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GMC Forum _ GEAR & PRODUCTION _ Need Your Advices On Fretless Guitar!
Posted by: Muris Varajic Aug 6 2009, 10:42 PM
Hello guys!!
So, I'm getting a fretless guitar soon.
Actually I'm not gonna buy any
but Mirza (MK Guitars) is going to build me one. 
And ofc my main concern here is sustain.
Vigier guitar company uses http://www.vigierguitars.com/html/Description_US/Guitars/toucheUS_surf.html technique for fretboards but I really don't like the way it looks,
I would rather go for something else, rosewood or ebony, dunno.
Does anyone has some extra experience with fretless guitars
and what wood combos would work nicely sustain wise?
There is one more thing as well,
I'll have a piezo in bridge, Fishman or Shadow maybe (any suggestions here?)
along with 2 Stan Hinesley's humbuckers.
And so there is another issue, I need a guitar with fine resonance
to work with piezo AND to have nice sustain.
Hit me with your thoughts please!!
Posted by: mhskeide Aug 6 2009, 10:45 PM
dont have much for a helpful answer...
but sounds indeed EPIC 
Posted by: audiopaal Aug 6 2009, 10:49 PM
So, I'm getting a fretless guitar soon.
Actually I'm not gonna buy any
but Mirza (MK Guitars) is going to build me one.
And ofc my main concern here is sustain.
Vigier guitar company uses http://www.vigierguitars.com/html/Description_US/Guitars/toucheUS_surf.html technique for fretboards but I really don't like the way it looks,
I would rather go for something else, rosewood or ebony, dunno.
Does anyone has some extra experience with fretless guitars
and what wood combos would work nicely sustain wise?
There is one more thing as well,
I'll have a piezo in bridge, Fishman or Shadow maybe (any suggestions here?)
along with 2 Stan Hinesley's humbuckers.
And so there is another issue, I need a guitar with fine resonance
to work with piezo AND to have nice sustain.
Hit me with your thoughts please!!
I've tried one fretless guitar, and I never thought it had less sustain really..
I just found it strange to play
But I'd go for Ebony or Brazilian Rosewood, as those are the best fretboards imo
Looking forward to see it and hear some recordings with the fretless wonder though!
Posted by: Sergio Dorado Aug 6 2009, 10:53 PM
Hi.For the first issue I don´t know this matter of fretless guitar, but look forward when you get it, sure you´re be able to do amazing things with it.
For the second I have a Ibanez Prestige RG1820X-GK (the guitar that appears in my lesson) and I´m very happy with the sustain (I changed the pick ups, and now sounds really good for me) The guitar has a piezo and I think also has a cool sound
Posted by: Muris Varajic Aug 6 2009, 11:05 PM
I just found it strange to play
But I'd go for Ebony or Brazilian Rosewood, as those are the best fretboards imo
Looking forward to see it and hear some recordings with the fretless wonder though!
Sustain has a lot do to with frets!
Perhaps you played it with OD or dist so you couldn't notice nicely.
Was is metal fretboard or wood fretboard btw?
For the second I have a Ibanez Prestige RG1820X-GK (the guitar that appears in my lesson) and I´m very happy with the sustain (I changed the pick ups, and now sounds really good for me) The guitar has a piezo and I think also has a cool sound
Wow, thanks for mentioning your Ibanez Sergio,
it has LR Baggs piezo, I totally forgot about those!
Posted by: tonymiro Aug 6 2009, 11:09 PM
For the first http://www.unfretted.com/loader.php?LINK=main may help Muris .
For the second - perhaps a chambered semi-solid design?
Posted by: skennington Aug 6 2009, 11:13 PM
Never played one Muris and this is out of pure speculation but I would think that Ebony would be the way to go as it's a harder wood. I would also consider the strings and how they will ware on the wood, flat wound's maybe? Have you thought about glass?
Posted by: audiopaal Aug 6 2009, 11:21 PM
The one I played had a wooden fretboard I believe
But it's a while ago, so I won't bet my life on it
Posted by: Sergio Dorado Aug 6 2009, 11:21 PM
By the way, do you know any videos/ recordings that you can recommend us for listen guitar players with this fretless guitar (apart of you )
Posted by: tonymiro Aug 6 2009, 11:31 PM
)A few for you Sergio:
The Police - Driven to tears
RHCP - Mellowship Slinky
Zappa - Torture never stops
John McLaughlin - Mother nature
Pat Metheny - Counting Texas
Posted by: lcsdds Aug 7 2009, 12:15 AM
I vote graphite Muris....
Cocobolo would be very nice as well.......
Posted by: Muris Varajic Aug 7 2009, 12:27 AM
.For the second - perhaps a chambered semi-solid design?
Good old Tony, thanks!!!!!!!
Glass seems interesting but I have glasses already!!
Joking, worth considering!
)Tony gave you few but I actually want do play some Oud stuff.
Cocobolo would be very nice as well.......
Nice thinking Monte, putting it on the list, thanks!
Posted by: tonymiro Aug 7 2009, 12:34 AM
http://www.godinguitars.com/godinglissentarp.htm may be worth looking at then for a few ideas for you and Mirza Muris
Posted by: Muris Varajic Aug 7 2009, 12:46 AM
Cedar and Maple body, Ebony fingerboard, yeah.
Posted by: Sensible Jones Aug 7 2009, 10:55 AM
The fingerboard on Steve Vais' Fretless on his Tripleneck is Rosewood and he seems happy enough with it!!!
PS. For some awesome Oud playing check out a band called Speed Caravan!! I saw them last year and was absolutely blown away by them!!!!!!
Posted by: enforcer Aug 7 2009, 10:58 AM
Hey Muris, you know I have one too
Posted by: Oxac Aug 7 2009, 02:06 PM
I'd advice you guys to have a look on violin constuction and philisophy, they are fretless and have been for several centuries. 
Posted by: Muris Varajic Aug 7 2009, 03:14 PM
PS. For some awesome Oud playing check out a band called Speed Caravan!! I saw them last year and was absolutely blown away by them!!!!!!
Will do, thanks Jones.
So, would you tell me something?
Violin has no sustain at all,
they use bow instead to make longer notes.
What I need is "best" possible combination of woods
for neck and body sustain wise.
Posted by: Gerardo Siere Aug 7 2009, 03:39 PM
I have an 1986 Vigier arpege, and its neck is hardened with some resine (I think it is called evanol) plus the nack of the neck is carbon fibre, gets a lot of sustain but sounds weird, like the fretboard it self has its own resonance). The key is hardness, the hard the material the more sustain you will get.
Posted by: Muris Varajic Aug 7 2009, 04:10 PM
Indeed, that's why I thought of Ebony.
What about the body?
Posted by: Gerardo Siere Aug 7 2009, 04:53 PM
The actual name of the wood is "Phenowood", body I think is maple.
For piezo you can also try RMV pickups.
I read somewhere that this was the Vigier fretless guitar prior the "delta blues" stuff.
There is also this site unfreted.com, and probably it would be a good idea to get plain strings as wounded one will probably hurt your fingers as you will not bending anymore.
Posted by: Muris Varajic Aug 7 2009, 04:56 PM
For piezo you can also try RMV pickups.
I read somewhere that this was the Vigier fretless guitar prior the "delta blues" stuff.
There is also this site unfreted.com, and probably it would be a good idea to get plain strings as wounded one will probably hurt your fingers as you will not bending anymore.
I can't find anything on RMV pickups, some link maybe?
Posted by: Gerardo Siere Aug 7 2009, 05:17 PM
http://www.rmcpickup.com/
and I forgot this other one
http://www.lrbaggs.com/
Posted by: Muris Varajic Aug 7 2009, 05:22 PM
and I forgot this other one
http://www.lrbaggs.com/
Thanks!
I already checked LR Baggs tho, X-Bridge looks very nice.
Posted by: sidewas lightning Sep 6 2009, 03:00 AM
I don't know a thing about fretless guitars (other than that bumblefoot sometimes plays one) but I'm sure I'll be wanting one after Muris makes one sound amazing...
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