mcgraham Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 (edited) I've put in an order for a fretless Vigier in fireburst just like the one below (sans matching headstock)... [attachment=50538:5292.jpg] No, this is not a bass. Yes, I am crazy. Specs are exactly the same as those [url="http://www.htd-uk.com/page/fiche_produit.php?id_prod=256&marque_post=Vigier&onglet=description"]listed here[/url]. Build time would be 5 months or so, but this one happens to be in stock! I am very excited about this particular instrument (particularly as it will now be an imminent delivery). Just wanted to share the joy. Edited May 27, 2010 by mcgraham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantherairsoft Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 A fretless guitar!!!!!! What ever next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 It's something I've been interested in for a while. This particular guitar is truly stupendous and something extraordinary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 [quote name='pantherairsoft' post='847365' date='May 25 2010, 12:03 PM']A fretless guitar!!!!!! What ever next.[/quote] Vigier have been making them for about 20 years. IIRC they're called Surfretters or some such... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Zappa certainly used a fretless guitar about 40 years ago. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fretless_guitar#Famous_users"]Wikipedia[/url] lists some more fretless guitar widdlers. Anyway, I'm interested to see the outcome of this build, and [i]really[/i] interested in hearing clips when it arrives. Metal board on a fretless guitar must sound unique! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 All change! Edited original post for imminent delivery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleblob Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 A friend and guitarist defretted one of his guitars many years ago - seems there's a whole community of fretless guitar players out there - sounds like this should be fun. I look forward to seeing more on it when it arrives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 I love the expressiveness of the guitar, and I love the expressiveness and challenge of the fretless bass. Just with the background of fretless bass, I sometimes find myself a little limited by the frets. I'm also masochistic and enjoy making things harder for myself than necessary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 What's the fingerboard on that? Delta Metal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brave Sir Robin Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Looks like ebony or composite. iirc the metal ones are shiny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 [quote name='BigRedX' post='847693' date='May 25 2010, 04:57 PM']What's the fingerboard on that? Delta Metal?[/quote] [url="http://www.vigierguitars.com/html/Description_US/Guitars/toucheUS_surf.html"]Clear as mud.[/url] I'm (wildly) guessing some sort of copper-heavy alloy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 (edited) It is indeed delta metal. Delta metal is an alloy, and, with some creative google searching, you can find the relative proportions of the different metal that make it up (at least for the official metallurgical meaning of 'delta metal' which may not be the same as the 'delta metal' term used by Vigier). The only reason it doesn't look shiny is because of the angle of the guitar means there's no discernible reflections on the fingerboard. I can assure you it is delta metal. Edited May 25, 2010 by mcgraham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 [url="http://chestofbooks.com/reference/Henley-s-20th-Century-Formulas-Recipes-Processes-Vol1/Delta-Metal.html"]For example...[/url] DISCLAIMER: I am not, nor claim to be, a metallurgist or have any speciality in this area. This is just an example of the term 'delta metal' having a wider known meaning than just 'Vigier's special fingerboard'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Excellent, I'm looking forward to seeing this. I have had a quick go on one and really enjoyed it. FWIW I remember talking to Patrice about it and I'm pretty sure he said Delta Metal was largely a mixture of copper and nickel? Funnily enough I polished my delta metal bass yesterday and now it's shiny as a mirror again! Looking forward to hearing your experiences. I have recorded a fair bit with mine, will you be able to do us some sound clips? ped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 Give me a short while to get used to it, and I'll do my best to throw some simple sound clips together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Hey Mark! Moved thread as requested! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleblob Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 All this talk of delta metal reminds me that I want a delta metal Vigier bass (someday ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 That's not a bad ambition P.S. Thanks Dood! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 oioi Any excuse!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 I've seen a couple of fretless guitars here and there, mostly other people's self-builds, i've not actually heard what they sound like though. I would imagine they would be good playing it with a slide like a steel guitar in an open tuning and that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctor_of_the_bass Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 [quote name='ped' post='847894' date='May 25 2010, 08:40 PM']oioi Any excuse!![/quote] Not bad son...still lovin' my Delta Arpege...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 Share some pics EH, the beauty in having a fretless guitar with a metal fingerboard is that you can essentially create a 'slide' sound but with your fingers, kinda like four slides all at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 pat Metheny plays fretless guitar on some albums. I always assumed it was some synrh treatment until I read the album sleeve more carefully. It's a nice sound for solos. I wouldn't like to try playing full chords though, I have enough trouble intonating one note on the bass.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted May 26, 2010 Author Share Posted May 26, 2010 [quote]I wouldn't like to try playing full chords though[/quote] I would I love chords on fretless bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgordonfreeman Posted May 26, 2010 Share Posted May 26, 2010 Nice! Be sure to learn some Bumblefoot on it:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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