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What are fanned frets?

#3
exactly what they sound like. Lower frets tilt away from you as you get closer to the head stock and tilt towards you and you get closer to the body. Useful for multi-scale instrument like Dingwall, getting a tight B string while leaving the higher string at their normal tension. Here is a pic of a Dingwall:

Invalid Link Removed
 
#7
How about a fanned fretless? Any excuse to post this beauty - a KR Guitars Jamal Ursa +

I suppose more correctly a multi-scale fretless, although the lines are fanned!

jamal_side_full.jpg
 
#10
spade2you said:
IMHO, not much of a point in fanning a fretless. Your intonation isn't fixed and getting even tension is as easy as grabbing different gauges of strings.
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Yes, but you don't get even tone and volume with this approach. While we discuss the even tension across the neck, there's more to the fanned frets than just tension.
 
#11
BurningSkies said:
Yes, but you don't get even tone and volume with this approach. While we discuss the even tension across the neck, there's more to the fanned frets than just tension.
Click to expand...

Yes. Better intonation....which is up to the user. I understand that it all makes for some very even sound. Fortunately, my Rob Allen basses feature his custom LaBellas, which are even tension and even output. Piezos are the ultimate in sensitivity and reveal the even tone throughout. Again, I'm not against it, but a good fretless with good strings is what ya need. It's simply something that doesn't need to be fixed when the bass is set up properly.
 
#12
Here's my fanned fretless. The maple lines pretty much disappear in med lighting, so it's it pretty much an unlined fanned fretless. The maple seems to be getting darker with age and the hazy epoxy mutes the lines. The tone is awesome.
 
#15
Here is a link of few Dingwalls that I own

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=345957

I bought my first Dingwall in 1999, sight unseen, and never regretted it or looked back. Even though my herd expended with many other basses over the years, my Dingwalls remain my No1 choice

As far as not spending $3000 on a Dingwall, you may be able to pick one up a used Afterburner at a reasonable price (considering the fact that it's a no-frills custom instrument it's great value for money). As far as mass-production, there is too much labor and knowlegde involved to produce a fine fanned fret bass IMO.
 
#19
spade2you said:
IMHO, not much of a point in fanning a fretless. Your intonation isn't fixed and getting even tension is as easy as grabbing different gauges of strings.
Click to expand...

Fanned frets were never about intonation. And you can grab different gauges of string for the fretted bass as well. The idea here is to get a more even string feel, aka, tension, as well as thickness.

achtung jackass said:
Apparently N. Hayashi (H. Noble), the designer of the Aria Pro II SB designed and patented the fanned fret system.

http://www.atlansia.jp/PAT.1.html

shown halfway down this page. :)
Click to expand...

Actually, fanned frets have been around since the 16th century.
 

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