# Multiple Scale Length Fretless



## Encephalon5 (Feb 16, 2011)

Anyone offer this?


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## TemjinStrife (Feb 16, 2011)

Dingwall.


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## Encephalon5 (Feb 16, 2011)

No way. Fretless?


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## vampiregenocide (Feb 16, 2011)

They do fretless instruments yes. They're probably your best bet.


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## HaMMerHeD (Feb 16, 2011)

Of course, fretless pretty much defeats the primary purpose of a multiscale instrument.


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## josh pelican (Feb 16, 2011)

Maybe he wants low tunings on his fretless!


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## vampiregenocide (Feb 16, 2011)

HaMMerHeD said:


> Of course, fretless pretty much defeats the primary purpose of a multiscale instrument.


 
How?


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## HaMMerHeD (Feb 16, 2011)

The fanned fret system was designed primarily to overcome the intonation issues that every traditionally fretted instrument has. If you get rid of the frets, you eliminate tht problem. Of course, the multi scale design has other advantages, like more balanced string tension and better detuning.


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## TemjinStrife (Feb 16, 2011)

HaMMerHeD said:


> The fanned fret system was designed primarily to overcome the intonation issues that every traditionally fretted instrument has. If you get rid of the frets, you eliminate tht problem. Of course, the multi scale design has other advantages, like more balanced string tension and better detuning.



Nah, I'd say more it's the variation in scale length than the intonation problems, since you still do have to intonate fanned-fret instruments depending on string gauge and construction.


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## vampiregenocide (Feb 16, 2011)

Fair play, I was only aware of the tension reason.


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## Customisbetter (Feb 16, 2011)

Half of the string tension problem is gone as there are no frets to buzz.


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## HaMMerHeD (Feb 16, 2011)

TemjinStrife said:


> Nah, I'd say more it's the variation in scale length than the intonation problems, since you still do have to intonate fanned-fret instruments depending on string gauge and construction.



Right, but the point is, with a multiscale neck, you can intonate every fret on every string at the same time. That is what having a different vibrating length on each string does for you.

At any rate, multiscale fretless is cool, but god damn i wouldn't want an unlined board.


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## vampiregenocide (Feb 16, 2011)

Customisbetter said:


> Half of the string tension problem is gone as there are no frets to buzz.


 
But the frets aren't what create tension?  I'm confused.


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## troyguitar (Feb 16, 2011)

But if you want to tune super high or low, a multi-scale instrument is generally the best answer fretted or not. I've heard talk of doing something like this to make chords more playable too, since anything with stacked 4ths is difficult if not impossible on a regular fretless.


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## Customisbetter (Feb 16, 2011)

vampiregenocide said:


> But the frets aren't what create tension?  I'm confused.



Oh let me explain a bit. With lower tension usually comes fret buzz. Eliminating frets and having a perfectly even fretboard lets you lower the action and/or allow lower tension.


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## vampiregenocide (Feb 16, 2011)

Oh right I get you. I was thinking more in terms of that flubbiness and loose tone which means you'd want more tension.


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## angus (Feb 16, 2011)

Customisbetter said:


> Oh let me explain a bit. With lower tension usually comes fret buzz. Eliminating frets and having a perfectly even fretboard lets you lower the action and/or allow lower tension.



This is not true. There is no difference- you can still buzz against the fretboard too much, too.


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## jarrhead (Feb 16, 2011)

I always thought fanned frets were made so you can keep your 34" bass and have a 35" scale B, of course, making it shorter as you go to higher strings.

Anyhow, if Dingwall doesn't make a fretless, just have a luthier defret it and finish the board.


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## TemjinStrife (Feb 16, 2011)

HaMMerHeD said:


> Right, but the point is, with a multiscale neck, you can intonate every fret on every string at the same time. That is what having a different vibrating length on each string does for you.
> 
> At any rate, multiscale fretless is cool, but god damn i wouldn't want an unlined board.



Unfortunately, not really. To do that you need one of those fretboards with the crazy wavy frets; can't remember what they're called though.


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## jarrhead (Feb 16, 2011)

TemjinStrife said:


> Unfortunately, not really. To do that you need one of those fretboards with the crazy wavy frets; can't remember what they're called though.



Scalloped?


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## HaMMerHeD (Feb 16, 2011)

jarrhead said:


> Scalloped?


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## ixlramp (Feb 16, 2011)

L-Kah 41 position fretless, with 4th octave marked on the pickup, for fun. Lots of excellent photos here

Basses L-Kah



HaMMerHeD said:


> The fanned fret system was designed primarily to overcome the intonation issues that every traditionally fretted instrument has.





HaMMerHeD said:


> Right, but the point is, with a multiscale neck, you can intonate every fret on every string at the same time. That is what having a different vibrating length on each string does for you.



No, and no  Fanned frets make no difference to intonation.



TemjinStrife said:


> To do that you need one of those fretboards with the crazy wavy frets; can't remember what they're called though.



True Temperament

There are various systems available for either Well-Temperament, or a more precise 12ET. These are not Just Intonation systems though.


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## ixlramp (Feb 16, 2011)

Paul Delano's Bee bass.

http://www.beebasses.com/


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## MF_Kitten (Feb 17, 2011)

I would lay down on the floor and slowly piss my own pants, deliberately, if i had to play a fanned fretless. That is a serious mindfuck. A normal fretless is hard enough for me! Having to then adjust the scalings of how far apart notes are, and where the notes are in accordance with eachother, would make me cry spaghetti.

I would rather have a long scale fretless to be honest, as you control the individual intonations of the notes anyway. Is there any good reason why this wouldn't be better than a multiscale fretless?


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## Winspear (Feb 17, 2011)

MF_Kitten said:


> I would rather have a long scale fretless to be honest, as you control the individual intonations of the notes anyway. Is there any good reason why this wouldn't be better than a multiscale fretless?



Same reason as a long scale guitar isn't 'better' than a multiscale guitar I guess. Some people just prefer the tone of a shorter scale on the higher strings.

I'm hoping for a fanned fretless 7 string bass one day, to go alongside a fretted one. Fretlines for sure though


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## Customisbetter (Feb 17, 2011)

angus said:


> This is not true. There is no difference- you can still buzz against the fretboard too much, too.



On second thought I guess you could be right.


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## TemjinStrife (Feb 17, 2011)

Also, longer scale on the top strings can sound very cold and thin.


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## ixlramp (Feb 17, 2011)

Jean Baudin's upcoming 'Pinky' fretless 11 by Ken Lawrence. TalkBass build thread here: New Ken Lawrence 11-strings Build Thread - TalkBass Forums


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## death of k (Feb 18, 2011)

This is quite possibly the craziest shit i've ever heard... 

These days, im somewhat seriously considering 9 strings, but what you speak of... is madness...


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