New to forum and zero fret question

[edselman]

I haven't posted forever. I joined early on and could not remember my login information, so then I registered again. Anyway, I don't own a Mosrite but would very much like to in the future. I grew up a short distance from Semie's shop in Oildale and I went to school with someone who worked there on occasion. I took up the guitar in a feeble attempt in the early '70's and had a chance of buying an original Ventures in mint condition. I wish I had pulled the trigger then.

I do have a questing though. I am wondering if there has ever been any history of excessive wear on the zero fret, not the guide but the fret itself! It looks like the new Gibson's have a zero fret and guide and excessive wear has been reported on these.

[KRamone27]

Welcome to the forum. I wouldn't think there would be a ton of wear at all seeing as the only use it gets is keeping the strings higher than the frets.

[stl80]

Welcome.
Jim

[Mr. Bill]

Welcome back again.

Gibson's zero fret isn't quite the same as a traditional zero fret system. It seems that they used a metal or plating that was too soft to stand up to the constant sawing action of a wound string sliding across it. Especially with the automatic motorized tuning models.

In a traditional system like the Mosrite, the zero fret is made from the same material metal as the rest of the frets, so it should wear at least as well as the rest of the fingerboard. It does get a little more action than the rest of the frets, but in my experience there are no real problems with them.

[BRRanger]

Welcome back Edselman! Just wondering about your handle, I've owned 5 Edsels, so....
Scott

[edselman]

I owned a 1958 Pacer for about eight years or so. I gave it up about eight years ago when I got tired of messing with it and we moved to a house without room for a third car as long as an Edsel.

[BRRanger]

Ah, I've owned 3 '58 Villagers, 1 '58 Bermuda, and 1 '59 Villager. Understand re: the length, my '56 Packard just fits in my garage...barely!
Scott

[Dennisthe Menace]

.....from Zero Frets to Edsels and Packards.....whew!!!!

[BRRanger]

I know...quite a stretch! But, there are zero frets on Packards and Edsels. And none on Studebakers that I can remember either!
Scott

[Haole Jim]

The '66 (or 67?) Combo Mk I has a lot of wear not only on the zero fret, but the nut as well.

Even linear divots in the rosewood between the board's lower frets. Whoever owned that guitar a long time ago turned its odometer over a couple times.