What Fanned Frets Are REALLY For!

missmisstreater

The amount of misinformation you see spread on Facebook is astonishing... fanned frets aren't for ergonomics, they're not to improve intonation...

I borrowed Mike's Ormsby Guitars and wrote a little track and A/B it up against my Vigier tuned down to B standard.

Anyone played with fanned frets? Like them? Hate them?

Jack_

Have them on my Stranberg, not sure about whether I prefer them, but I was surprised by how easy it was to adjust to them.

Sporky

Isn't it pretty obvious that they're so that you can have higher tension on the lower strings without ridiculously heavy gauges?

FelineGuitars

Sporky said:

Isn't it pretty obvious that they're so that you can have higher tension on the lower strings without ridiculously heavy gauges?

What Mr Sporky said 

guitarfishbay

Yeah, I’ve got a fan fret bass.

For electric guitar I’m a big fan of evertune for drop tuning/heavy playing. I have a .056 low B on a 25.5” scale guitar, pick it as hard as you like and the note will still be in tune.

Even on a baritone you’ll get some arc from a sharp attack to a flatter decay, which can still sound great. But if you want to use thinner strings and have tight tuning (for pitch) evertune is my personal preference for a solution.

WezV

Sporky said:

Isn't it pretty obvious that they're so that you can have higher tension on the lower strings without ridiculously heavy gauges?

yes.  yes it is.

....

There are some ergonomic benefits for certain styles in certain positions, but it totally depends on the positioning of the fan and difference in scale lengths.       

Intonation does get more consistent when the string is an appropriate thickness for the scale length and tuning, but thats only based on the ability to intonate with the 12th fret method, nothing to do with actual intonation of every position which is as compromised as any other mathematically calculated fretting system.

.Individual bridges can also help tuning stability.     

That is not misinformation.   I have been building the fanned frets for about 13 years - almost all of them have been standard 6 strings

missmisstreater

Sporky said:

Isn't it pretty obvious that they're so that you can have higher tension on the lower strings without ridiculously heavy gauges?

you would think so... but the arguments seen recently are crazy

sweepy

I had the Strandberg Boden 8 string, huge fun and yes, the note definition and clarity on the lower strings was a huge bonus 

octatonic

Do fan frets help to get a non-contributing forum member's youtube views up?

Rocker

Interesting but not inspired by the music the guy played on the video. 

Vaiai

Rocker said:

Interesting but not inspired by the music the guy played on the video. 

"The guy" being the OP

WezV

octatonic said:

Do fan frets help to get a non-contributing forum member's youtube views up?

Certainly doesn’t seem to want to discuss his views here.

i agree with most of the points in the vid... just not the needlessly argumentative ones.

missmisstreater

octatonic said:

Do fan frets help to get a non-contributing forum member's youtube views up?

excuse me? Non contributing? I've literally got a playlist on my channel of videos that were made specifically FOR fretboard forum users answering their questions.

Those videos are also used as a way to bring my audience over to a forum that I've been on for years. I link to this forum, and encourage my audience to come and join it. So don't talk to me about "non-contributing", of the two of us, I'm trying to help this forum grow, and you're sat here trying to alienate members you perceive as less worthy than yourself? 

missmisstreater

WezV said:

octatonic said:

Do fan frets help to get a non-contributing forum member's youtube views up?

Certainly doesn’t seem to want to discuss his views here.

i agree with most of the points in the vid... just not the needlessly argumentative ones.

And how's that? What would you like me to discuss? 

You reeled off a bunch of things like "There are some ergonomic benefits for certain styles in certain positions, but it totally depends on..." which looks like a load of subjective word salad to me. 

When someone asks "why do people make instruments with fanned frets", the answer isn't "because it's more ergonomic". You may find it more ergonomic, great, but the only thing that's objective is that it impacts string tension which will dictate string gauges required for given tunings to achieve a reliable level of tension that feels like what you'd expect.

You even tell us that fanned frets will have no impact on the intonation of individual frets as they're still part of a calculated fretting system.

So again, if someone says "who do people make instruments with fanned frets" if someone says "it improves your intonation", that's misinformation.

octatonic

missmisstreater said:

octatonic said:

Do fan frets help to get a non-contributing forum member's youtube views up?

excuse me? Non contributing? I've literally got a playlist on my channel of videos that were made specifically FOR fretboard forum users answering their questions.

Those videos are also used as a way to bring my audience over to a forum that I've been on for years. I link to this forum, and encourage my audience to come and join it. So don't talk to me about "non-contributing", of the two of us, I'm trying to help this forum grow, and you're sat here trying to alienate members you perceive as less worth than yourself? 

You don't know what you are talking about, Levi.

This isn't forum top trumps but I've contributed here for years, and Music Radar before that.
I go to the meet ups and I actually engage with the membership, rather than just dropping a video and then fucking off as per usual.
I've got literally thousands of hours clocked up here helping people.

I've also done a bunch of videos for people here- as in for the membership themselves.
I don't talk down to them or engage in worthlessly controversial topics for the sake of Youtube views.
You aren't trying to grow the forum at all- you're being entirely dishonest about that.

You haven't really been on this forum- your 'contributions' are all based around you posting a video, again for youtube views.

axisus

Handbags away people, let's  all just chill and enjoy the forum, there's room for everyone

missmisstreater

Interesting - because the first thing I think about on this forum is the hours spent reading the theory and technique pages and helping out when people aren't getting good answers

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/125670/jazz-changes-on-a-blues-other-possibilities#latest

Have I posted my own videos here? Yes... am I even slightly sorry for that? No... because they're all content that I make FOR people. I literally make my living creating content for people, so it's fair to say it must be alright, or I'd be homeless. So is it a stretch to assume that people might have an interest in subjects other members regularly tag me in? No... not at all. As reflected by the many wisdom clicks I get... because helping people and not asking for anything in return is more important than getting lols for taking cheap pops at other members of the forums with the best intentions.

Have I also spent time on my Youtube directing people over here? Posting links to the forums, telling people its a good place to hang out and one of the last surviving guitar forums that deserves to grow rather than being destroyed by Facebook? Yes.

I'm not even close to implying you don't belong here, but I've got enough members that will vouch for me. So you can jog on with your cries of "non contributing" crap.

missmisstreater

axisus said:

Handbags away people, let's  all just chill and enjoy the forum, there's room for everyone

nah man, I've only got a lowly 79 frets. I'll back away... no point treading on anyone's fragile space.

Especially me of all people, I'm well known for spending my days looking out for me and me only.

I'm not worthy :P 

octatonic

missmisstreater said:

axisus said:

Handbags away people, let's  all just chill and enjoy the forum, there's room for everyone

nah man, I've only got a lowly 79 frets. I'll back away... no point treading on anyone's fragile space.

Especially me of all people, I'm well known for spending my days looking out for me and me only.

I'm not worthy :P 

Pot/kettle.
You're the one who has massively over-reacted to a one liner joke.
You're whole thing is to turn anything in to a much bigger deal than it needs to be (Tom Hess?).

No sense of humour and very, very easy to wind up. 

WezV

missmisstreater said:

WezV said:

octatonic said:

Do fan frets help to get a non-contributing forum member's youtube views up?

Certainly doesn’t seem to want to discuss his views here.

i agree with most of the points in the vid... just not the needlessly argumentative ones.

And how's that? What would you like me to discuss? 

You reeled off a bunch of things like "There are some ergonomic benefits for certain styles in certain positions, but it totally depends on..." which looks like a load of subjective word salad to me. 

When someone asks "why do people make instruments with fanned frets", the answer isn't "because it's more ergonomic". You may find it more ergonomic, great, but the only thing that's objective is that it impacts string tension which will dictate string gauges required for given tunings to achieve a reliable level of tension that feels like what you'd expect.

You even tell us that fanned frets will have no impact on the intonation of individual frets as they're still part of a calculated fretting system.

So again, if someone says "who do people make instruments with fanned frets" if someone says "it improves your intonation", that's misinformation.

The point is your post is a click bait style link with no actual info.  You have stated what you think the misinformation is, but only linked to the real info.

i have discussed my thoughts on fanned frets numerous times on this forum.  

fanned frets is a technique that can be used in an ergonomic way and can improve intonation... but only if it’s done right.  

Extreme fans can be very unergonomic and cause the hand to twist in uncomfortable ways.  Better fans can help keep the wrist straight in all playing positions... that’s ergonomics!

choosing the scale length difference, and centre of the fan is crucial in that ergonomic discussion.  As a builder of fanned fret guitars it has always been at the forefront of my mind.  

Your vid kinda covers scale length difference, but ignores positioning of the fan.  I think you have overlooked one of the biggest ergonomic decisions fanned fret builders make.

I welcome your thoughts and a discussion here.  Like I said, I agree with most of what you said in the vid, but the things you write off as bollox are still factors in the design of fanned fret instruments.

octatonic

missmisstreater said:

WezV said:

octatonic said:

Do fan frets help to get a non-contributing forum member's youtube views up?

Certainly doesn’t seem to want to discuss his views here.

i agree with most of the points in the vid... just not the needlessly argumentative ones.

And how's that? What would you like me to discuss? 

You reeled off a bunch of things like "There are some ergonomic benefits for certain styles in certain positions, but it totally depends on..." which looks like a load of subjective word salad to me. 

When someone asks "why do people make instruments with fanned frets", the answer isn't "because it's more ergonomic". You may find it more ergonomic, great, but the only thing that's objective is that it impacts string tension which will dictate string gauges required for given tunings to achieve a reliable level of tension that feels like what you'd expect.

You even tell us that fanned frets will have no impact on the intonation of individual frets as they're still part of a calculated fretting system.

So again, if someone says "who do people make instruments with fanned frets" if someone says "it improves your intonation", that's misinformation.

Again you don't know what you are talking about or who you are talking to.

WezV is a guitar builder of some renown in these parts.
Your whole schtick seems to be to look at interactions with others as a jousting match.
Find a phrase you can take out of context and take exception to, then twist their words to try to argue a point.
It is transparent.