Goin' Fretless and Gettin' Weird

[@myopicautisticmetal9035]

I wager that was played with a slide, I instantly noticed that shim stack under the nut. My dad and I pulled the frets out of a Peavy predator back in the 90's, it was a friends guitar so I couldn't keep it.

[@scottstanley4378]

You're already the Bob Ross of guitar repair my guy. Thank you for entertaining me and teaching me arcane knowledge that I'm unlikely to ever use.

[@ncc74656m]

You should check out Wristwatch Revival if you just like soothing videos of people repairing things and don't have to stick to a particular type of repair. One of my favorite channels for the same reason.

[@JiveDadson]

I respectfully disagree. Ross's thing was to teach people how to have fun ruining canvases and smearing paint. He would not sell his paintings. He knew they were crap. The point was simply to relax and enjoy.

[@scottstanley4378]

@@ncc74656m I've seen that channel and I like it! I'm much more interested in guitars (mostly basses). I'd never be brave enough to attempt any of the things this guy does though, and I'm so thankful that I have my own awesome guitar repair man locally.

[@FreeSpeechWarrior]

​@@ncc74656mGood call I love his videos.

[@FreeSpeechWarrior]

​@@JiveDadson"ruining canvases and smearing paint." 😂 That's a bit harsh don't you think? 😂

[@nickster5286]

"Sometimes we do things just for the experience." Best Ted quote ever!

[@tiacho2893]

As a Korean Canadian, I can say that those QC marks have Chinese characters. So final assembly and the body might be Korean (I know a bunch of the 1990's Hamers were made in Korea and I had an Korean made acoustic from that era). But the neck came from China (kinda doubtful as IIRC Chinese build quality was not great in the 90s) or more likely Taiwan. ETA: As a fellow Hamiltonian, Mohawk shuttering their music program "is a humiliating kick in the crotch" for our fair city.

[@davedavidson9996]

I'm curious did Korean guitar companies ever get part from Japan back in the 80s and assemble them?

[@tiacho2893]

@@davedavidson9996 I don't think so since Japan was the more expensive labour market in the 80s and 90s. If anything, it would have been the opposite. Yeah the days before CNC reduced body and neck milling times to minutes. I'm pretty sure Fender used to order parts from LaSiDo (Godin and Seagull's parent co.) and do assembly in CA when the Canadian dollar and Canadian wood prices made it feasible and profitable. IIRC, right now Asian guitar factories do everything in house except hardware and electronics. But I describe a lot of that stuff (Chibson and Aliexpress) as "guitar shaped objects".

[@thosewhowish2b693]

+1 for the Police quote.

[@benghuainaocanfen]

says 木地 合格 kinda just means it's up to the standards.

[@benghuainaocanfen]

the 木地 part didn't make sense to me as it's not a Chinese word, 木 meaning wood, 地 meaning floor or earth, but apparently (after some googling) it's a Japanese word meaning wood or bare wood.

[@joelonsdale]

Always love a new Twoodfrd video!

[@scottmoisant6331]

THE BEST CONTENT YET. Seriously, been watching your channel for awhile, clearly doing your own projects gives you juice. More please.

[@monday6524]

The sound you get out of it is very cool. I think the process of filling in the frets was really informative! Specifically, how you filled them but also the importance of having the visible lines to enable playing in tune.

[@donald-parker]

Seeing that nut makes me think a previous owner probably dedicated this guitar to slide. Which, interestingly enough, offers some similar playing opportunities to playing fretless. As long as you are not using "playing behind the slide" techniques, a high nut is great. The Joyo is cool and cheap but a Fernandes sustainer system would free up a lot more musical options. I pulled the frets on a bass I had once that had a rosewood fretboard. Instead of cutting veneer strips to fill the slots left behind after removing frets I found they naturally filled with rosewood dust while sanding, which seems to be noticeably lighter color than the board itself - almost orange. So I just put a little super glue on top and left it at that. Far less noticeable than the light wood veneer, but an effect I liked. Your approach does make it much easier to repair tear out damage I suppose.

[@joebodynobody764]

Nice to see a professional use their craft not only for the monetary aspect but also because they genuinely enjoy their craft.

[@petarkanev8156]

Great video as always. I missed the classic polishing-polishing bit though :)

[@msspi764]

That’s a really cool build! So many applications, particularly something like slide where you wouldn’t have the concern of fretting out.

[@ChrisHopkinsBass]

As I remember it, the big selling point of these guitars was that it was a solid wood body for around £150. Most sub £200 guitars at the time had plywood bodies.

[@tiacho2893]

In Canada, that was the selling point of the budget guitars from Godin and Peavey. You got a well built domestically produced guitar made from solid woods. There were obvious cost cutting measures but it took a long time to "out grow" those instruments.

[@maxmustardman298]

Yeah the ad showing the comparison between a yamaha and squier plywood body 😂

[@ileutur6863]

That's such a weird selling point. I'd rather have better pickups or hardware than "good wood"

[@ChrisHopkinsBass]

@@ileutur6863 this is from "back in the day" where really poor guitars with plywood bodies were marketed at beginners

[@beenaplumber8379]

@@ileutur6863 I think you need to play a few more guitars to get a sense of the difference. Plywood kills the sustain and leaves the tone flat and devoid of life. If you can't tell the difference, then it doesn't matter for you, but the difference is there, and there's no pickup that can bring plywood to life, though EMG made pickups to emulate some of that character.

[@NoBSMusicReviews]

I turned a Hagstrom one neck into a fretless in the 80s. It was part of a double neck guitar that had masonite pegboard all over it. Convenient for hanging up a crescent wrench to play slide with. That guitar was too heavy and eventually disassembled.Now that neck is on a Strat style guitar (with more of a Villette-Citron body shape) with a 5 way switch controlling three 50s vintage danelectro pickups.

[@joelfildes5544]

Looks like it was setup for slide playing originally.

[@customfreak81]

That was my first thought too

[@sbrown1953]

Yep, that was not the original Yamaha Pacifica nut.

[@simonhawker9277]

a piece of Holly wood, Hooray!, ticking off the humor as well as the tasks, nicely done,

[@PeppeFrana]

Hi Ted! Big fan of your contents here, I'm an Italian musician, former guitar player but I've spent many years learning the oud and turkish music in particular, i also own some fretless guitars made there. Was great to see you going fretless and mentioning that specific style of playing, just wanted to share my 2 cents about fretless conversion: for turkish style playing both with plectrum and ebow is of great importance to achieve an extremely low string action. Basically the strings on turkish fretless guitar have close to zero action at the nut and very low and regular action throughout the neck. A well set-up Turkish oud usually has an action not above 2.5mm at the neck joint which corresponds to the 7th fret, guitars are no different. You may encounter some string buzzing here and there but that's generally accepted as part of the sound, the right amount of string buzz actually compensate a bit for the natural lack of sustain that fretless instruments may have. Great job!

[@norbertoquintanar2608]

Thanks for taking us on your journey! That was very interesting.

[@zeroman614]

Ron Thal (Bumblefoot) is amazing on his fretless Vigier. Also, I had one of these Pacificas, the best $99US guitar ever.

[@micahwatz1148]

Pin-striping is awesome. Always dug it

[@customfreak81]

Ive worked on a few of these Yamaha Pacifica's and they really do punch above their price point, the only issue ive really come across with them is the plastic jack plate breaking,very easy to swap out for a metal one though. Great work on this one!

[@mightyluv]

I played one of these (maple neck) alongside a Mexican Strat back in ‘96; I bought the Pacifica. It’s been modded and painted over and over again since then. I love it, it’s my Frankenstein monster.

[@BIZARBIES]

I think lots of Yamaha guitars punch above their price points. I have an early 80s Yamaha acoustic guitar that I wouldn't trade for anything.

[@tompass82]

That client who missed out on this project has got to be regretting it. If Woodford WANTS to do work on your guitar, you have him do that work. I like the detailed explanation on the fret pulling process. You’ve done it before, but I never get sick of watching it while you spoon feed us the explanation of the process. And for this job, the removal of the frets is especially important. I have played fretless electric bass for the past 15 years or so. We don’t see fretless guitars often, and after this, I hope to see more.

[@philipsanders5024]

I can remember an email conversation with you about fretless 6strings from about 2 years ago, when you said you would get a reasonable priced 6string and defret it. It's been a long wait but the result is well worth the wait!!! Thanks for this one Ted

[@radiomonterossopalermo8403]

No frets, no polishing! 😂

[@thegeekdude67]

You are for sure the Bob Ross of ‘luthiering’. Great work on this one! 🎸😎👊

[@johnnyrandom100]

cool jamming out the pinstriping. I have a Pacifica in the loft I was going to practice upgrading but so far I have just looked at it. Maybe this vid is the inspiration I need. But I think I'll skip the fretless.

[@PJBonoVox]

This was a lot of fun. A light-hearted video with a definite change of pace. Good stuff.

[@gigmandrew8975]

The graphics that you did on the top of that guitar are perfect! Ole'

[@Nikolas716]

Great stuff, as always 👏 👍

[@Byron_Blue]

Likely a riot to fool with on the bedroom amp. I’ve made fretless bass guitars for people but never a 6 string. Brave move and nicely done Tim!

[@Byron_Blue]

@twoodfrd... No problem Tim. I’m in Cornwall Ontario if you’re out and about. 🤓

[@Byron_Blue]

@twoodfrd... I don’t know how to post my email privately here

[@312diag]

the (mostly) copper composition of the frets explains the green

[@desolatemetro]

Awesome! Great result. Happy to see you work on something for yourself too!

[@2009numan]

without the frets you get a type of zitar sound when sliding

[@ALEX-Extreme]

This was one of your best videos, so cool seeing you build something purely for your enjoyment, I’d like to see it more often and just watch you experiment with guitars, now I gotta do a fretless guitar and pinstripe one, both looked like fun.

[@DerangedTechnologist]

As always, a total treat. Thanks!

[@arnoldmmbb]

This episode is just fantastic Ted

[@timedwards7338]

Loce Duncan's designs, would love to play if i ever get the chance. Cool to see you dipping your toes into the fretless mod world!

[@grene1955]

This is one of your most interesting vids... and most entertaining!

[@markbernier8434]

Did not expect this sort of thing but hugely interesting. Its good to see you doing something "just because"

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

It's a Great Guitar.

[@doublechinmask3744]

beautiful guitar

[@tyschmidt7404]

Very inspiring!!! I have an old guitar I may just try that on.. lol

[@davestambaugh7282]

I have seen videos of Billy Gibbons doing pin striping on a Less Paul, He is very practiced in it .

[@michaeldorcey9305]

Love it! Some things completely different!

[@rgreiling]

I particularly enjoyed this one. It's fun to see you entertaining your whimsical side!

[@bigbasil1908]

My friend bought a Pacifica recently and it's a very nice guitar. The one you got there is particularly nice wood and it's great with the natural wood showing rather than being painted over

[@stoutlager6325]

"I don't know about the truss rod" "Oh no it has a truss rod" That's fun.

[@p_mouse8676]

Yamaha Pacifica guitars actually used to have Seymour Duncan pickups.

[@sweettoof9002]

I had a Pacifica just like that one. Good guitar. I gave it to my step son who still plays it.

[@MLoerAudio]

Amazing as always!

[@SpillOppMaker]

Cool project!

[@thehark6247]

The pinstriping turned out great!!

[@ezekielsmukler2903]

I saw single and double markers and fret inlays on this fretless instrument.

[@mjf1036]

very cool mod. That is the first fretless I have seen with "markers" on the fretboard. I agree it will make playing much easier and more accurate. As for E-bow, The 1997 album Disciplined Breakdown from Collective Soul, Ross Childress played some very emotional fills and solo with the little vibrator. Love this content, Mr. Bob Ross of the luthiers

[@adammono1839]

Go ted! Nice to see some personal projects on the go, great fun and absolutely how I'd spend a spare day too

[@bengordon2330]

Thank You !

[@mtbikesam68]

YES!!! That sound with the flanger was amazing! I would get LOST goofing around with that setup. Your pinstripe work was great too.

[@fulci6734]

Thank you Ted 👍🎥🎬🎸❤‍🔥

[@Jah_Rastafari_ORIG]

I have to correct the record here, as I seem to have to do every time the subject of the history of E-bows comes up; the late Michael Belfer of SF's The Sleepers and Tuxedomoon was using an E-bow as far back as 1977. I bought mine shortly thereafter, based on his enthusiasm for the thing. Just wanted to point out that he was way ahead of The Edge and other latter day promoters of the device... If you're interested, check out _Mirror_ by The Sleepers or _No Tears_ by Tuxedomoon; 1980 and 1978, respectively. BTW, the original units didn't have physical switches on them; they turned on and off automatically/magnetically by putting the thing into playing position.

[@ClarenceCochran-ne7du]

Thanks for demoing one of the EBow knock offs. Pretty cool for half the price.

[@radducku]

Bloody hell!...Learning something new every video and now I want one of those fretless guitar shaped objects too! un freakin believably amazing contraption. Thank you Sir !

[@CleverMonkey-jd3du]

Big Country was a band that famously used an e-bow as well.

[@In_MT]

What an amazing instrument now!

[@Bolandcustoms]

You broke the biggest rule in pinstriping!!!! All lines must join! Haha iv been incorporating it into my custom paint jobs for over 15 years and still find myself wiping off a whole piece if I'm not happy with one line. Good video as always, keep it up.

[@DefconMaster]

What a cool project! Glad to see you actually making something for yourself for once, you certainly deserve it!

[@mhoop1]

my 1st electric guitar was (still is, i'll never get rid of it) my 1991 Yamaha Pacifica HSS. the white plastics have 'tanned' nicely, and the wood has a natural finish sunburst. it's a gorgeous guitar and was (to me) a steal back in the day for around $150. Watchin you work on your made me appreciate mine. AND I'M TOTALLY GOING TO FRETLESS SOME OTHER GUITAR THAT WAS AMAZING. I just missed you in Chicago; I was there but had a packed schedule. If the conference had gone to Sunday (like I thought it did and I had planned for...) I could have attended all day. Oh well.

[@jp2246]

What a satisfying video to watch, thanks for sharing!

[@briancassidy6678]

One can see the potential in the possibilities of soundscaping with that set up. Very cool and very nice work, as always. Thanks.

[@MikeGervasi]

Guthrie Govan plays fretless guitar at times. Truly amazing.

[@peterdefrankrijker]

He’a an extraordinarily talented player, so he can make it work. For us mere mortals, a fretless guitar is… _less than ideal._

[@mactech1]

It's nice to see you just having fun, and not stressing about hidden problems. Thanks very much!

[@natjes6017]

Magical, fantastic work, looks awesome, especially the "frets" 🤩

[@JeeWeeDonkers]

Nice work! I have been playing with a similar idea, utilizing a sustainer pickup of some sort. I love the way you inserted the veneer "frets".

[@gwbuilder5779]

Interesting project.👌

[@bryanrulz3904]

Awesome video Ted. Never seen this done before. Hope you and your family are doing well!

[@rankenfile]

Totally enjoyable in all aspects. Humor, talent, results.

[@lsd2587]

Great doing the pinstripes too. Old car pinstriping at factory involved the painter standing still with a loaded brush as the car went by on the conveyor belt line. Steady hands.

[@lsd2587]

Here’s a great pinstripeing instruction video con Dutch and big daddy Roth from a instructional video Roth sold on vhs. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKuvaaupe5l0odUsi=00LkU70DGA_Xaglp

[@lsd2587]

Might want to try a mahl stick to steady hand and give more thick to thin control . You seem to have really great hand skills though. Von Dutch in video mentioned above shows kind of the confidence and god like hand skills those old school painters had

[@tigdogsbody]

Fun project; thank you, Sir.

[@GooseYArd]

If you taped two ebows together you could get a passable bagpipe sound going!

[@reefe5657]

Very nice. I like the look.

[@KordTaylor]

❤👏🕺 Great video! Particularly l appreciated the veneer jig.

[@garetkonigsfeld2]

I owned the exact coffee table..another amazing job thanks for taking us along 👍.

[@ahg1358]

A perfect example of the e-bow Mick Ronson playing with David Bowie song Heroes on The Freddy Mercury tribute. Good stuff indeed .

[@TheModmc]

good to see you having fun at the end

[@johnfkiii]

Reminds me of the halcyon days of my misspent youth-I ripped the frets out of an old Memphis Les Paul copy (bolt on), but as one would expect from a slacker teen in the very early 80s, I filled the fret cavities with bondo. I guess I was a trend setter! Wound up trading it for a MXR distortion+ block script (which I still have, 40!years later!)

[@jessejamez5985]

Amazing work as usual.

[@markpell8979]

Today's 'quotable quote' is "...we're dealing with musicians, after all." Glad I tuned in for that! It made my day. Edit: That is a beautiful piece of ash on that guitar. No double-entendre intended there at all. Vraiment. Anyway this is nice seeing you do something for yourself just for fun. You sound happy and relaxed. I took a couple days off recently to do a long-delayed customization on one of my own guitars. It was the best time I've had in six months. Gotta take care of yourself once in a while, brother.

[@upanbyudesign5323]

I will now go and listen to Station to Station

[@wea69420]

Billy Gibbons really makes the pinstriping look stupid easy. The things I've seen that man do with nothing but a posca marker and his hands.

[@muddynyc]

You are so darn good!

[@johnforguites4800]

Interesting!. the fret, nut, and neck adjusting; the ebow-like device, and even the pinstriping...which I'm not big into but it kinda worked in this case. Interesting to see how it is done

[@chrisdrake447]

Love it, especially the clean-ish drunk bagpiper sound 😅

[@andymandiak603]

Now you HAVE to learn the solo on "Do It Again" 😆

[@daddymidwest4111]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[@Ron_Padgett]

Very cool! Great job! And hey man your pinstriping actually looks pretty good!!!

[@melodicdreamer72]

Glad to hear you still have fun with lutherie Ted. That is most likely why we enjoy watching your videos. I am just amazed by how fast the thumbs up are flying while I write this. Awesome as usual!

[@ClarenceCochran-ne7du]

I've done Fretless conversions on Basses, but never on a guitar. Dadgum it Ted, now I've got to try it too. LOL.

[@RobMods]

7:40 Surely it was set up (by an amateur) for slide playing. But a cool project. Please show more of your own quirky projects! I've modded many basses to fretless over the years. Personally I don't like playing flat-wound strings, so I usually put a hard finish on the fretboard. Epoxy is the "traditional" option, but CA also works very well. Thanks again.

[@planespeaking]

I thought The Edge used a Brooks Infinite Guitar, not a e-bow for With or Without you. I had the official Joshua Tree tab book (sad I know) and that was what is on the equipment list.

[@andyt5559]

yes the edge used an infinite guitar, which was like a precursor to the sustainer, but when doing the song live he did use an E-bow!

[@planespeaking]

​@@andyt5559I think a volume pedal would be a handy adjunct for Ted and his e-bow.

[@mrclaus859]

Thanks Ted very informative and interesting what fun. Cool !!

[@brushstroke3733]

I love that "mid 90s coffee table vibe!" I'd like a Tele with that walnut Danish oil look.😊

[@leiferickson3183]

I did a crude de-fretting of a guitar in the mid-1980s when I heard that Adrian Belew had a fretless guitar. I think It is still in my basement somewhere....