Re: fretless guitars

[Bobdog Catlin <psbuddha@texas.net>]

hello fretless folks: bobdog here.

i have several fretless electric & acoustic guitars - some were already
done when i got 'em, others i've de-fretted myself. this all stems from
being jealous of the melodic expressiveness of the sarod & fretless
bass. i haven't pursued just intonations any further than elementary
hindustani music studies.

i've never filed the frets down as jon grant has done, i'm far too lazy.

i use a flathead screwdriver which has been curved & sharpened to pry
the frets out very slowly, using the curve as a fulcrum. i then fill the
slot created by the fret tang with 20-25 mil plastic inserts. this
plastic is hard enough to keep the neck from warping (& it gives cheater
marks for those of us who need that!).
all of this takes a full afternoon or 2.

how i finish the fingerboard depends upon the tone i want from the
instrument:
    raw wood (sometimes waxed w/carnuba) for a softer tone; kinda jaco
sounding
        on electric, 'ud sonding on acoustic
    clear epoxy for that bengali dotar, glass-like sound
    stainless steel for that crisp, sharp sarod sound

using the fingernail to stop the plain strings - re: sarod technique -
gets a sharper
sustained note than using the pads of the finger - re: guitar technique.
going back & forth between these 2 styles makes for nice tonal contrast.

thats my 2 cents.

bobdog