Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on January 31, 2013 at 4:44am

is it a fretless neck or fretted?

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bowen on January 31, 2013 at 4:50am

it is fretless

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on January 31, 2013 at 5:21am

That is a very common result of "fingering" a note against a naked fretboard, which is compounded by two things...hardness of fb material, and technique. Fretless instruments like basses usually have rosewood or hard maple fb, which helps...but technique makes all the difference too.

I made a fretless cigar box ukulele a couple years ago, and it sounded great strummed "open" but when pressing strings to fb the sound reduced to a whisper.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on January 31, 2013 at 5:32am

My Turkish and Iraqi ouds are both fretless, and they don't have this problem; the Iraqi one is made from very cheap materials (like plywood!), yet rings out equally well both strummed, and fingered. I have a Shane Speal fretless CBG with a poplar neck, and it rings out like crazy when fingered. Plays just like my ouds. Sounds kinda like 'em, too. One thing they all have in common is slightly angled necks, with reasonably high bridges. The oud fingerboards are flush at the body with the top, yet the strings do not touch the fretboard except where I am fingering them.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on January 31, 2013 at 4:50am

If fretless, then the strings are hitting something. If it's fretted, then the strings are hitting something. Likely it's the edge of the box at the neck join. Bridge or nut too low ( not likely if it rings out when strummed)? Neck joint at body too low ( a raised fretboard about 1/4" higher than the body would help, but you'd then have to adjust the nut and or bridge height). Neck not angled back from the body a degree or two.

Those are the first things I'd look at, without any more info or pics to go on.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bowen on January 31, 2013 at 5:15am

I will post some pics of it from my computer when I get back home...The strings are not touching anything.  The height at the nut is about 1/8" and 1/4" at the bridge

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on January 31, 2013 at 5:19am

What I meant was, when you FINGER it, the strings may be hitting the box edge. Can you post a pic of it while you are fingering it (this all sounds so dirty, doesn't it;-) )?

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bowen on January 31, 2013 at 5:25am

Down -n-dirty!!  LOL  I will post pics in a bit....when he fingers it the strings are clear and not hitting anything...I told him I thought it has to do with his nut and bridge heights but not sure

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on January 31, 2013 at 5:36am

If he's fingering it and the strings are clear, then have a look at the bridge / saddle height; it may need to be taller. Hmmm. What's his scale length, and what strings is he using?

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bowen on January 31, 2013 at 6:26am

the scale is 25" and he is using the strings from CB Gitty....medium acoustic

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bowen on January 31, 2013 at 7:20am

Ok I just got back home.  Here are the pictures of my buddies cbg:

1. looking down at the bridge

2. looking from head at the nut

3. looking at nut

4. string height at bridge

5. overall cbg

Hope these help.

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Permalink Reply by Maddog on January 31, 2013 at 7:36am

I took pic #2 and blew it up and it appears the strings are resting flat on the neck when pressed, is that the case?

If so do like Oily said and increase the saddle/bridge height and maybe even decrease the nut as it seems a little high for fingering. You need a little extra angle when going fretless as the string vibration must clear the remaining face of the neck to vibrate.

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