zeroth fret

[sanghais]

บางคนเค้าว่าแบบนี้ครับ.

Likewise, the "zero fret" or "fret nut" is often associated with inexpensive instruments. It's not necessarily a cheaper way to make a guitar, and it is the way Selmer did it, so it's the way virtually all replicas are made, too. Detractors of the zero fret often cite the fact that it is a way to escape setting the height of the nut by avoiding the hand filing of each groove. In skilled hands, action setting at the nut takes only a few moments, so there really isn't all that much of a labor savings. Here's a thought: There's a lot of downward string pressure at the nut on any steel strung guitar with a slotted peghead. So, the metal bearing surface at the zero fret allows the string to slide over the nut more smoothly so the string doesn't "jump" or "ping" as it's tuned up. The bone nut only acts as a guide for spacing the strings and doesn't bear much load, so the string has far less tendency to settle into the bone and deform the bottom of the slots as it would in a traditional Martin design.


บางคนก็ว่า...

According to my reading, the 0th fret was one of Chet's ideas. He wanted to ensure that open notes sounded and felt exactly the same as fretted notes. Seems sound enough in theory.

In practice, it's the subject of some debate. Some folks around here swear by them, others swear at them. Most folks seem to care less one way or the other. It all depends on one's personal preferences, and just how obsessive one is about their instrument and their sound (I submit that hardly anyone in any given audience would be able to actually HEAR a difference).


และ bluesy guy ก็ว่า...

I have a 6119SP with a zero fret, and while I mostly agree with "The Norm", as a zero fret guitar owner, there is ONE problem with them, in my opinion.

It has to do with really bluesy bends down in the first position, like playing the blues scale in open E...if I bend the high E and B strings simultaneously at the third and second fret, respectively, (you know the lick), I can hear the strings "pinging" around as they slide across the zero fret, digging little grooves in it. I find myself doing slides and stuff down there rather than the bends to compensate for it, and frankly, it bugs me a bit. Just when i want to dig in , i gotta tame it a hair....now one could actually just play those licks down there ( licks Chet and Django to my knowledge did'nt play that often) but it's difficult. I do sometimes find myself wanting to take the guitar in to the shop and have the zero fret removed....


If someone is a pure Chet style fingerstyler,however, with 11's , and doesnt do those Tele style bends in the first position, the zero fret is a non factor, and probably helps you stay in tune a bit better than a nut , just because the zero fret guitar's "nut" acts as merely a string spacer...


....so I'm dealing with it. I really love my guitar, but may consider the removal , or a trade for a non zero fret 6120 later...it is just my playing style...