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Post subject: Fatfinger
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 5:49 pm
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:?: Can anyone tell me about the Fender Fatfinger sustain enhancer? Does it work? Are there any options that are used to get the same claimed enhancements? Thanks for any comments/input.


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Post subject: Re: Fatfinger
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 8:02 pm
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All it is really good for, is separating you from your cash. :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Fatfinger
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:43 pm
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^ what he said. It's another case of a manufacturer inventing a problem then inventing a solution to the problem.

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Post subject: Re: Fatfinger
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:46 pm
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The theory is that higher headstock mass means the neck vibrates less, and as vibration steals energy from the vibrating strings, you should get better sustain by adding mass.
in practice, it does nothing.

To hear the maximum improvement you can get that way, touch the headstock to the wall. Did the sustain improve radically? Did not think so, no. Extra weight on the headstock has a much smaller effect, so draw your own conclusions. The "Fatfiinger" has about the same effect as clipping a tuner or a capo to the headstock, i.e. none.

If you want longer sustain, tighten the neck screws, change to heavier strings, lower the pickups, or get a brass nut. And for a guitar with a whammy bar, block the trem when not in use.


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Post subject: Re: Fatfinger
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:51 pm
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I've never understood people who worry about a guitar's sustain. When did you last think to yourself hmm, this guitar doesn't sustain very much? How long should a guitar sustain? How long do you ever sustain a note for?

It's irrelevant. What does matter is the attack phase of the note, not some measurement of sustain time.

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Post subject: Re: Fatfinger
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:53 pm
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The solution to your sustain problem is an old solidbody Guild. Me and Floyd have em and they kick the $@!& out of everything in their path.

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Post subject: Re: Fatfinger
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:21 am
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Where extra headstock mass really helps is to move deadspots out of the range of play. Fender basses are notorious for dead spots at the 4th, 5th or 6th fret of the G-string. Adding extra mass changes the resonant frequency of the neck thus moving the dead spot. You can get the same effect with a C-Clamp at the hardware store, or a clip on tuner. Sometimes whatever you use to add mass can acutally cause the dead spot to move to an even less desirable spot. It won't really ADD sustain all around, what it does is cause the dead spot to move by changing the resonant frequency of the neck so it adds sustain where before there was a dead spot. The bass Fatfinger works, but so does a C-Clamp. Never tried the Fat-Finger for guitar. The Fat-Finger was originally a Groove Tube product which Fender acquired the rights to when FMIC bought Groove Tube. It has been around a long time. Keith Richards was an early adopter.


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Post subject: Re: Fatfinger
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:31 am
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GilgaFrank wrote:
I've never understood people who worry about a guitar's sustain. When did you last think to yourself hmm, this guitar doesn't sustain very much? How long should a guitar sustain? How long do you ever sustain a note for?

It's irrelevant. What does matter is the attack phase of the note, not some measurement of sustain time.


Playing fingerstyle, it matters quite a bit. It's fairly common to let one or more notes ring for a long time while playing other strings.
Then there are fuzz and octave pedals, which will lose the tracking when the tone goes below a certain level.

So no, it is not irrelevant. It may be irrelevant for you.


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Post subject: Re: Fatfinger
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 1:14 am
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I do play fingerstyle. I'm happy playing electric or acoustic with a pick or fingers or pick and fingers together, Richard Thompson style. Never once have I thought I needed longer sustain.

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Post subject: Re: Fatfinger
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 2:25 pm
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Sorry guys, I'm not looking for sustain, I just came across the Fatfinger thing and was curious as to what you had to say about it. I didn't want to fluff anybody's feathers. Maybe I caught some people in a bad mood or somethin like that. Anyway, thanks for the input. By the way, that little thing costs $20.00. What a bargain!


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Post subject: Re: Fatfinger
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 2:39 pm
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First rule about Fatfinger is we don't talk about Fatfinger. Seriously though, if you want to change the vibration of the neck try adding a neck plate between the body and neck, like a metal wedge. That really changes how things resonate. It will remove some of the twang if it is too banjo sounding. However, the only things that can change tone are pickups and parts that directly touch the strings, correct? I think Scott Grove proved that. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

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