Microtonally-fretted guitars

[StudioShutIn]

I have recently been exploring the world of microtonal music..still can't quite wrap my head around it, but I was wondering if anybody has any experience with guitars that have frets placed in 'microtonal' arrangements? I have been reading about these and seeing pictures on Free Note Music and Sword Guitars websites..they look pretty interesting, but I was curious to know if anybody owns/has played any of these?

[CBGB]

What about fretless guitars?

[StudioShutIn]

Ah right...yea that slipped my mind, but those count too, because you can get to *every* microtone on a fretless guitar/bass

[Toonster]

I think you would have to go to a luthier or something like that.. Never seen a guitar with such a fretboard..

[StudioShutIn]

Yea..I don't think any come 'standard'. As far as I can tell, there are only a few companies that offer them, even on a custom basis.. (or microtonal replacement necks for your guitar)

[snipelfritz]

I don't really know anything about microtonal music, but would it be possible or viable to tune certain strings at quarter tones? That way you have certain strings on the regular diatonic scale and the other string a quarter tone above it. Like:

G, G(half-sharp), D, D(half-sharp), A#, A#(and a half)

All of my knowledge of microtonal music I just gained by going on wikipedia, so I don't have a clue if something like this would, nor how it would work. I don't even know if I used the right terms with half-sharps and whatnot. I hardly understand regular theory as it is, and open tunings are still confusing to me(apart from playing the open chord obviously).

I know the lead singer/guitarist for Apples in Stereo developed his own Non-Pythagorean scale.

[Achtane]

Well...there's this guy:[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOSg56z1s2M[/youtube]

[Toonster]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYK_PF9WTRE[/youtube]
or something like this guy...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDvdYxPm-pg[/youtube]4

or more something like this...

[StudioShutIn]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDvdYxPm-pg[/youtube]4

or more something like this...

Ah, that's the guy who runs Sword Guitars. He can retro-fit a microtonal fretboard on your guitar, or build a custom microtonal guitar.
If I was in the market for a guitar at the moment (a microtonal one, anyway ) I'd probably go that route...

[Toonster]

Well that is pretty much it guitarwise on youtube, the swordguitar guy has a few more videos with that guitar on his account though..

[andtheLiquidmen]

My bandmate has been interested in microtonal music for as long as I've known him, and he finally buckled down and got a "custom" Quarter-tone guitar last year. Unfortunately this Ron Sword, who "built" it was full of "shit" and had no idea how to "build" a "guitar."

The body was trash, the pick-ups were trash, and the frets weren't properly sanded. Once he gets the motivation, we'll probably have someone professional fix up the neck an pop it onto another body. A massive waste of money that hangs on the wall at our studio and taunts us for trusting the internet.



That being said, we had a bit of microtonal stuff on our album (Some parts of Scene II and all of Scene V: http://theciemshow.bandcamp.com/album/lifelike-scenes), but used keyboards (and slight bending of guitar strings) for the bulk of it, but will probably find some use for the Ron Sword Turd on the next album/release.


So, if I may reiterate: DO NOT GIVE THIS GUY A PENNY OF YOUR HARD EARNED DOLLARS

[StudioShutIn]

My bandmate has been interested in microtonal music for as long as I've known him, and he finally buckled down and got a "custom" Quarter-tone guitar last year. Unfortunately this Ron Sword, who "built" it was full of "shit" and had no idea how to "build" a "guitar."

The body was trash, the pick-ups were trash, and the frets weren't properly sanded. Once he gets the motivation, we'll probably have someone professional fix up the neck an pop it onto another body. A massive waste of money that hangs on the wall at our studio and taunts us for trusting the internet.



That being said, we had a bit of microtonal stuff on our album (Some parts of Scene II and all of Scene V: http://theciemshow.bandcamp.com/album/lifelike-scenes), but used keyboards (and slight bending of guitar strings) for the bulk of it, but will probably find some use for the Ron Sword Turd on the next album/release.


So, if I may reiterate: DO NOT GIVE THIS GUY A PENNY OF YOUR HARD EARNED DOLLARS

Yikes!...I'll keep that in mind...oh well, I doubt I would have actually bought one anyway...it probably requires more brain-power to figure out than I have

[masked elwood]

i played a steve ripley quarter tone guitar for a couple days many years ago. it was interesting for sure but it' wasn't my cup of coffee at the time (although now i'd dig it for sure). the ripley breath controlled guitar was incredibly awesome though. i don't think either ever went into production, just custom order.