Tuning questions for Mr. Topaz..

[rjgoos]

Traktor,

An easier question, and a harder question...

The easier question...

If a person had a 10-string tapping instrument, and wanted to apply a tuning similar to your bass-bottom tuning, which string of each set would you recommend leaving off?

The harder question...

If a person had an 8-string tapping instrument, and wanted to apply a tuning similar to your bass-bottom tuning, which two strings of each set would you recommend leaving off?


Thanks,


Jay

[traktor]

Originally posted by rjgoos
If a person had a 10-string tapping instrument, and wanted to apply a tuning similar to your bass-bottom tuning, which string of each set would you recommend leaving off?
Strategy -- Since the purpose is that of playing music, and in many cases one plays from *written* music, then conserving the notes that occur on bass and treble clefs will provide a range of notes that will prove useful.

Tactic - Drop the lowest melody string, since six melody strings extend quite far below the treble clef, when playing around fret 12 or fret 17 as is common.

Tactic - Drop the highest bass string, since six bass strings extend quite far above the bass cleff, when playing around fret 2 or fret 5 as is common.


If a person had an 8-string tapping instrument, and wanted to apply a tuning similar to your bass-bottom tuning, which two strings of each set would you recommend leaving off?

Strategy -- the same, *IF* you are going to strictly separate two regions. But notice that four strings in one hand position only gives twelve scalar notes (3 notes x 4 strings) so our range is now down to 1.5 octaves. It's becoming somewhat restrictive.

Strategy -- Considering the alternative, which is 8 strings in one region, may be a better alternative. (I don't know.) Because when tuning in fourths, you can get eight strings in a row when ranging from string gauges near .100 up to around .010.

Tactic -- If attempting a two region instrument, I'd first try the same tactic, of dropping an additional low melody string. This would provide -- at frets 12 or 17 -- the ledger lines above treble clef, and would go down to B below middle C, which is as low as *most* but not all treble clef melodies generally range.

Tactic -- I think you'd probably now drop the *lowest* bass string (of the original six strings). You're now left with the four bass strings that cover the range of any four-string bass. Since four-string basses generally work out, probably this will, too.

However, although I feel somewhat confident about the ten string instrument, the eight stringer in two regions is offered only as a suggestion for experiment. If you try this, and work through some 'easy piano' scores, you'll quickly find the answer. Anyway, this would be my suggestion.

[rjgoos]

Thanks for the thoughts. As you know, I am sawing and pounding in the basement, making another tapping instrument, this time a 10-stringer.

One nice thing about a zero-fret instrument, it's easier to slot a string guide to go over a zero fret, than to tediously carve a new nut, when one wants to drastically change tunings.

Happy New Year.


Jay

[PhoBucket]

You know, Jay, at some point the natives are going to get restless for pictures of one of your beauties. ;)

I was thinking that using a zero fret may make it easier to use materials not often found in guitar nuts, but may be more readily available in wide tap guitar widths. Like ebony. I have seen a bass with a zero fret where the "nut" was carved into the end of the fingerboard. I think "Bee Basses" is the luthier.

[rjgoos]

The term "beauty" is better applied to Brenda's instrument, trust me. My design is totally utilitarian.

Maybe by the end of March, Phobucket. Golly, I hope I haven't raised expectations too much.


Jay

[GaryOpenhill]

Originally posted by rjgoos
Thanks for the thoughts. As you know, I am sawing and pounding in the basement, making another tapping instrument, this time a 10-stringer.

One nice thing about a zero-fret instrument, it's easier to slot a string guide to go over a zero fret, than to tediously carve a new nut, when one wants to drastically change tunings.

Happy New Year.


Jay

Hey, I plan to build a ten string too. I actually did build something like that earlier this year. But that was just something "krappy" to tap on, while i tried to get me a real one. But it did sound very cool i thought, with a hollow alu-neck and emg bass pickups, so i want to try to make a good one now and use the same pickups. I think it must sound something like that XBL version of the st*ck.

Trying to get frets from Parker Guitars for it, because they use the glue-on type, but so far no answer. If i don't get them, then i have a problem. I don't want to slot the metal neck.

Also i plan to color the alu-neck trough anodizing! I think that will be cool.

[rjgoos]

Glue on frets??

I guess this is new to me.


Jay

[GaryOpenhill]

Originally posted by rjgoos
Glue on frets??

I guess this is new to me.


Jay

It's not a bad idea for several reasons, imho. Ken Parker does this on all his guitars using special stainless steel frets. Some of the process is explained on their site: http://www.parkerguitars.com/code/about/about_factory_lighting.asp


I mean, why not?

[rjgoos]

Well, this is a new one for me. I was not aware of glued frets. Mr. Parker describes the advantages of his fretting process at:

http://www.tonequest.com/articles/article23.htm


And pictures of the process are at:

Figs 17 and 23, U.S. Patent 5,125,312


Jay

[GaryOpenhill]

Originally posted by rjgoos
Well, this is a new one for me. I was not aware of glued frets. Mr. Parker describes the advantages of his fretting process at:

http://www.tonequest.com/articles/article23.htm


And pictures of the process are at:

Figs 17 and 23, U.S. Patent 5,125,312


Jay

Hmmmm...wonder why i can't see those pictures.....

[traktor]

Originally posted by GaryOpenhill
Hmmmm...wonder why i can't see those pictures..... The US Patent Office, in its infinite wisdom, stores images in the .TIFF format. Your browser will need a plug-in to look at them. My FireFox browser sez that the plug-in it needs is Apple QuickTime. However, the Apple QuickTime only shows the first little bit of the image. However, Internet Explorer seems to show the images just fine using the QuickTime plug-in.

So, probably you need a plug-in so that your browser can see these images.

However, this process has often been iffy for me. And so I am going to attempt to upload a small picture. Voila!

[rjgoos]

Regarding glued-on frets....I'm guessing that would work for a tapping instrument...IF the fretboard that they were being applied to were perfectly shaped (flat, in most cases), and if the thickness of the glue seal was exactly the same, etc. I guess the reason people like Traktor need to "crown" frets, is because of such imperfections in the fretboard.


Jay

[rpmartino]

I had a Parker Fly guitar for a while which uses the glued on fret technique (stainless steel frets glued on a composite fretboard)... the fretboard has a radius and from what I remember they claimed that "fretwork" wasn't necessary (which always impressed me)... I'm guessing they have machines that help automate and perfect this.

[GaryOpenhill]

Originally posted by rjgoos
Well, this is a new one for me. I was not aware of glued frets. Mr. Parker describes the advantages of his fretting process at:

http://www.tonequest.com/articles/article23.htm

Isn't Parker wrong when he claims that the only right way to shape a fret to have it in tune is perfetctlt (half-)round? (and then he laughs about the pyramid shaped frets, that f.inst some sticks use) I mean, iwhen it's round, the string will leave the fret more and more closer to the front of the fret, the closer to the bridge it is, not from the middle of it like he claims. Right?


Originally posted by rjgoos
Regarding glued-on frets....I'm guessing that would work for a tapping instrument...IF the fretboard that they were being applied to were perfectly shaped (flat, in most cases), and if the thickness of the glue seal was exactly the same, etc. I guess the reason people like Traktor need to "crown" frets, is because of such imperfections in the fretboard.


Jay

The round fret-type on a stick is glued on like this, aren't they? Exepct that they are round, not half round, so that they have to file down a half-round slot where it fits. Sounds hard, but they do it and it works. (i may be wrong tho, i just studied some pics of the frets, and it looks like that this is the way their fret-rods are beeing done)

[rpmartino]

Originally posted by GaryOpenhill
The round fret-type on a stick is glued on like this, aren't they? Exepct that they are round, not half round, so that they have to file down a half-round slot where it fits. Sounds hard, but they do it and it works. (i may be wrong tho, i just studied some pics of the frets, and it looks like that this is the way their fret-rods are beeing done) [/B]

I believe the fret channels are created then the fretrods slide into them from the side, secured by glue.