Andy Eagle
Fractal Fanatic
I saw him in 88 and had a ticket for ten days after he died.
My last two guitars have SS frets (my first SSF experience) but I don't hear them as being brighter or more harsh on the top end. Maybe a little more crackle to the fret buzz. I haven't noticed any accelerated string wear either. Either the alloys have gotten better or the stories about SS were exaggerated. I'm looking forward to not needing to dress them in a few years, for sure. Would deffinetly go SS next time.On a tech note the Fender replicas above all have flat radius fingerboards (16") and Jescar 57110 SS frets. I got tired of people telling me that you can hear SS frets . This is not strictly true as they were never comparing like with like. A vintage strat to a Suhr for instance. If you keep all the rest the same and only change ONE thing the difference is vastly reduced. You also need to test a fret of similar size to hear the real comparison. The SS fret has a fraction more weight and stiffness but I guarantee that if I put one SS fret of identical size in a vintage strat you wouldn't be able to hear it.
As for radius nobody ever said that the radius on a Les Paul was too flat to play comfortably. It is a myth that curved is more ergonomic . Lots of die hard 7.25" players have played my replicas and the response is "Can you make my strat/Tele play like this?" The simple fact with the geometry is that the flatter the fingerboard is the more next fret clearance there is at the same action at any point on the instrument. The bending geometry is the same direction.
SS is like I said nowhere near the difference people say. I put 5 SS frets in the first position of an acoustic player's Martin because he'd destroy nickel in about a year and I had replaced 1~5 four times on this guitar already. That was 5 years ago and it's not needed anything and you can't hear the transition. What's not to like??My last two guitars have SS frets (my first SSF experience) but I don't hear them as being brighter or more harsh on the top end. Maybe a little more crackle to the fret buzz. I haven't noticed any accelerated string wear either. Either the alloys have gotten better or the stories about SS were exaggerated. I'm looking forward to not needing to dress them in a few years, for sure. Would deffinetly go SS next time.
I like a flatter radius as well (14"). It may require a little more effort to bar cleanly but they don't fret out on bends.
I think CNC has been a game changer for guitar building. It's vastly improved the quality of "budget" instruments. It also allows for things like a carved solid-top hollow body at a reasonable price. I'm sure it makes for more accurate fretboards.
TruthOh and the best guitars that have ever been made are being made now.
Incoming comment from Andy on titanium in 3...2...1...The way he plays those Matons, he probably should have titanium frets.
Well worth watching
Ha HaIncoming comment from Andy on titanium in 3...2...1...
Exactly. Basically a set of 11s with two steps heavier e strings. The myth about SRVs string gauges is hard to kill.But a custom set , quite close to a set of 11s with a 13 on top and tuned down to E flat. Then he would go lighter during the tour if it got hard on his fingers. Now add 6100 frets (easier to play) and it's not so crazy.
As for radius nobody ever said that the radius on a Les Paul was too flat to play comfortably. It is a myth that curved is more ergonomic . Lots of die hard 7.25" players have played my replicas and the response is "Can you make my strat/Tele play like this?" The simple fact with the geometry is that the flatter the fingerboard is the more next fret clearance there is at the same action at any point on the instrument. The bending geometry is the same direction.
Certain types of chords are harder. Like barring, or thumb over.I never understood the whole "smaller radius is more ergonomic / better for chording argument" or where it comes from. Classical guitars have pretty much flat radiuses if not completely flat and there's no problem playing chords there.
One of my favourite guitars to play is my Vigier Shawn Lane which also has a completely flat fingerboard. When I first got it, it was really disorienting to look at because the fingerboard looked like it was curved in the opposite direction since I was so used to looking at curved fingerboards...
I have no problem with barre chords on flat radius necks. I don't really play much with thumb over at all so maybe there's something there...Certain types of chords are harder. Like barring, or thumb over.
I definitely notice it. Especially when doing both at once (thumb over and barre). The B section of Tumeni Notes is a good example.I have no problem with barre chords on flat radius necks. I don't really play much with thumb over at all so maybe there's something there...
For me, it depends. Barring on a guitar with 10-14 is easier than 16. I do have a wrist injury though, so I have to keep my wrist straight as much as possible. And yes, my guitar is worn as high as my straps will go! I'm 6, 2 tall though, so it's not John Petrucci high by any means.Barring is not harder on flat radius at all, the thing that makes for hard barre chords is vintage frets .In fact vintage frets are objectively worse at everything.