How to make a Kite Guitar: Difference between revisions

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* the location of the frets

* the number of strings

* the number of strings, and hence the total tension on the neck

* the string gauges

* the string gauges, and hence the size of the nut slots

* the process for intonating the saddle points

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There are two types of [[The Kite Guitar|Kite Guitar]] fretboards, even-frets and odd-frets. In the former, all or almost all of the frets are an even number of 41-equal steps from the nut. In the latter, it's an odd number. The even-frets layout is primarily for isomorphic ("same-shape") tunings and the odd-frets layout is primarily for open tunings. Most of the research and development to date has focused on the even-frets layout.

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 or "in between" 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.

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 or "in between" 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. (An alternative terminology is 0.5-fret, 1.5-fret, etc.) A b-fret or b-fret-slot might be better for acoustics, which tend to have higher nuts, which might make capoing only 29¢ from the nut difficult. 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]]

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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===

===Scale length and number of strings===

~~Assuming one is not using an open tuning, a Kite guitar with 6 strings is a little limiting. 7 strings or even 8 is better.~~ Arguably a slightly longer scale, say 26.5-27", is nice because it makes the frets less cramped. Fortunately 7- and 8-string electric guitars often have longer scales anyway. But on the other hand, the Kite guitar's frets are not much tighter than a normal mandolin's, and some feel a longer scale isn't necessary.

Arguably a slightly longer scale, say 26.5-27", is nice because it makes the frets less cramped. Fortunately 7- and 8-string electric guitars often have longer scales anyway. But on the other hand, the Kite guitar's frets are not much tighter than a normal mandolin's, and some feel a longer scale isn't necessary.

Assuming one is not using an open tuning, a Kite guitar with 6 strings is a little limiting. 7 strings or even 8 is better.

=== Converting a 6-string or 12-string to a 7-string ===

While 7- and 8-string electric guitars are plentiful, acoustic ones are rarer. (See [[Extended range guitar]].) One way to get one is to convert a 12-string guitar. The neck will be sufficiently strong and there will be enough [[wikipedia:Machine_head|tuners]] (aka tuning machines or machine heads). On the bridge, fill in all but the outer two pin holes. Then measure the distance between these two holes, divide by 6, and draw 5 new lines. (For an 8-string, divide by 7 and draw 6 new lines.) Drill new pin holes accordingly. There's fewer strings but more courses, so the string spacing can be very tight. To avoid this, the new fretboard can be wider than the old one. The fretboard overhang can be filled with bondo to create a nice-feeling neck.

Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider~~. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar~~.

Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider.

To add an additional [[wikipedia:Machine_head|tuner]] or two, the 3 holes on each side of the headstock that the tuner pegs go through can be filled and 4 new holes drilled. Or a banjo tuner or two can be added at the top of the headstock. Use the type of banjo tuner that has the knob pointing backwards, not sideways (i.e. perpendicular to the headstock, not parallel to it). For ease of use, get one that is geared (via a [[wikipedia:Epicyclic_gearing|planetary gear]]), so that many turns of the knob equals one turn of the post that the string passes through.

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=== Range ===

The range affects the string gauges, which should match the nut slots~~, so~~ ideally the range is chosen before conversion or construction. In the table below, the less likely ranges are in parentheses.

The range affects the string gauges, which should match the nut slots. The string gauges also affect the saddle compensation. So ideally the range is chosen before conversion or construction. In the table below, the less likely ranges are in parentheses.

{| class="wikitable"

|+

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! colspan="9" |notes

|-

! rowspan="7" |guitar

! rowspan="8" |guitar

!full-8

|

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|vA

|^^C

|

|-

~~!deep-7~~

~~|Bb~~

~~|vD~~

~~|^^F~~

~~|^A~~

~~|C#~~

|F

~~|vA~~

|

|-

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!(low-6)

|

|vD

|^^F

|^A

|C#

|F

|vA

|

|-

!deep-8

|Bb

|vD

|^^F

|^A

|C#

|F

|vA

|^^C

|

|-

!deep-7

|Bb

|vD

|^^F

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* D2 = (X + F) / (K + 1) - F/2 (edge-to-edge distance from the new fret to the higher fret)

* K = 41st root of 2 = 2 ^ (1/41) = 1.017049

* 1/K + 1 = 1.983

* 1/K + 1 = 1.983 (mnemonic: 1983 A Merman I Should Turn to Be)

* K + 1 = 2.017

K is a constant for all Kite guitars. F is constant for a specific Kite guitar and the specific fretwire used for the new frets. (These formulas work even if the original frets and the new frets are different widths.) X ~~needs to be measured repeatedly~~ for each fret ~~added~~.

K is a constant for all Kite guitars. F is constant for a specific Kite guitar and the specific fretwire used for the new frets. (These formulas work even if the original frets and the new frets are different widths.) X varies for each fret.

Use either D1 or D2, or both, to place the fret.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 * the location of the frets
-* the number of strings
+* the number of strings, and hence the total tension on the neck
-* the string gauges
+* the string gauges, and hence the size of the nut slots
 * the process for intonating the saddle points
@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 There are two types of [[The Kite Guitar|Kite Guitar]] fretboards, even-frets and odd-frets. In the former, all or almost all of the frets are an even number of 41-equal steps from the nut. In the latter, it's an odd number. The even-frets layout is primarily for isomorphic ("same-shape") tunings and the odd-frets layout is primarily for open tunings. Most of the research and development to date has focused on the even-frets layout.
-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 or "in between" 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.
+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 or "in between" 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. (An alternative terminology is 0.5-fret, 1.5-fret, etc.) A b-fret or b-fret-slot might be better for acoustics, which tend to have higher nuts, which might make capoing only 29¢ from the nut difficult. 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]]
@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 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===
+===Scale length and number of strings===
-Assuming one is not using an open tuning, a Kite guitar with 6 strings is a little limiting. 7 strings or even 8 is better. Arguably a slightly longer scale, say 26.5-27", is nice because it makes the frets less cramped. Fortunately 7- and 8-string electric guitars often have longer scales anyway. But on the other hand, the Kite guitar's frets are not much tighter than a normal mandolin's, and some feel a longer scale isn't necessary.
+Arguably a slightly longer scale, say 26.5-27", is nice because it makes the frets less cramped. Fortunately 7- and 8-string electric guitars often have longer scales anyway. But on the other hand, the Kite guitar's frets are not much tighter than a normal mandolin's, and some feel a longer scale isn't necessary.
+Assuming one is not using an open tuning, a Kite guitar with 6 strings is a little limiting. 7 strings or even 8 is better.
 === Converting a 6-string or 12-string to a 7-string ===
 While 7- and 8-string electric guitars are plentiful, acoustic ones are rarer. (See [[Extended range guitar]].) One way to get one is to convert a 12-string guitar. The neck will be sufficiently strong and there will be enough [[wikipedia:Machine_head|tuners]] (aka tuning machines or machine heads). On the bridge, fill in all but the outer two pin holes. Then measure the distance between these two holes, divide by 6, and draw 5 new lines. (For an 8-string, divide by 7 and draw 6 new lines.) Drill new pin holes accordingly. There's fewer strings but more courses, so the string spacing can be very tight. To avoid this, the new fretboard can be wider than the old one. The fretboard overhang can be filled with bondo to create a nice-feeling neck.
-Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar.
+Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider.
 To add an additional [[wikipedia:Machine_head|tuner]] or two, the 3 holes on each side of the headstock that the tuner pegs go through can be filled and 4 new holes drilled. Or a banjo tuner or two can be added at the top of the headstock. Use the type of banjo tuner that has the knob pointing backwards, not sideways (i.e. perpendicular to the headstock, not parallel to it). For ease of use, get one that is geared (via a [[wikipedia:Epicyclic_gearing|planetary gear]]), so that many turns of the knob equals one turn of the post that the string passes through.
@@ Line 57: / Line 59: @@
 === Range ===
-The range affects the string gauges, which should match the nut slots, so ideally the range is chosen before conversion or construction. In the table below, the less likely ranges are in parentheses.
+The range affects the string gauges, which should match the nut slots. The string gauges also affect the saddle compensation. So ideally the range is chosen before conversion or construction. In the table below, the less likely ranges are in parentheses.
 {| class="wikitable"
 |+
@@ Line 64: / Line 66: @@
 ! colspan="9" |notes
 |-
-! rowspan="7" |guitar
+! rowspan="8" |guitar
 !full-8
 |
@@ Line 96: / Line 98: @@
 |vA
 |^^C
-|
-|-
-!deep-7
-|Bb
-|vD
-|^^F
-|^A
-|C#
-|F
-|vA
-|
 |
 |-
@@ Line 133: / Line 124: @@
 !(low-6)
 |
+|vD
+|^^F
+|^A
+|C#
+|F
+|vA
+|
+|
+|-
+!deep-8
+|Bb
+|vD
+|^^F
+|^A
+|C#
+|F
+|vA
+|^^C
+|
+|-
+!deep-7
+|Bb
 |vD
 |^^F
@@ Line 325: / Line 338: @@
 * D2 = (X + F) / (K + 1) - F/2   (edge-to-edge distance from the new fret to the higher fret)
 * K = 41st root of 2 = 2 ^ (1/41) = 1.017049
-* 1/K + 1 = 1.983
+* 1/K + 1 = 1.983 (mnemonic: 1983 A Merman I Should Turn to Be)
 * K + 1 = 2.017
-K is a constant for all Kite guitars. F is constant for a specific Kite guitar and the specific fretwire used for the new frets. (These formulas work even if the original frets and the new frets are different widths.) X needs to be measured repeatedly for each fret added.
+K is a constant for all Kite guitars. F is constant for a specific Kite guitar and the specific fretwire used for the new frets. (These formulas work even if the original frets and the new frets are different widths.) X varies for each fret.
 Use either D1 or D2, or both, to place the fret.