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Thread: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

  1. #1
    Forum Member refin's Avatar
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    Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Why,and for what purpose?

    http://www.rondomusic.com/product3005.html
    "My flesh and my heart fail...but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
    PS. 73:26

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  2. #2
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    That is...unusual.
    "I haven't slept for ten days...because that would be too long." -- Mitch Hedberg

  3. #3
    Forum Member jeru's Avatar
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Quote Originally Posted by refin View Post
    Why,and for what purpose?
    Dunno, quite -- BUT I think the theory has got to be that the marginal cost of bringing yet another model/variation to market is so little that it really costs them nothing to cast a really, really wide net re: their product line. If they sell 1% more instruments, then it was probably worth it to offer that goofy fretless 12-string paul-esque.

    Still though -- that's a helluva niche product there.

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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    What's involved in making a fretless guitar, anyhow? Is it just a matter of leaving off the frets, or does the fretboard have to be surfaced/angled/radiused/whatever differently to prevent buzzing?

    If it's mostly just a matter of leaving off the frets, then I could definitely see 'em saying "We're already making a 12-string LP copy...why not make a handful of fretless ones?"

    Or maybe they just did it because a black LP with no frets or markers looks badass.
    "I haven't slept for ten days...because that would be too long." -- Mitch Hedberg

  5. #5
    Forum Member clayville's Avatar
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Maybe its for sitar players?

  6. #6
    Gravity Jim
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Ultra-freakin'-crackpot-nuts.

    I'd like to try playing one.

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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    I have enough trouble with 6 strings and 21 frets.

  8. #8
    Forum Member pseudocat's Avatar
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    I converted a 6-string Godin to fretless for a client last year. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was sure that was what he wanted. After playing it for a bit, though, I was actually kind of taken with it -- you can do some really cool things with a fretless guitar. But a 12-string?

    I agree with refin; Rondo has lost it.
    There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
    -Dave Barry

  9. #9
    Forum Member NeoFauve's Avatar
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Maybe they're trying to one-up Godin?
    The existing headstock already has 12 holes in it. So maybe they weren't trying.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96lM9_hzSxU

    Fretless stringed instruments are pretty common in Middle Eastern music, and when somebody does it well, it's pretty wild.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTzWfHF1NtI
    "Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
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  10. #10
    Gravity Jim
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Okay, now I REALLY want to try one.

  11. #11
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    There is balance in the universe....

    http://www.frettedviolins.com/acoustic.htm
    "I haven't slept for ten days...because that would be too long." -- Mitch Hedberg

  12. #12
    Forum Member clayville's Avatar
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Quote Originally Posted by NeoFauve View Post
    Fretless stringed instruments are pretty common in Middle Eastern music, and when somebody does it well, it's pretty wild.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTzWfHF1NtI
    Maybe I need to start playing with a pen in my hand!

  13. #13
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    I didn't even see that the first time! That might be some kinda risha, the sort of pick they use on a Middle Eastern instrument like an oud. Or he's using a pen like a risha. Notice he sometimes picks with the end of it.
    "I haven't slept for ten days...because that would be too long." -- Mitch Hedberg

  14. #14
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Looks like the idea comes from Robert Godin, from demand he got while in southern Italy from Oud players needing to be amplified:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UepwV...eature=related

    He says it has become very popular in the countries that play the Oud.

    I love my fretless bass for the tone and how it pushes you to be less rhythmic and more melodic, less technical and more expressive. It would be nice to see what a great guitarist could do with the same kind of feelings. Should be great for the blues.

    There is some fretless playing by Ottmar Liebert on his CD "The Hours Between Night + Day". Great stuff.

  15. #15
    Forum Member NeoFauve's Avatar
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Quote Originally Posted by elicross View Post
    I didn't even see that the first time! That might be some kinda risha, the sort of pick they use on a Middle Eastern instrument like an oud. Or he's using a pen like a risha. Notice he sometimes picks with the end of it.
    I didn't know what to call it (risha).
    I just assumed it was what he was picking with.
    "Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
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  16. #16
    Forum Member NeoFauve's Avatar
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Quote Originally Posted by John Richards View Post
    It would be nice to see what a great guitarist could do with the same kind of feelings. Should be great for the blues.
    Nah. That's what a slide is for.

    I'd say it's likely the guy in the first Godin clip is a pretty fair guitarist.

    In trying to find good examples on U-toob, it appeared that the worst fretless players were the ones who were trying to transplant their fretted playing onto the fretless guitar. There's some awful stuff out there.
    "Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
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  17. #17
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Yeah, looks like he plays some parts finger-style, then drops the end of the risha/pen/thing between his thumb and forefinger and uses it for the fast, tremelo-picked parts. Then he can use his pinky and ring finger to pivot it back out of the way when he's ready to play finger-style again.

    I'd love to try a fretless guitar for a few minutes, but I think that's about all the time it would take to confirm that I couldn't get anything musical out of one.
    "I haven't slept for ten days...because that would be too long." -- Mitch Hedberg

  18. #18
    Forum Member Goshawk's Avatar
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Quote Originally Posted by refin View Post
    So music can be played on it that utilizes more micro tones or intervals
    between notes than Western music theory of half step semitones between notes.

  19. #19
    Forum Member LesPauloholic's Avatar
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Quote Originally Posted by elicross View Post
    What's involved in making a fretless guitar, anyhow? Is it just a matter of leaving off the frets, or does the fretboard have to be surfaced/angled/radiused/whatever differently to prevent buzzing?

    If it's mostly just a matter of leaving off the frets, then I could definitely see 'em saying "We're already making a 12-string LP copy...why not make a handful of fretless ones?"

    Or maybe they just did it because a black LP with no frets or markers looks badass.
    Or maybe they got a batch in and realized the factory forgot to install frets... Hey, a new model.
    Q: How many guitars are enough??

    A: Just one more.

  20. #20
    Forum Member refin's Avatar
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    Quote Originally Posted by Goshawk View Post
    So music can be played on it that utilizes more micro tones or intervals
    between notes than Western music theory of half step semitones between notes.
    I'm sure that was Rondo's theory......
    "My flesh and my heart fail...but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
    PS. 73:26

    MY JAMS--
    http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...&content=music

  21. #21
    Forum Member curt1lp's Avatar
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    The advert states it has "Individually hand filed frets for professional feel and playability" could be air? frets

  22. #22
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    Re: Rondo Has Finally Lost It

    They're so perfectly hand-filed, it's like they're not even there!
    "I haven't slept for ten days...because that would be too long." -- Mitch Hedberg

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