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How to convert a classical guitar to fretless - DIY
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- Опубликовано: 10 авг 2022
- In this video I wanted to convert a cheap classical guitar to a fretless instrument. I wanted to do it as easy as possible. With a fretless instrument you can play microtonal music and explore many more musical possibilities.
Tools and materials:
Pyrography Pen Wood Burning Kit: amzn.to/3GOwGpB
Flat file: amzn.to/2RHIMHH
Chisel set: amzn.to/2pILO1B
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#DIYmusicalinstruments
Nice! I remember reading Jaco talking about when he did this to his bass. He said he filled in the fret holes with a wood putty, and he used a heavy clear lacquer that they use on boats. He said being able to see the fret lines made his intonation so good.
Cool! Very nice conversion!
You must make a separate channel dedicated to learn playing guitar. multitalented
The (not able to think out of the box) people commenting here that he ruined his guitar should search Erkan Ogur. There are more instruments then you think! And sounds on the piano, guitar etc are limited. You can not play quarter tones or microtones etc. You guys should put on an hat and play I’m a lonely cowboy on you banjo or something. Speaking about banjo’s. There is an instrument called cumbus. A fretless banjo!
Thank you
Or also research Brandon Acker. Cumbus rocks dude! So does baglama and oud!
Thank you! Subcribed! I'll be putting this knowledge you have graciously shared to use very soon!
Nice to hear that
Some banjos are fretless using a brass slide region near the neck, then frets at the upper octaves. Might be interesting to try with guitar.
Awesome!!!!
Thank you Panos
KR 116 Strings would rock
Im going to do this when i buy my nylon guitar ❤
Nice!🎸
Thank you
Ωραίο κόλπο Δημήτρη!!!👍🙂
Ευχαριστώ Μιχάλη
Just wanted to say thanks very much for this - tried it out on a very crap old classical guitar and (after a number of problems unrelated to the process) I've just got it playable. It's not a great finish, but I have a slightly better crap guitar which I'll also convert (now that I've learned what things to look out for). I saw on someone else's video that they used paprika to fill the fret holes (as it's the same consistency as fine saw dust) and I ended up with these great deep red fret lines from doing this. I've tuned it to an open Gm.
So anyway - thanks!
Nice, thank you for watching and commenting. :)
Cool! I'm in the process of making a fretless as well, but on an electric with an aluminum fingerboard. Hopefully it works out as nice as this one!
Not see why it wouldn't work. My only concern is thin metal strings. I think you'll have yo use a heavier gauge.
I came here because Billy Sheehan said in his "Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction" interview that he used an iron, for ironing clothes. Anyways, that was nice. "nihavend in the key of A minor". I'm trying this someday.
Great work Dimitris, it sounds very dramatic especially with the reverb. Incidentally, did you put a little camber on the fretboard or leave it flat? Cheers mate.
Thank you Mark. I am not sure what camber is
@@ScrapwoodCity Curvature, like on electric guitars. :)
Classical guitars are generally flat, no radius like an electric or steel strung acoustic
I'm new to guitar; so still on that endless journey towards perfection! With that said,...what do you recommend to exercise that pesky ring finger on my fretting hand? It always want to hang onto the bad finger!
Metronome exercises, patience
Fantastic content sir. Could you tell me what is that glue you used to glue the wood powder into the holes of the frets? The brand if it's possible, to see what is the most similar one I can get here where I live.
Thanks
If you don't want to mention brand, you can just tell me what kind of glue it is or something to identify it
Also,did you use a common sand to sand the fretboard?
It's just super glue
Bison
Amazing. Why the holes must be filled in and glued? What happens if you remove the frets and only sand it?
You might have issues while playing. It can effect your vibrato, glissando etc. Tou need a smooth surface on the fretboard
I think the Beatles had experiments with a guitar without frets. Only, perhaps it was necessary to fill the fingerboard with resin or poleester varnish.
GooD)))))))
I wanted a more Diy solution
@@ScrapwoodCity Perhaps it's even better this way.
Nice! Now go find those microtones! Amazing job! Almost sounds like an oud!
Thank you
oOoooh I wonder how slides on it sound like.
I'm doing the same to my old classical guitar. Why? Because it sounds so Middle Eastern, almost eerie, and seductive.Thanks for the video.
Nice to hear that. Good luck on your build
How much should the nut and bridge be shortened? and you are using mineral oil. Is it okay if I use a mineral oil that I can find anywhere? So is there a certain tour?
I want the action pretty low. But you'll have to remove material little by little until you get the result you want. I use food safe mineral oil, which in Greece I usually get from the pharmacy.
Excellent tutorial. thanks a lot. 2 questions, please:
1- Would you spray the fretboard with a matt spray or so? I painted a fretboard before with India ink, but the ink would come out in my hand.
2- What string tension do you recomment? Ligt, normal or hard tension?
thanks in advance.
No varnish on the fretboard. Normal string tension
Hey there, I was wondering why you lowered the nut and bridge. I was thinking the same thing actually because down the neck my strings lay twice as high from the neck compared to the top of the neck. Does this have any positive influence on overall sound? I was wondering if you could have used something like woodfiller or some other knit-table/shapable kind of wood to fill in the gaps on the neck. Inspiring work thanks for the video 🙏
With high action the intonation is wrong and the notes sound out of tune.
@@ScrapwoodCity that's why it has to be one fret lower. Interesting thank you!!
@@ScrapwoodCity that doesn't count for the frets that already lay low (the top frets) right? These can't really get any lower I assume
For the people freaking the hell out, bear in mind that this is a cheap pawn-shop grade guitar. These are perfect candidates for fretless conversions if you are DIY minded, otherwise, go pick up a fretless Altamira Basico for $550 or so. I believe G&G Guitars sells them.
I've done a few classical conversions and I'm about to give it a go on a cheapo "Ariana" stratocaster copy just for shits and giggles. The only things I'd suggest is avoid soft wood filler and use solid hardwood veneer instead. The frets assist in keeping the neck straight (I suppose like vertebrae on a spine) though this may not be a real issue if you use low tension strings or tune down to D Tuning, it depends on the guitar and how cheaply it was made; so some will respond\perform better than others. You may also want to try simply filing down the frets completely and leave the steel stems in the fretboard, you won't need to fill them back up and you can still keep the structural benefit of frets. Some people differ on whether to use glue on the fret board or not, I personally don't think it's necessary on classicals. On electric conversions, you'll need to finish the surface with adhesive or use flat-wound strings, otherwise you'll gouge out the fret board over time.
I have a cheap classical guitar that I've been experimenting on. What would I use to file the frets down completely like you were talking about? And is there anything I need to do to protect the neck and make sure it doesn't end up uneven?
I converted my electric guitar to a fretless one to play Turkish classical music especially Hijaz. I use an original ebow sustainer too.
Ωραίο πράγμα Δημήτρη.
Χθές είδα αυτή την κιθάρα με τον Brandon Acker, και μου ήρθε η ιδέα να βγάλω τα τάστα από ένα ισπανικό λαούτο που έχω από πολλά χρόνια. Θα ακολουθήσω την τεχνική σου για να το κάνω καλά.
Για να δούμε τα αποτελέσματα....
Ευχαριστώ. Καλή επιτυχία
@@ScrapwoodCity ευχαριστώ !
Doing similar on my C40.. Question is, fretlines visible or not?... and what about side dots?
The fret lines are visible if you stand against a light source. Side dots still exist and they are still kind of useful.
@@ScrapwoodCity Yes. But have you any sugeston whatever I should let all frets being vissible on the side or if I should use only dots? some say yes some says no
You can use a wood that has contrast with the wood of the fretboard. But not in cheap guitars where the fretboard is usually painted.
I like this a lot. Good project. Question about the music at the end. Is it a Greek tune? It sounds almost middle-eastern. Sorry, my musical knowledge is limited. But I enjoyed it anyway.
It's an improvisation in a scale we use a lot in Greek music. It's called nihavend and I played it in the key of A. It's a minor scale.
Is it better to have a high action or a low action? 🤔
Definitely low action. I think it's better for intonation especially on higher fret positions!
Lower action because they are no fret so the string should touch the fretboard(fingerboard).
Sounds like ancient Egyptians music
All the while the guitar gently wept.
Lol
@@ScrapwoodCity (great job btw & thank-you for making and sharing the video and the know-how)
Why
Because
And when you’re done you have successfully ruined your guitar
Some people can definitely see it that way.
I see nothing wrong with it. It just means you can get more creative when playing it. 👍🏼
What should the specs/measurements be on the saddle/nut?