Raising The Tone Don't Fret
Guitarist|June 2019

Frets have a huge influence on the feel of your guitar – but also its tone. Jamie Dickson finds out why...

Raising The Tone Don't Fret

We’re all familiar with the idea that your guitar’s hardware influences its tone, but it’s easy to overlook hardware that is built into the fabric of the instrument itself. Frets are a good example of this. The condition of your frets, the material they are made of and their size all have a powerful effect on the playability and tonal character of your guitar. We joined Scott Shiraki of Dunlop Manufacturing – one of the world’s biggest suppliers of high-quality frets – and British luthier Patrick James Eggle, to hear their expert views on how frets factor into the tone equation.

“The height and width of frets can obviously change the way a guitar feels and plays,” Scott explains, introducing the basics. “Players who favour vintage Fender guitars and basses from the 60s, for example, tend to prefer medium-height, narrow frets. Whereas players who like to play complicated, fastruns tend to prefer taller, wider frets to keep fingers up off the fretboard.”

These two poles are typically the starting point for discovering what kind of fret suits you best – and each extreme has its pros and cons. Typically, on a modern guitar designed to play well in a variety of styles, you’ll find frets that are somewhat taller and chunkier than the fretwire used back in the 50s.

“We use Jescar frets and the wire that we fit most often is called 55090, which is comparable to Dunlop’s 6105,” Patrick James Eggle says. “We put that on almost all our guitars and it’s medium-width and tall. The reason I started using that wire was because it was my personal favourite: I just like it because it’s not too big, but because it’s quite tall it makes string bending nice and easy.”

この蚘事は Guitarist の June 2019 版に掲茉されおいたす。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トラむアルを開始しお、䜕千もの厳遞されたプレミアム ストヌリヌ、9,000 以䞊の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしおください。

この蚘事は Guitarist の June 2019 版に掲茉されおいたす。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トラむアルを開始しお、䜕千もの厳遞されたプレミアム ストヌリヌ、9,000 以䞊の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしおください。

GUITARISTのその他の蚘事すべお衚瀺
QUICK CHANGE
Guitarist

QUICK CHANGE

As Gibson finally adds some Quick Connect pickups to its Pickup Shop line-up, Dave Burrluck revisits this simple no-solder method to mod your Modern guitar

time-read
6 分  |
November 2024
Return Of The Rack
Guitarist

Return Of The Rack

A revered rackmount digital delay makes a welcome comeback in pedal form.

time-read
4 分  |
November 2024
Pure Filth
Guitarist

Pure Filth

This all-analogue preamp pedal based on Blues Saraceno's amp is a flexible powerhouse with a variety of roles.

time-read
2 分  |
November 2024
Reptile Royalty
Guitarist

Reptile Royalty

From Queen to King - there's another Electro-Harmonix royal vying for the crown of octave distortion

time-read
2 分  |
November 2024
Tradition Revisited
Guitarist

Tradition Revisited

Line 6 refreshes its Helix-based modelling amp range by doubling the number of available amp voicings - and more

time-read
4 分  |
November 2024
Ramble On
Guitarist

Ramble On

Furch's travel guitar folds down so you can transport it in its own custom backpack and, the company claims, it returns to pitch when you reassemble it. Innovation or gimmick?

time-read
5 分  |
November 2024
Redrawing The 'Bird
Guitarist

Redrawing The 'Bird

A fascinating reimagining of one of Gibson's more out-there designs, the Gravitas sticks with vintage vibe and mojo. Oh, and that sound...

time-read
4 分  |
November 2024
1965 Fender Jazz Bass
Guitarist

1965 Fender Jazz Bass

\"They made them later on, but it's not something I've ever seen this early.

time-read
3 分  |
November 2024
Boss Cube Street II
Guitarist

Boss Cube Street II

Regular readers will know that the last time I took the Boss Cube Street II out, I was in rehearsal for a debut gig in London.

time-read
4 分  |
November 2024
STILL CRAZY
Guitarist

STILL CRAZY

One of the most creative yet reliably great-sounding effects makers out there, Crazy Tube Circuits grew out of a fetish for old valve amps. We meet founder Christos Ntaifotis to find out more

time-read
8 分  |
November 2024