"Micro Frets" with interesting adjustment at the nut

[alyctes]

1960s, I guess.  The adjustment at the nut is not something I've seen before - was it a common feature at some point?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/405863005694?itmmeta=01JV8VZADF5CG7YP0KVWG9S5YD&hash=item5e7f51fdfe:g:5zIAAOSwYiNoI5Nm&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA4MHg7L1Zz0LA5DYYmRTS30nNijOSOrzkDAnLiGf1TkSPifVn13Fdn5qXFc5XQNpEIt876IXQXLIPNRw6xHmhQ7EgtRghiJ87ly5WP8xLI23VUxjM1GW7k%2B4GcZ%2B9AMuSPBWnmYhyAZdKtWh7CiKs5%2F2258QfqWB0JNP8Ts7mI27WlogEsifognBTXEqUmI63e9bXTfFPqZtGydEqIAG1Ylg10KYpSmyo1bUvAcUknsWBGz8AFHR6vRUxwY6M5o1CzGkmCF6kkajHIeXWZgjHAtJSlyT2BbomxTRU7Nn0ThMl|tkp%3ABk9SR_Cm_ZvaZQ

[BigRedX]

The instruments date from the late 60s to mid 70s. 

 

The adjustable nut was a feature on all Micro-Frets instruments. It makes more sense on the guitars where it helps make some first position chords sound more in tune. 

 

It's a good price at the moment even taking into account the condition and the non-original parts, I think the machine heads are replacements too. There are a number of well-known Micro-Frets collectors so I don't expect it to stay this cheap for long. However if I was still collecting unusual instruments I would be taking a punt on this.

[Bassassin]

LIke buses, presumably!

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/306090339623

 

Japanese dealer so no idea if the eye-watering (£3800!) price is in any way realistic. Both have Schaller M4 tuners which would suggest mid 70s or later.

 

I'm aware of the brand but know nothing about it, in fact I don't think I've ever seen one before just now. And now I've seen two.

[Hellzero]

I truly think intonating the G string will be a problem with modern strings that are far better crafted nowadays than when it was designed, and especially with todays round wound strings.

 

It was designed to take into account the poorly made flat wound strings of that period...

[BigRedX]

10 hours ago, Bassassin said:

I'm aware of the brand but know nothing about it, in fact I don't think I've ever seen one before just now. And now I've seen two.

 

The guitars in particular seemed to be a regular fixture of the second-hand section in music shops in the mid-70s.

 

Mark Burgess of The Chameleons is a massive fan. The brand has been re-issued recently with prices of around $3k hence the overinflated prices for "originals".

[Count Bassy]

I experimented with an adjustable nut on my basses, but only to the extent of pushing a bit of galvalized wire under the strings next to the nut, so that it could be slid/angled as required.

Made a real difference to the intonation at the low end (bottom 3 or 4 frets), and after setting the intonation at the bridge has negligible affect elsewhere.

 

Didn't do anything permanent as I assumed that the required position would change with the strings fitted.

 

In princible a good idea.