I finally got to try a fanned fret guitar

**Jim Soloway** · 07-25-2013, 12:50 PM

I've been interested in fanned fret guitars for about 20 years. The concept really made sense to me but I was never willing to take the leap simply because there was never one for me to try. I finally got a chance to play one and I'm absolutely sold. Aside from all of the usual benefits that get touted, it just felt ergonomically more correct, especially at the bottom of the fingerboard. I may take a bit of time to make this happen, but I will almost certainly make the switch in the next year.

**JSanta** · 07-25-2013, 01:13 PM

I recently had an 8 string fanned fret guitar from Ola Strandberg's team here in the States. The guitar was fantastically playable because of the fanned frets, especially the even tension throughout each string. I could get that low F# chugging sound to come in crystal clear.

When I started playing Jazz a few months later, the guitar just didn't work so I sold it to a collector. The concept though is fantastic, it works really well.

**ecj** · 07-25-2013, 02:24 PM

Interesting, Jim. Did you find it difficult to play chord/melody stuff that required barreing across all six strings on it? I've always thought the hand position for barres would be really weird.

**Jim Soloway** · 07-25-2013, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by ecj

Interesting, Jim. Did you find it difficult to play chord/melody stuff that required barreing across all six strings on it? I've always thought the hand position for barres would be really weird.

That was my concern as well but it turned out to be exactly the opposite. At the bottom of the neck where the angle of the fan is the most extreme, it was actually much more comfortable to play barre chords than it is with conventional frets. There was much less stress on my forearm and the angle actually felt much more natural. In the middle of the fingerboard, the angle of the fan is so small that there really is no difference.

**helios** · 07-25-2013, 05:04 PM

Was it a Novax?
Note-I love the tone this gentleman gets from his Novax (starts playing about 50 sec into the video):
The intonation sounds spot on!

**Jim Soloway** · 07-25-2013, 05:13 PM

No, it was a Lowden acoustic 6 string.

**ecj** · 07-25-2013, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

That was my concern as well but it turned out to be exactly the opposite. At the bottom of the neck where the angle of the fan is the most extreme, it was actually much more comfortable to play barre chords than it is with conventional frets. There was much less stress on my forearm and the angle actually felt much more natural. In the middle of the fingerboard, the angle of the fan is so small that there really is no difference.

Interesting - I'll have to keep my eyes out and try to play one when I see it.

**marcwhy** · 07-25-2013, 10:18 PM

Here's Don Latarski doing his thing on a Novax "AX" (semi-hollowbody):

and on his "Slimline Jazz" model:

Fanned frets are very easy to play, IMO; I'm convinced any "difficulty" people have is psychological: I've had people look at my Novax and say, "Wow, weird, I don't even want to try it!" and others, after playing it, say, "Huh? Fanned-frets? Oh, I didn't even notice a difference."

Marc
Novax owner and "fan"

**monk** · 07-26-2013, 01:26 AM

Clay Conner, who apprenticed with Ralph Novak, had his shop here in Knoxville before moving to Raleigh, NC. I was lucky enough to meet Clay and play several of his guitars while he lived here. I discovered quickly that I like fanned frets.

Clay Conner Guitars

**Clamps** · 07-26-2013, 01:34 AM

I had the chance to play a fan fret guitar recently too: I thought it was great! I will definitely look into these for comfort (someday!)
This is the specific one I spent about an hour with:
Mark Kett Bubinga Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar | Folkway Music, Vintage and New Guitars, Guelph and Waterloo, Ontario Canada

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 07-26-2013, 10:24 AM

I'd like to try one, for sure.

I'd also like to see more choices in bridges. Besides a carved wooden bridge, the only one I see is the one with six separate components that look like the metal fingers from Ironman's gauntlet.

One more: I'm a conservative guy (guitar-wise). I'd like to see a fan-fretted neck on a more conventional-looking guitar, like a T-style.

EDIT: fan fretted guitars are sometimes way out there!

**docbop** · 07-26-2013, 10:27 AM

Now if we could convince Fender to come out with a Fan-Fret Squire to make one of these guitar affordable to try out, the idea might catch on.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 07-26-2013, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by docbop

Now if we could convince Fender to come out with a Fan-Fret Squire to make one of these guitar affordable to try out, the idea might catch on.

Everyone on TDPRI would swap on three-barrel bridges and complain about the intonation.

**marcwhy** · 07-26-2013, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by docbop

Now if we could convince Fender to come out with a Fan-Fret Squire to make one of these guitar affordable to try out, the idea might catch on.

I think Novax is already considering this (not with fender, of course!). More to come ..

**marcwhy** · 07-26-2013, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

I'd like to try one, for sure.

One more: I'm a conservative guy (guitar-wise). I'd like to see a fan-fretted neck on a more conventional-looking guitar, like a T-style.

Here's a (small) pic of a guy with Novax teles:

My bass player calls this "modern old school," and I think he's right:

**mongrel** · 07-26-2013, 02:02 PM

Man, that is a gorgeous guitar.

**marcwhy** · 07-26-2013, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by mongrel

Man, that is a gorgeous guitar.

A couple more pics from Ralph:

**tejastani** · 07-26-2013, 03:38 PM

I just had a thought that intonation could be weird on a fanned fret guitar... because the note is determined from the crown of the fret, and the crowns are not perpendicular to the string, it seems like it would be possible to pull the string out of tune easily. Also, bending and vibrato would be strange as well. I play bottle-neck slide... forget about it!

**marcwhy** · 07-26-2013, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by tejastani

I just had a thought that intonation could be weird on a fanned fret guitar... because the note is determined from the crown of the fret, and the crowns are not perpendicular to the string, it seems like it would be possible to pull the string out of tune easily. Also, bending and vibrato would be strange as well. I play bottle-neck slide... forget about it!

There's some technical info here, including a "lecture" that's beyond my physics understanding: Novax Guitars: Instrument Sales

The guitars tend to be more in tune across the fretboard, not less.

For playing slide ... I'm not sure about that one!

**Kneelie** · 08-04-2013, 02:04 PM

Multi scale is an especially great design for extended range guitars.

Agile makes them at affordable prices. The pickups could be swapped to get a jazzier tone. For pickups something with a blade design like lace Alumitones or q tuners works well, or having the manufactures custom shop slant them to align the pole pieces to the strings.

There are a few luthiers out there that build jazz boxes like Ellsberry guitars 8 string multiscale model- Jazz Orpherion and Wes Lambe who makes several 7 and 8 string models.

**Fernando Vidal** · 08-19-2013, 06:12 PM

Looks like Eastman is getting into the fanned fret game. (No affiliation with the Ebay seller.)

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 08-19-2013, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Fernando Vidal

Looks like Eastman is getting into the fanned fret game. (No affiliation with the Ebay seller.)

Wowsers. Now put that on a 7-string El Rey, please.

**Spook410** · 08-20-2013, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by Fernando Vidal

Looks like Eastman is getting into the fanned fret game. (No affiliation with the Ebay seller.)

I think they made two prototypes. Not sure if these actually made it to production.

**Fernando Vidal** · 08-20-2013, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Spook410

I think they made two prototypes. Not sure if these actually made it to production.

Yes, they made two prototypes for Winter NAMM, from what I've learned. Here's a review of one of them.

I believe the model above is actual production now. Here's a photo of the certificate (dated 8/8/13) that comes from the seller of the guitar linked above.

I'm hoping my dealer gets one of these in stock, as I'd love to at least try it.

**Jim Soloway** · 08-20-2013, 11:47 AM

I'm a little puzzled b the Eastman fanned frets. There was just one of the acoustics on eBay. It lists the scale lengths as 25" and 25.5". That seems to be a lot of effort for such a small change in scale length. Here's a link to the listing.

Eastman AC822CE FF Fanned Fret Rosewood Grand Auditorium | eBay