How to make a Kite Guitar: Difference between revisions

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An odd-frets guitar can be converted to an even-frets one simply by capoing. An even-frets one can be converted to odd-frets similarly if there is an additional fret (or fret slot that accepts a temporary fret) near the nut. There are also advantages musically to this extra fret even if not using open tunings. The extra fret is named the "a-fret" if it's between the nut and the 1st fret, "b-fret" if it's between the 1st and 2nd frets, etc. A b-fret or b-fret-slot might be better for acoustics, which tend to have higher nuts. An empty fret slot does not interfere at all with normal play. Thus there is absolutely no downside to having an a-slot and/or a b-slot, and it's <u>highly</u> recommended.

[[File:B-fret 1.jpg|left|thumb|455x455px|Removable fret, radiused, with a tape "flag" to avoid losing it]]

[[File:B-fret 2.jpg|none|thumb|290x290px|Close-up: the barbs have been filed off the tang, and the tang stops short of the end of the fret]]

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[[File:B-fret 6.jpg|none|thumb|311x311px|Side view. The 2nd fret is still usable, barely.]]

On a Kite guitar, each string fills in the missing notes on the neighboring strings. But there are 6 missing notes in the very upper and lower ranges. The 6 gaps in the upper range are fairly easily filled with half-fret bends. To fill the 6 low gaps, one might want short "fretlets" on the lowest string, especially on a bass guitar. Their names run from a-fretlet to f-fretlet.

===6 strings vs. 7 strings vs. 8 strings===

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 An odd-frets guitar can be converted to an even-frets one simply by capoing. An even-frets one can be converted to odd-frets similarly if there is an additional fret (or fret slot that accepts a temporary fret) near the nut. There are also advantages musically to this extra fret even if not using open tunings. The extra fret is named the "a-fret" if it's between the nut and the 1st fret, "b-fret" if it's between the 1st and 2nd frets, etc. A b-fret or b-fret-slot might be better for acoustics, which tend to have higher nuts. An empty fret slot does not interfere at all with normal play. Thus there is absolutely no downside to having an a-slot and/or a b-slot, and it's <u>highly</u> recommended.
 [[File:B-fret 1.jpg|left|thumb|455x455px|Removable fret, radiused, with a tape "flag" to avoid losing it]]
 [[File:B-fret 2.jpg|none|thumb|290x290px|Close-up: the barbs have been filed off the tang, and the tang stops short of the end of the fret]]
@@ Line 26: / Line 27: @@
 [[File:B-fret 6.jpg|none|thumb|311x311px|Side view. The 2nd fret is still usable, barely.]]
+On a Kite guitar, each string fills in the missing notes on the neighboring strings. But there are 6 missing notes in the very upper and lower ranges. The 6 gaps in the upper range are fairly easily filled with half-fret bends. To fill the 6 low gaps, one might want short "fretlets" on the lowest string, especially on a bass guitar. Their names run from a-fretlet to f-fretlet.
 ===6 strings vs. 7 strings vs. 8 strings===