fretted versus fretless

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on May 22, 2012 at 12:40pm

To be frank, playing slide, it doesn't matter whether it's fretted or fretless - a fretless guitar isn't necessarily better for playing slide, but some people do 'clunk' the frets with the slide if the action is really low. Having frets does mean that you can accurately play conventionally (not using the slide) for chords, bass figures and solos.

Fretless is easy to make, and if set up with a sufficiently low action, you can get some great mellow ones from a fretless guitar, particularly with heavier strings.

If you want to make a guitar, no question, go fretless first time.

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Permalink Reply by Uncle John on May 22, 2012 at 1:39pm

Good advice from John and Tea.  Go fretless the first time.   Later do frets.  

I prefer frets.  The best of both is fretted with low enough action to finger and not so low as to clunk the slide on the frets. 

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on May 23, 2012 at 4:44am

I just wanna add here that despite what a lot of ppl say, Fretless instruments are MUCH more difficult to play ad sound any good on. I don't particularly have a problem with fretless ones but I would never encourage anybody to buy one, make your own Fretless ones and if you're buying go for the frets every time.

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Permalink Reply by Ian Holmes on May 23, 2012 at 8:44am

Thanks for the advice so far. Much appreciated. Probably best for me to go with "the devil I know" and get a fretted one where at least I have experience rather than go with the fretless and get discouraged with it.

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on May 24, 2012 at 6:54am

Fretless is certainly easier to build. Without fret, the challenge is placing your finger accurately so to be in pitch. You also need to apply a bit more pressure so the notes ring true without noise. Complex chord changes are next to impossible over multiple strings. It is quite obvious due to the popularity of frets that they are more effective for playing. In my mind, both instruments offer unique advantages and disadvantages. Enjoy, Keni Lee This video should help to clarify this:   

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Permalink Reply by Thorsten Hinrichsen on May 24, 2012 at 7:36am

Keep in mind that there are different tunings people use on fretted and unfretted guitars. If you know standard guitar chords you'd tune the fretted CBG like a normal guitar (EAD, GBE whatever). For slide playing you could use different tunings (open tuning, major chords etc.).

Notes with the fingers on the unfretted board will sound different - you can play it like an Oud (African, Arabic instrument) or Saz (traditional Turkish instrument).

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Permalink Reply by Ian Holmes on May 24, 2012 at 9:18am

Now my dilemma is this. There's a couple of CGB's out there I really love the sound of. You've guessed it they are both fretless. I've yet to find a fretted one that has a sound that does it for me...

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Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on May 24, 2012 at 10:06am

Try. Then decide.

Use the CBN magic - you may not afford a fretless guitar, but you can build one easily...

Then - you keep it, you fret it or you sell it. Or just discard or hang on the wall...

Is playing fretless very easy? Nope. Kazoo is easy... Is it rewarding? Yes. Is it cool? You betcha...

One day you'll look back at your life: "I played fretless and fretted instruments. I know for sure I hated fretless...."

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Permalink Reply by Sharecropper (Joel) on May 24, 2012 at 11:39am

 Go fretless ,since you're already an accomplished guitar player , fretless will force you to play in a new way !  My 2 cents !!

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Permalink Reply by SlowHound on May 24, 2012 at 3:02pm

I agree with Sharecropper. Going fretless forced me to learn how to use the slide. 

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Permalink Reply by Ian Holmes on May 24, 2012 at 4:29pm

Well the deed is now done. I'm going fretless. I've just ordered CBGitty's #4 Big Macanudo. I loved the sound of that one from the moment I heard it.

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Permalink Reply by Josiah Goldsmith on June 8, 2012 at 2:51pm

On the CBG I'll be building I'm gonna burn fretlines (like on fretless bass) on the neck to show where the frets WOULD be. Fretless is great on bass due to the awesome slides you can pull off, is it as good on a CBG? 

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