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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on November 29, 2015 at 9:29am

Can't answer the question about string height without frets, just know that ones I've seen are high.

Playing slide with frets can be tricky, has to be done with a light touch so as not to get fret clunk/clack will playing and string height can't be too high or the notes will pull sharp every time you fret. I always set my string height at 3/32nds" above the frets and this works well for me. That requires a nut that is cut at that height though.

StewMac has a couple of nut conversion pieces that can raise the strings for slide, then remove for fretting. This does require down tuning/tuning every time you add it/take it away. Some pics of them.The first one is the least expensive - about 4 dollars.

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on November 29, 2015 at 10:34pm

Those are Hawaiian guitar conversion nuts, and they work great to make a lap steel, but thousands and thousands of guys have learned to play with a slide on a regular guitar only by raising the action a little at the bridge end. This enables you to fret notes as well. (!) fretless guitars are actually something of a novelty out in the real world.

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Permalink Reply by jim on November 29, 2015 at 10:50pm

Fretless guitars are actually something of a novelty out in the real world......Ditto....

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