of time with duduk recordings and other things to get my ear bent around the scales....


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## mountainjam (Jun 2, 2011)

Very cool, Ide buy one for sure
A different take on extended range guitars.


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## highlordmugfug (Jun 2, 2011)

mountainjam said:


> Very cool, Ide buy one for sure
> A different take on extended range guitars.


It's not extended, it's enhanced.


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## The McThief (Jun 3, 2011)

8 and 7 string options? An 8 string micro-tonal guitar....how much more unique can it get? Hahaha


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## Hollowway (Jun 3, 2011)

Great, 12 more notes for me to suck at playing. 

I'd definitely like to mess around on one (M.A.N. style), but I'd guess it would take a lot of ime to train my ears to work with those extra tones well.

And that Freenote 62 Just is just crazy. No way in hell I'd be able to play that jumble of a FB.


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## Dead Undead (Jun 3, 2011)

Just for shits and giggles...


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## Devotion (Jun 3, 2011)

We need someone of our Arabic members to give us a full review and to be the middle man for us, then we all can have one


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## Alberto7 (Jun 3, 2011)

I'm pretty damn excited now! I think I'm visiting Dubai in maybe a couple weeks to a month, so I'm gonna try my best to get my hands on one of these 

I hope they get sold in Bahrain as well!


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## projectjetfire (Jun 3, 2011)

Mind = blown. 

I cant cope with the awesomeness that this is


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## Hemi-Powered Drone (Jun 3, 2011)

For $600 it doesn't matter that it's a six, or an Ibanez! That thing is awesome!



MaxOfMetal said:


> Gotta love Ibanez first production 7-string, first production 8-string, and now first production microtonal guitar.


 
Technically speaking-
The first production seven was the Gretsch George Van Epps sig. Ibanez did have the first production solid body seven string, though.

The first production eight would be Gibson, I believe, as they sold an eight string console steel in the 50s. Ibanez did have the first production eight string standard electric guitar.

The first production microtonal guitar was technically the Acoustic by Hamer Black Widow fretless. It wasn't microtonally fretted, but you could play microtones on it. Ibanez is, as far as I know of, the first company to have a full production microtonally fretted guitar, though.


I'm not too big of an Ibanez fan, if you haven't figured that out. I think I can get over it for this, though.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jun 3, 2011)

dragonblade629 said:


> For $600 it doesn't matter that it's a six, or an Ibanez! That thing is awesome!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
If you want to get that picky.....


There were 7 and 8 (as well as 9 and 10) string, single course guitars dating back as early as the 1400's. Many were produced as student models with standardized specs, so they were as close to "production" as you could get back then. A lot of them, at least till the 1600s, had fretless boards with adjustable cord frets, so they potentially were microtonal. 

Look up the early work of Sellas, Diaz, and Checchucci. 

So, let me restate what I said earlier a little clearer. 

First production solid body spanish style 7, first production solid body spanish style 8, first production fretted solid body spanish style microtonal.

 

EDIT: I said it once, and I'll say it again: there are no "new" ideas with guitars, just old ones made better. Name a single part of a guitar you find innovative and it's concept has been done before to some degree, often decades, and sometimes centuries before.


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## vampiregenocide (Jun 3, 2011)

If Max doesn't know about it, it ain't worth knowin'.


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## groph (Jun 3, 2011)

xmetalhead69 said:


> * awaits arabcore band fad* ....
> 
> 
> 
> One of these would be super fun to screw around with, but I feel like I wouldnt be able to come up with anything that sounded good using quarter tones


 
I bet there are endless possibilities in something like death metal with a microtonal guitar. I'll stick to bending notes for atmosphere but imagine what a band like Portal could do with one of these things.

And yeah, the fads are inevitable, somebody is bound to make a microtonal guitar as gimmicky as possible. Somebody with swoopy hair and a name like Dani Doom. Bring on the slightly more dissonant craebcoar. How would they auto-tune? Can autotuners work with microtones? Maybe this will bring about the death of auto-tune. If that happens, then good.


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## nojyeloot (Jun 3, 2011)

This vid REALLY tickled me. Something about the dissonance of Arabic music that just sits right with me. I'm pumped for this dude's signature eebby.

EDIT: PS - plenty of room for this in metal too IMO.


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## cataclysm_child (Jun 3, 2011)

That's cool and all.... but is it adjustable?





Got to love some of the stuff you can do with that kind of guitars.


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## Zei (Jun 3, 2011)

Ooohhh... do want. That just looks like a lot of fun to play. And, for $600, I might even be able to afford it in a year or so


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## Overtone (Jun 3, 2011)

The adjustable one sounds incredible!

I feel like Dave Fiuczynski is the ideal test pilot for this guitar! 

But to be honest when I see all the work being done to improve temperament and intonation on guitars I can't help but wonder if the existing problems w/ fixed scale and normal straight frets wouldn't start to become significant if there were 24 notes instead of just 12. The product I'd really like to see and play is an electric oud... something that you hold more like an electric guitar, and with a piezo or mic output, but still having the shorter scale, the double strings, no frets, etc.. I would also love a legit fretless. Honestly, fretless still seems like the way to go to me over fretted microtonal!


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## Hemi-Powered Drone (Jun 3, 2011)

http://www.kamalmusallam.com/#!__merchandise

You can order them on his website.

I'm not sure, but it looks like there might be US shipping. Why else would there be the price in USD?


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## Sephael (Jun 3, 2011)

Dunloper said:


> This looks pretty sweet! But is this microtonal range really not available on a regular fretted guitar? If not I'm definitely investing in one of these.


It's not an issue of range, it's how that range is broken up. For example a microtonal might be able to play a note that falls between an "A" and an "Ab".
This isn't possible on a regular fretted guitar unless you bend the string slightly.


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## ellengtrgrl (Jun 3, 2011)

dragonblade629 said:


> For $600 it doesn't matter that it's a six, or an Ibanez! That thing is awesome!
> 
> Technically speaking-
> The first production seven was the Gretsch George Van Epps sig. Ibanez did have the first production solid body seven string, though.



Yep, it is the world's first production 7-string (I'm a bit of a Gretsch-head - I've had several Gretches, and my present one, is a 6118 Anniversary model). The George Van Eps model was sold from 1968, till 1979. On the Gretsch Discussion Pages forum, there's a thread going on, asking what dream guitar would you like Gretsch to make. I said that my dream Gretsch, would be for them to once again make a 7-string model (an 8-string would b even cooler). And, make mine hollow and with f-holes, and a longer scale (26.5-27.5") neck please!  If they were to start making one, even if it meant selling all of my gear again to come up with the money to buy it, I would! Considering that Fred Gretsch III (who owns the company), and Joe Carducci (the guy from Fender who coordinates all of the Gretsch production and distribuition - Fender doesn't own Gretsch, they are just under contract to handle the prduction and distribution of the guitars), occasionally lurk on the GDP, it would be cool if they saw my post, and decided to start making Gretsch 7s again.


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## ixlramp (Jun 20, 2011)

This is such good news.

It's actually possible to play quartertone scales by restringing a normal guitar, see my thread here:
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/music-theory-lessons-techniques/161530-retune-play-quartertone-scales-microtonal-beginners-guide.html


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## Kr1zalid (Jun 21, 2011)

groph said:


> I bet there are endless possibilities in something like death metal with a microtonal guitar. I'll stick to bending notes for atmosphere but imagine what a band like Portal could do with one of these things...


 
The first thing ever came to my mind after this post is Deathspell Omega...


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## Hemi-Powered Drone (Jul 6, 2012)

I know that this is a giant necrobump (over a year) but it's relevant.

I decided to send an email to Kamal Musallam's site, where they're selling the two guitars, asking if they would ship internationally. Today I finally got a response (I forget when I sent the email) and was told that they do and that shipping to the US would be about $250 USD. Just thought some of you may want to know. I mean, with the electric being $635 USD and the acoustic being $565 USD, it's still a rather good deal for a microtonal fretted or fretless guitar with the high shipping.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Jul 6, 2012)

Paging Blut Aus Nord...


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## Mysticlamp (Jul 7, 2012)

this would be fun as hell to jam on


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## Polythoral (Jul 7, 2012)

Tempted to order one, but I'm supposed to be saving for an Invictus. :x


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jul 7, 2012)

So why dont they offer these here?


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## Polythoral (Jul 7, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> So why dont they offer these here?



I doubt they think the market is large enough. Probably why they're okay with letting them be sold online through the signature artist, so they can be sold to those people who actually are that interested, but they don't have to pay for them to be stocked/imported/whatever here.


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## GSingleton (Jul 7, 2012)

I mean....most of the scales used are typically only uses so many notes in a set like a penta or hextonic scale. Like in indian music they call the sequence the Raga I believe.

So this is like just adding quarter tones to a western scale and instrument....i would buy one but I would not go overboard with it...I like bending too much.


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## AnarchyDivine88 (Jul 7, 2012)

That's so awesome! It definitely would be cool if they offered 7 or 8 string versions, but I can't really see that happening. Still, I'll probably buy one of these if it ever hits the US market. I mean, $600 for a microtonal guitar? That's crazy! And if I like it, I can have someone build a nice microtonal guitar to my specs, but if I don't, at least I didn't spend much money on it. 

Did the KMM1 or KMA1 ever hit the US market, though? I would hate to pay a few hundred bucks just in shipping.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Jul 7, 2012)

^Ron Sword will build replacement necks for existing guitars in any tuning system you want.


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## Bouillestfu (Jul 7, 2012)

Godin Guitars


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## AStarlitNathan (Jul 7, 2012)

xmetalhead69 said:


> * awaits arabcore band fad* ....
> 
> 
> 
> One of these would be super fun to screw around with, but I feel like I wouldnt be able to come up with anything that sounded good using quarter tones



I'm still cracking up about the arabcore thing 15 minutes later...

It's definitely going to be one of those things that the mass market won't embrace. There will be those that get it that will do cool stuff/ flourish with the outside thinking. And then there will be those that get it just to say they're forward thinking/music hipsters...and then the arabcore starts...


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## MaxOfMetal (Jul 7, 2012)

All_¥our_Bass;3088761 said:


> ^Ron Sword will build replacement necks for existing guitars in any tuning system you want.



Yeah, but then you have to deal with Ron Sword.


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## MFB (Jul 7, 2012)

Not only deal with him but give him your money too!


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## grunge782 (Jul 8, 2012)

Seen these a while ago, I really think they could have an impact on genre's for guitar players if they were given a chance. Doubt we will see that though. 

I know that I would love to have one.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Jul 8, 2012)

MFB said:


> Not only deal with him but give him your money too!


Still cheaper than a full custom guitar.

Or defret a guitar and use quick-ties for somewhat movable and less permanent frets, this way you can try all sorts of tunings without having to constantly buy more guitars.


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## bob123 (Jul 8, 2012)

All_¥our_Bass;3090249 said:


> Still cheaper than a full custom guitar.
> 
> Or defret a guitar and use quick-ties for somewhat movable and less permanent frets, this way you can try all sorts of tunings without having to constantly buy more guitars.




itd be lovely if this jack off tuned his guitar first.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jul 8, 2012)

Haha fuck dealing with Ron Sword. He e-stalked a 14 yr old member here.


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## grunge782 (Jul 8, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> Haha fuck dealing with Ron Sword. He e-stalked a 14 yr old member here.


wat...


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## Necris (Jul 9, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Yeah, but then you have to deal with Ron Sword.





MFB said:


> Not only deal with him but give him your money too!





Stealthdjentstic said:


> Haha fuck dealing with Ron Sword. He e-stalked a 14 yr old member here.


Ron's not actually such a terrible person, although he's opinionated as can be at his worst he is still nowhere near as belligerent as the guy who ran the now defunct non-octave.com. That guy would write 10+ page rants against members who disagreed with him on any matter music related or not, and he had a deep hatred for academia in general (so do I but not on his level).


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## USMarine75 (Jul 9, 2012)

Seriously though... when will KXK be making one???


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## Ninjahat (Jul 9, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> Haha fuck dealing with Ron Sword. He e-stalked a 14 yr old member here.



Holy shit! I knew people thought Ron was a douche, but woah, a stalker? I was even considering buying microtonal stuff from him in the future, screw that!


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## Hemi-Powered Drone (Jul 9, 2012)

Ninjahat said:


> Holy shit! I knew people thought Ron was a douche, but woah, a stalker? I was even considering buying microtonal stuff from him in the future, screw that!



Stalking may not be the best word for it, but it is easy to determine that Ron Sword is an asshat.

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/of...f-ron-swords-bad-behaviour-sword-guitars.html


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## ixlramp (Jul 9, 2012)

bob123 said:


> itd be lovely if this jack off tuned his guitar first.




That's an interesting unprovoked insult, why do you think he is a 'jack .. off'? Do you know the guy? Chris has been an online aquaintance of mine for years and is one of the most unpretentious, productive and intuitively talented musicians in the microtonal community, very courteous and helpful. You can give him a guitar, guitar-synth or keyboard in any tuning and he'll intuitively come up with something good using his ears and without referring to microtonal theory. He can play anything from avant-garde, ambient through to blues and King Crimson-esque prog rock. He invents and builds new types of instrument and is endlessly inspired and creative.
Peace


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## ixlramp (Jul 9, 2012)

Some other options for those who want a microtonal guitar, it doesn't have to be expensive:
Get a local luthier to build you a replacement neck for a bolt-on guitar, just use http://www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fretfind2d/ to create a list of fret measurements and give it to your luthier.
Alternatively a luthier could remove your fretboard and replace it with a microtonal one.
Defretting a guitar is a DIY job, you could then invent your own movable/replaceable frets.
Another trick is the 'spiral fret'. A single length of nylon line wrapped tightly around the neck in a spiral, located by slots cut into the edge of the fretboard. You could even have many different slots for different tunings: Uncle Bob Project-Design Issues


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## 8track (Jul 10, 2012)

interesting


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## joeshred (Sep 28, 2020)

sorry for the necro bump... but ii recently got hold of a Kamal Musallam Ibanez for $200 in this part of the world (Philippines) I am excited to learn new stuff on it.


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## Harry (Sep 28, 2020)

joeshred said:


> sorry for the necro bump... but ii recently got hold of a Kamal Musallam Ibanez for $200 in this part of the world (Philippines) I am excited to learn new stuff on it.
> View attachment 85463



No need to apologize, this is the kind of necrobump that's actually worthwhile and interesting rather than simply bumping a thread to post one word in response to a quote years later like some folk do 
More photos in better lighting and some clips of how it sounds in the coming days would be much appreciated!


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## coreysMonster (Sep 28, 2020)

joeshred said:


> sorry for the necro bump... but ii recently got hold of a Kamal Musallam Ibanez for $200 in this part of the world (Philippines) I am excited to learn new stuff on it.
> View attachment 85463


If you were _really _sorry you'd post more pictures and audio clips of your guitar


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## JimF (Sep 28, 2020)

Everyone form an orderly queue for if @joeshred decides to sell.
I call dibs!


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