#1
|
|||
|
|||
Help building Emerald Fan Fret
After playing the x7 I draw two conclusions.
1) I want a thinner and or slimmer feeling neck! The neck felt a little to thick near the edges of the fretboard, Im more used to something I would call a soft V shape. The thickness along the centerline of the X7 neck was about the same as my reference guitar but the circumference was bigger on the X7. To often this made my hand mute the high e when I was thumb-muting the low e. 2) I want a bigger guitar! I was positively surprised by the sound coming from the X7. So much that I want more of that. Emerald has streamlined their production and are no longer doing some of the customizations they did before. Custom neck profile is no longer an option. You have some scale lengths to chose from and the 1 and 3/4 or the 1 and 11/16 nut width to choose from(same thickness and profile though). The only way to get a slimmer neck is by getting the x10. After talking to Emerald back and forth this is what Im thinking. A) X20 with the narrow 1/16th neck and fan frets, 25 to 26 inch scale. B) The X10 fan frets 25 to 26 inch scale. Questions: Does anyone have any experience with a x20 fan fret? I can only see positive things with it but on the other hand I dont see anyone using them so? I usually keep my full length guitars down tuned one hole step. My playing is mostly the basic chords, strumming or finger picking. Talk me away from the fan fret thing if its not a great idea. Will the 11/16th neck help me with my neck issue somewhat? I have an old beat up dread with 11/16 nut and that guitar does not give me this trouble. Its neck is super slim though. What about the X10 fan fret? Last edited by Jungestrand; 08-24-2021 at 12:42 PM. |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
I love the fan frets though, and would strongly consider them for a future build. Mine's 25.5" - 27", so a little longer than you're considering. It really helps the bass response, and I got used to it very quickly.
__________________
Martin 0-16NY Emerald Amicus Emerald X20 Cordoba Stage Some of my tunes: https://youtube.com/user/eatswodo |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#4
|
|||
|
|||
That's a shame they won't do custom neck profiles anymore. The neck on my X-20 is similar to the one on my Lowden. A distinct D shape with a flat back and wide shoulders. Maybe it's an Irish thing?
|
#5
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
I have a suspicion that yoke-style capos might not work quite so well, but I don't have one to test, so I might very well be wrong.
__________________
Martin 0-16NY Emerald Amicus Emerald X20 Cordoba Stage Some of my tunes: https://youtube.com/user/eatswodo |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I was used to playing my six-string X30, which I had ordered with their 7-string fan (eg. 25.5" to 27") specifically to play as a baritone, and hadn't really noticed the much wider fan on the new X20 until I hung them on the wall beside each other. Then it became glaringly obvious and I had to get out the meter stick! BTW, the X30 has an actual, measured, 1.65" fan, actually 25.4" to slightly more than 27". I suggest that if you want a short multiscale you speak directly with Alistair and/or ask for a 3/4" fan and see what is actually physically possible. Phil NB: I'm not unhappy with the X20, it's a great guitar, but it's simply not what I ordered. Alistair and I worked out our "difference of opinion" about the scale length to our mutual satisfaction.
__________________
Solo Fingerstyle CDs: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back (2021) One Size Does Not Fit All (2018) I play Crosby, Emerald, Larrivée, Lowden, Rainsong & Tacoma guitars. Check out my Guitar Website. See guitar photos & info at my Guitars page. Last edited by philjs; 08-24-2021 at 01:38 PM. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Maybe it is an Irish thing. Phil
__________________
Solo Fingerstyle CDs: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back (2021) One Size Does Not Fit All (2018) I play Crosby, Emerald, Larrivée, Lowden, Rainsong & Tacoma guitars. Check out my Guitar Website. See guitar photos & info at my Guitars page. Last edited by philjs; 08-25-2021 at 05:12 PM. |
#8
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
There was a fairly intense discussion elsewhere on the AGF about how to measure scale length recently, and it’s not my intent to fan that fire - just to point out that how you measure can make a substantial difference in the result.
__________________
Martin 0-16NY Emerald Amicus Emerald X20 Cordoba Stage Some of my tunes: https://youtube.com/user/eatswodo Last edited by David Eastwood; 08-24-2021 at 05:08 PM. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
BTW, when asked to provide photos of the scale length "error" on the X20, I was asked to measure from the face of the nut to the face of the saddle (which is the crown of neither). Phil
__________________
Solo Fingerstyle CDs: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back (2021) One Size Does Not Fit All (2018) I play Crosby, Emerald, Larrivée, Lowden, Rainsong & Tacoma guitars. Check out my Guitar Website. See guitar photos & info at my Guitars page. |
#10
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Quote:
__________________
Martin 0-16NY Emerald Amicus Emerald X20 Cordoba Stage Some of my tunes: https://youtube.com/user/eatswodo |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Agreed, but that's what I was asked. I sent them photos of the entire neck with the meter stick beside the 1st and the 6th string. The first string measured 632mm (24 7/8") and was exactly twice the nut to 12th fret distance (316mm). The saddle crown for the 1st string was easy to see and it fit the 24.9" narrative from their template. The bass string, however, was another story, with 332mm to the 12th fret and 668mm to the FACE of the saddle (and the crown is almost the saddle thickness beyond that) so it easily measured 26.3+ inches in length. Despite the mathematical correctness of the "nut to 12th fret doubled" as the scale length, I think that the effective scale length, especially for fan fret instruments, must include scale corrections for string gauges and saddle compensation. As an instrumental fingerstyle player, the point of wanting the shorter-than-standard scale for the treble string was to "sweeten" the trebles. Unfortunately, the more extreme angle of the bridge/saddle means that those strings end up getting plucked closer to the bridge which eliminates the benefits of the shorter treble scale. Phil
__________________
Solo Fingerstyle CDs: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back (2021) One Size Does Not Fit All (2018) I play Crosby, Emerald, Larrivée, Lowden, Rainsong & Tacoma guitars. Check out my Guitar Website. See guitar photos & info at my Guitars page. |
#12
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Quote:
__________________
Martin 0-16NY Emerald Amicus Emerald X20 Cordoba Stage Some of my tunes: https://youtube.com/user/eatswodo |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
With my palm anchored on a fan fret bridge I end up playing the treble strings quite close to the bridge. On the baritone (the X30) this is not a bad thing since it gives the treble a little oomph (listen to Venus on the Half Shell). I ordered the X20 with the 1" fan for DADGAD to purposely avoid this issue...the bass end of the bridge wouldn't be on such an extreme angle and the shortened treble scale would work together to avoid the strident picking issue. Some might say, "Well, you should change your playing style," but I'm an old dog and old tricks are hard to give up, especially when they're the only trick I've got! Phil
__________________
Solo Fingerstyle CDs: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back (2021) One Size Does Not Fit All (2018) I play Crosby, Emerald, Larrivée, Lowden, Rainsong & Tacoma guitars. Check out my Guitar Website. See guitar photos & info at my Guitars page. |
#14
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Probably time to release the thread back to the OP - sorry for the diversion, Jungestrand!
__________________
Martin 0-16NY Emerald Amicus Emerald X20 Cordoba Stage Some of my tunes: https://youtube.com/user/eatswodo |
#15
|
|||
|
|||
A little of topic maybe but I have been following your discussion with great interest. I eye measured the saddle on my Martin dr jr this morning and there is at least a 5mm difference, low E string being the longer scale.
I can see that there are negatives with fan fret that I have not thought about and it makes me worried, what else am I missing. Maybe this insecurity is why people usually go for the regular neck. On many of the wood guitar when tuned down my ears find the low E dull/less distinct/muddy/not lot LOUD enough compared to higher strings. This is what I want to fix with the fan frets. But! Could it be that a standard x20 does not have this problem being made of carbon and all? What benefit do you see with the x20 fan fret compared to a regular x20? Down tuned a hole step, no alternate tunings. What are the negatives with fan fret? |