Compensated Nut vs. Zero Fret

[ssab]

Hi,

after lurking around this forum without having anything worthy to mention or discuss I am finally very interested to hear your opinions about:

- compensated nut vs. zero fret

Of my various basses (right now exactly) half of them have zero frets (*) and the others have nuts and in case of EMM instruments compensated nuts.

I think I like the zero fret setup more, because the open string sounds pretty much the same as everything else.

I like the compensated nut for setting up intonation, seems really to make it easier. But I definitively like the zero fret for its sound.

I'd like to be able to get a zero fret neck as an option on EMM basses. What's your opinion on this issue?


(*) just in case: zero fret means an ordinary fret just after the nut (if any), so even the open string runs over fret.

 

[Rick Auricchio]

The zero fret really makes a difference when you play an open note. Otherwise, it's not a factor.

The compensated nut alters the open-note tuning, which can improve intonation.

 

[Steve-O]

Apples and oranges - they serve different purposes

 

[oli@bass]

Perfect world: Zero fret with compensated nut in front.

 

[strummer]

Perfect world: Zero fret with compensated nut in front.

This cracked me up

 

[projectapollo]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[MadMatt]

Welcome to the forum.

I think zero frets are overrated. I had a Bass with a zero fret and the open notes still sounded different. If you pull the strings off a lot of zero string basses you will see that the zero fret is slotted making it essentialy a shallow nut.

-Matt

 

[MattOfSweden]

Welcome to the forum.

I think zero frets are overrated. I had a Bass with a zero fret and the open notes still sounded different. If you pull the strings off a lot of zero string basses you will see that the zero fret is slotted making it essentialy a shallow nut.

-Matt

+1
In addition I rarely play anything but E (or B) open if I can help it, which I normally can.
Compensated nut FTW!

 

[ssab]

you will see that the zero fret is slotted making it essentialy a shallow nut.

None of my zero frets are slotted!

I agree that whether the zero fret is a relevant feature, heavily depends on playing style. That's one of the reasons I do not ask for a zero fret to be standard, but an option (that's interesting at least for me).

 

[five7]

Welcome to the forum.

I think zero frets are overrated. I had a Bass with a zero fret and the open notes still sounded different. If you pull the strings off a lot of zero string basses you will see that the zero fret is slotted making it essentialy a shallow nut.

-Matt

a zero string bass?

 

[Rick Auricchio]

a zero string bass?

Much easier to play. Those four or five strings really make it complicated.

 

[MadMatt]

a zero string bass?

What, you've never played a zero string bass?

Fingers where quicker than my brain.

 

[ssab]

What, you've never played a zero string bass?

Playing daily using a zero wiring cable to my cool zero watts amp head into a 8x zero-inch cabinet with a cool zero tweeter!

Be sure to use zero-coated strings with that setup else it will sound a bit awkward and you'll have to bypass the tweeter!

 

[five7]

What, you've never played a zero string bass?

Fingers where quicker than my brain.

I worked with a singer once, who's nickname was zero.

 

[syciprider]

Divide by zero.

 

[MadMatt]

Divide by zero.

My brain does that all the time

 

[jlepre]

Call me stupid, but what the hell are you all talking about?

Is Zero fret bass a fretless?

 

[keko]

I think zero frets are overrated. I had a Bass with a zero fret and the open notes still sounded different. If you pull the strings off a lot of zero string basses you will see that the zero fret is slotted making it essentialy a shallow nut.

+1

Exactly!

That's why I think that comp-nut is the best solution so far!

 

[Movielife]

I personally dont like the 'look' of a zero fret.

The comp-nut looks complex but blends in with the bass design. Cool nut, tbh!

 

[strummer]

I would have to agree, the zero fret looks kind of iffy, like the builder didn't know how to cut a nut properly.

Having said that, I do have one bass with a zero fret and it's a very good bass. And yes, the zero fret is somewhat slotted