The LOWEST ACTION of ANY GUITAR I HAVE OWNED!
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2022
- With a zero fret, and beautifully finished stainless steel frets, this headless guitar (the Latitude Cardinal) has super low, but totally playable, super smooth action. The ash body, and 5 piece roasted maple neck finish off this affordable, but shred ready guitar.
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Rubric: -5 points for Danzig references. -5 points for not reading the description. -5 points for not watching far enough into the video to answer your own question. -5 points for misquoting me in your comment. 20 points possible. Everyone starts with an A! - Hudba
Thanks for your informative videos. Thanks for taking the time to produce content above and beyond anyone else.
The lowest action of any guitar I've owned over the past 40 years is my Vigier Shawn Lane Master signature model, also with a zero fret. It would be difficult to slide a piece of printing paper under the strings without touching the frets, that's how low it is. It also has a completely flat radius fingerboard so each time I pick up the guitar and look down at the neck, it almost looks concave. I''m so used to playing guitars with average radius fingerboards so think classical guitar and you'd be pretty much be spot on. If you ever get a chance to play one, don't pass on it. It's ridiculously easy to play legato style and absolutely one of the finest guitars you'll ever hold in your hands.
Was looking for this comment. I want one so bad. Shawn is the Master. Seriously under rated. Vigier beats everything in that regard and doesn't look like it reinvented the wheel in a good way!
Also if you ever want to sell.... lol.
How much are they?
@@winstonsmith8240 Around $4K new. I bought mine ten years ago for $2400 new.
I played a Vigier Shawn Lane once and they're crazy because they also have a 0 radius
Wow! When you started ripping on it the sound JUMPED OUT!!
Much better than I expected!
What a great instrument.
Thanks Max! 😎👍👍
I loved the reviews but these videos about your personal experiences are so awesome
Very cool guy for making these great videos, and nice playing examples.
Your reviews are always Trustworthy
And this one peaks my interest
I was very pleasantly surprised at the sound of this guitar. (But then again, you make any and every guitar sound great, Max.) I really like the zero fret. I'm impressed by how impressed you are with this guitar. If I were in the market for a headless guitar, I would definitely be interested in this one. Thanks for the very informative demo and video. Please keep up the great work, Max!
I wonder how it feels to bend strings especially beyond a whole tone. He really didn't any bending at all in his demo.
its 2004 on amazon now
I love the simple style of that guitar, and the action is indeed remarkable. I have one of my fretless basses set to 3/64 at the 17th fret, but I can't imagine going lower than that. The neck HAS to be perfect...
Absolutly love the modern look of the guitar. Sure i do like vintage style aswell but it's refreshing, i could considering to have one for this price.
This dude can shred and he knows guitars. My favorite new channel. Derek from KS.
Bought one for my eldest son. He loves it.
Wanted to comment on the Jimmy Swagg video. It's no surprise that Jimmy is tearing up the club scene in LA. He's a good entertainer....good energy in his music.Your camera work and editing capture that energy very effectively. Kudos. Not sure the mock fight scene adds anything.
I really enjoy your videos, subscribed! As for the guitar, i never really cared for headless guitars in the past but wow that guitar is just awesome in my opinion!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻
I’m very impressed with the spec and tone of this guitar.
I have a guitar from Finland, called Flaxwood,
Mine is the hybrid.
That’s my fastest guitar,
The neck is composite,
I hot rodded the guitar with Dimarzio pick ups
It sounds and plays amazing!
Looks like a Strandberg and a Tele had a baby
Cross breeding?
All my guitars have the same action as the one you have here, basically at the 12th fret, the low-E is at 0.9mm while the high-E is at 0.6. If you have a neck radius of 9.5" or above, action like this is possible no matter what brand the guitar is, IF you make a crazy-impeccable fret leveling job.
So no need to buy this China Böller
I have done some insane levelling on my fender, somehow it still buzz for A string only while fretting I realised that the A string oscillated more than the other, can you shed some lights?
@@heavymetal11 the case you are describing fits well with your observation. If your A string is the only one that stands out with slightly more obvious buzz than the other 5 strings and IF that buzz is pretty much uniform across the frets and not localized to only "here and there" (which would indicate that those particular frets still require a bit more attention with levelling), then what you've assumed is precisely what is going on: the A string's vibration produces higher amplitudes at the peaks of its standing wave pattern, causing it to reach further around it, kinda like having a bigger oscillating "radius" around its own axis, thus touching your frets and causing buzz at an action that is otherwise perfectly suited for those other 5 strings. This is due to the frequency at which it vibrates to some degree, but mostly due to the combination of alloys, core shape (round or hex), diameter and winding pattern/thickness/spread, which is what ultimately decides how the string oscillates for a given note, when comparing other strings of different construction, which will vibrate differently for that same exact note. In short, try changing the brand of strings and even their gauge and/or tuning, you might need to experiment a bit, but on certain guitars, some weird things like this appear and have no easy solution. You need to find a set which has different enough constructive parameters and resulting tensions for their strings, so that the A might find an easy, proper and permanent cure. It reminds me of some guitars I had brought in years ago, like every now and then, maybe no more than 1-2 per year, which had a very dissonant ring in some of their components when you play certain frets/notes (like a faint buzzing of a tuner, a saddle, a screw, some wood fibers, a particular slot of the nut etc.). It is way harder to isolate the problem and fix it than it sounds at first sight. Oh, and last, but not least, try making sure the next time your put a fresh set of strings on, you don't accidentally introduce torque to the string as you're winding it around the peg or even later when tightening the machine head. You should avoid any twists and turns, the string must pass through the peg with zero side torque and also it should not gain any torque as you're tuning it up to pitch. Again, it's harder to do than it sounds at first. Sorry for the huge post, I hope it makes some sense.
LOVE that Kahler style roller bridge!!! I might get this. It's crazy how close the bridge is to the bottom
I have Eart headless and it has very low action. Did not think to connect it to the zero fret. Great stuff GMax, keep it comin.
Thanks Max for another great guitar demo!
My pleasure!
@@GuitarMAXMusic The problem is I keep wanting to buy them!
@@GuitarMAXMusicwhat was the action height on the HIGH E string the 12th fret please?
That's such a interesting sounding/looking guitar. Awesome jam 👍
Sounds great, your are right the pickups sound very vanilla but it appears they are directly mounted to the body. Let’s see what else comes out of this design in the future. I would like to see a Floyd Rose version.
I think youve summed it up for me Max- Great job-I want one-After cancer my arthritis is making it hard to play now, and this guitar seems to be an answer to that .Thank u-
Love your critiques Max! You do great job! I really do like this guitar! I think the pups sound fine! Did u mention FB radius? That's important to me. 10 to 14 is my comfort zone! I play sitting classical so that bottom cut and plug placement is perfect! Cheerz. Btw, followed your link bc u earned it! I think I need this! Been wanting headless guitar that isn't pricey! ✌out
It's bright and has decent sustain. Distortion was equally good.
My most favorite was a 79ish Epiphone (Gibson) Studio
My Steinberger 1987 GM-1 with a trans trem and active EMG pickup. The composite neck made it extremely stable and the action was incredibly low and stable.
Definitely dig the guitar. Have a few headless basses but never had a headless guitar. Might hafta give this a try.
I’ve made a few, I sell my guitars priced by how much time I spend on setup. You’re are right about the zero pickup. There’s a picture of a Gibson double cut clone that sold for 6400 dollars. I don’t build a lot of guitars but they don’t leave my shop until they are perfect. I’m the guy that likes 60s style low pickups in gold. 2 I don’t believe in much if any neck relief. I’d rather have the strings perfectly parallel to the fretboard. Then I always level the frets. Because installing the frets you still have micro fibers ,some parts of the ne k more than others, because it’s a natural part of the wood. As you push the frets in you might get them all flat. But you might have more up pressure on some areas. I wait till the glue dries, then level and polish. When I shipped that guitar to the buyer in Texas I called him and asked about the playability and action. He said hr never played a guitar with a playable action as low as this. It’s also important to get the pickups close but not too close. Because they pull down on the strings. All these adjustments are micro, but they add up. I spent more than a day on that beautiful blue guitar. I loved it so much it was hard to sell. But that’s my living I had to.
I just ordered their “Travel Dove” 🕊 because if this review. Can’t wait to play it.
Nice review great price on that cardinal … I had an 80’s Rick Turner Model Two it played like butter it was a dream regret ever selling that one
Oh gee I won something
Interesting. Very informative video 👍
Great video! Super cool guitar.
I bought a stock Jackson King V - no fret levelling in the setup - and get 0.82 mm at the 12th fret on the high E. Phenomenal.
Wow I'm glad you always use that same amp. cuz it sounded noticeably better with those pickups .the lowest action ever played on was a Carvin Les Paul Copy kind of thing. With a thin body and kind of a goofy cutaway on the singlecut cut. the strings were so low !! and it didn't buzz!! it was completely mind-blowing. The one you just showed looks even lower
The wood in that fingerboard is beautiful. Plus, I really like the diamond inlays. I don't think the output level of the pickups matters much since you'll probably be using boost pedals, overdrives, etc.
The guitar with the lowest action I've played was an Ibanez with the body style that Frank Gambale used to use. I think the low E was actually set too low. It wasn't buzzing but if you hit it hard vertically you could make it buzz a bit. It was the only guitar that I thought needed to be a smidge higher. I'm sure my Steinberger ZT 3 could have the action set as low as any guitar I've played but I just put it where it feels best to me.
Another great job on another kind of crazy cheap seems like well-made guitar. That bridge is the same one that comes on the EART headless also. Makes me wonder if they’re built in the same factory maybe by the same people? Kind of like how the Cort factory makes just about everything in Indonesia it seems like
Lowest factory setting that I received was from my PRS custom 24. Which I love low strings for shredding. I I’ve been catching you more and more just because you do showcase some of these guitars at ridiculous price points that are well-made. Picked up a couple of Harley Benton‘s from watching you which I have to say I love. And are less than a fifth of the price of my custom 24. I do OWN two EART, And they play very well. Have nicely voiced pick ups which do not need to be changed at all. Again brings me back to if it’s the same pick ups that they’re putting in the EART guitars..
Appreciate you brother!
Another awesome vid, max... as always. Really cool axe! Hey just a request from a subscriber... Can you please do a comprehensive vid on the Fender GTX that you use? And really show some of us GTX Lovers how to use that baby to get these KILLER but smooooooth high-gain tones? Amp & cab models u choose.... & effects pre/post whatever... & levels? Man... you just get the best tones!!! Thanks Max.
I am picking up my first headless today this exact one in Las Vegas for $200 buck super excited to try it out
Lowest action I ever had on a guitar was an Aria Pro 2 model where a previous owner of the instrument installed a bone nut then filed the slots very low. That axe was a dream to play for 80's shredding. My guitzr instructor liked it almost as much as he did his own Jackson.
Great explanation of the zero fret Max! Very cool guitar, trying to be more likeable to headless guitars...lol
I hate headless guitars but that’s me. I still like that Max covers everything
I recently got my first headless guitar. An Ormsby Goliath fan fret Bon Bon. Really lovely experience. Can't say if it's the lowest action I've ever played, but it has to be one of the contenders.
Nice guitar, and maybe the GW2 (now available) is on its way. At 13:33 you could check the DC resistance with a standard DMM for the pickup specs.
Very nice guitar! Good playing!
I have played nothing but headless 6-strings on stage since 1982. I played headless because they were more stable, but mostly because they made me look bigger on stage. lol. Now, I play a 335 clone because it makes my belly look not so big.
I bought a Kramer Duke 6-string in 1982. I was able to get the action so close it was very addictive. From what I could tell, the ability to get such a close action on my Duke was the quality of the fret job. I didn't measure the frets but they seemed to be extremely even over the entire neck. I'm guessing the frets were within 1/1000th of each other up and down the neck and also side-to-side across the neck. Eventually I was forced to get the frets leveled. It was never the same. I have never played a better action since.
The "1/1000" is in inches.
What is the nicest headless you ever experienced?
@@stamppedals3536 - My Kramer Duke 6-string, for the reasons described above. After I got a real job, I started buying Steinbergers. The graphite necks do not suck the heat from my left hand like the aluminum neck on the Duke.
Before every gig, and on breaks, I wrapped a cheap heating pad around the Kramer Duke's neck to prevent the cold aluminum from chilling my left hand. A small sacrifice of a few watts of electricity to enable a great neck.
I don't have to warm up the necks on my Steinbergers.
the headless guitar sounds like a perfect guitar for me, esp. since my fretting hand goes numb after only a few minutes of playing.Thanks for the Demo G.M. ill look into buying one.
as far as the tone of the guitar i think you are right on the med output Id prob end up changing the bridge pickup but sounds very playable stock.The lowest action guitar ive ever played is my new Schecter CR6 limited ed.
Very nice guitar!!!
That Latitude sounds good with you playing it and it’s probably an interesting experience to play. I can’t get past that it looks like a cutting board though. But it makes sense if you’re shredding. :)
I think you're fundamentally misunderstanding the contribution of the zero fret, a nut isn't inherently gonna have higher action, it just depends on how deep the grooves are cut, which is also very simple to modify. A standard nut can have the exact same action as the frets(LOWER, even, although you would *never* want that), often nuts are deliberately filed slightly higher than the frets to try to keep the open strings sounding as clear and buzz free as possible, but that absolutely doesn't need to be the case, and once again it's simple enough to make it level with the frets with a set of files.
Furthermore, anytime you have a problem with getting a guitar to sound good with an extremely low action, the issue is almost never gonna be with the nut/ zero fret height. Except for some extreme scenarios( like my ibanez that came with an extremely high action on the locking nut, although that was more of a comfort/intonation problem than a sound one), your issues with buzz as you lower the action are always gonna come from the consistency of the fretwork. Unless the nut action is actually *lower* than the frets, it's only gonna affect playability, especially in the lower frets, and in more extreme cases intonation in the lower frets.
Edit: P.S I think zero frets are awesome and wish more guitars had them, it's just really not the action that gets improved.
Exactly my thoughts, Nick
Not to mention that you need perfect relief (too many people "straight-neck" their guitars.) And the tighter your setup, the more you're going to notice changes due to humidity. I keep most of my guitars at low-to-average action, but keep one Strat "on the deck". Kind of a one-handed guitar at that point, all I need is talent!
@@UncleKennysPlace That depends too, for ultra low action on a guitar with perfect frets(if you had a plek service done, for example) a perfectly straight neck can be the correct setup.
@@NickTheSickDick If you don't think that zero frets improve action, why do you find them awesome then?
@@Tomislav_B. On a conceptual level I think it's really cool and makes a lot of sense to have the open notes vibrating off of a fret like every single other note on the guitar, it also simplifies the job of the nut, as on a guitar with a zero fret the nut only serves to guide the strings into their positions, so the tolerances aren't nearly as tight, you're pretty much never gonna run into a situation where the strings are binding on the nut and causing instability if you take this factor into account.
+I think they look cool
Nice overview, would have loved to have heard a demo of the PUPs on a clean channel.
Damn low action? I need it ahhhhh
Sounds good and seems to play good, definitly a strandberg inspired body shape. I hate that neck heel tho
Nice job Dancek but I like nice looking guitars.
I built a guitar with the same bridge and retainer, it's a nice setup.
I brought one of the old Liverpool ‘pro’ shops to tears with the action I’d set on my Sakai strat; the nice boy in the shop sat there for 10 minutes playing a range of styles on it…. and really didn’t want to give it back to me; I’d set it low for jazz and soloing but I wasn’t sure I’d got it right - he told me their techs couldn’t set up a guitar like that - and I’ve played with that setup for almost 50 years! The old Eko Rangers from the 70’s had a zero fret and I’ll never, ever part with that perfect guitar! It’s a dreadnaught running ball-end classical strings and I’ve never found an acoustic as good as it anywhere!
Hi Rebecca really pleasant to read I’m considering buying Eko acoustic
Cool info
How did you get the low action? Did you level the frets?
@@joeking433 Didn't need to - the frets were already good enough; I just had to work on the saddles with an allen key and a tuner - but it was also helped by playing 9's on all my guitars as I don't believe in killing my fingers on heavy guage strings!
@@rebeccaabraham8652what were your action heights at the 12th fret?
I have 20 guitars and the lowest action ones are the Eart Headless W2 and the Ibanez Artcore 73 made in 2018. Of course the Latitude and Eart Headless guitars are close to identical and Latitude is the creation of a former Eart associate i have heard. I would even guess that they may be manufactured in the same factory, but maybe not. The bridge pickup on this Latitude sounds the same as the Eart I have. The pickups sound decent and My Eart has the pickups with covers and I am on the fence on whether to replace them or not. After experimenting with the pick up heights they actually sound pretty good. Have the neck backed off more than the bridge. Prefer the died burl finishes on the Eart over the Latitude Ash body models. I think that a set of quality pickups with split coil options would go nice in these guitars. The KD bridge stays in tune better than standard tuners I have used and the roasted neck helps too.
I made a Cocobolo w carbon fiber guitar. 100% stable since the 80s. Action is less than 2/32 on the 12th, slightly less than 2/32 on the 24th. Super low action has different dynamics. A normal 3 note bend pressure equals four here, so you can do oscillator style bending vibrato by hand.
Amazing cocobolo neck?
Fotos could be interesting
It's also sold as a model from EART Guitars, and I have one. All the comments you made Max, apply to it as well, except for the finishes and coming with a case.
I've heard around the campfire that Tom from Eart left to start Latitude hence the similar designs and frets.
I heard from around Eart that he took some wood from the campfire to build his first Latitude guitar. Okay, bye. 🥸People seem to like those Eart guitars.
They both are identical except for the body wood.
Nice, I will have to check and see if they have a Lefty model.
Nice guitar bro. !!!
Reminds me of my EART W2, which is also capable of shockingly low action thanks to the zero fret on it as well. Gonna be honest, not a fan of the logo on the body on this, and I prefer the finish on my W2, but really either would be a great travel guitar for anybody looking for a budget friendly portable shredder.
That's basically what it is. Latitude was founded by one of the Eart owners or employess.
That would definitely be great in the the rear of my big rig!
I’m sorry, but it’s not likely the zero fret. Any headless guitar made in the last 4-5 years by ALP, JamStack Studio analog + polyphonic midi guitar (which is a slightly modified ALP Leaf 100 analog body + Zivix polyphonic midi pickup/electronics/firmware), Eart, and Latitude all share one thing in common: the exact same KD Patented bridge and very similar if not identical neck and fretboard specs. The Jamstik Studio and the entire ALP headless lineup do NOT have zero frets. Instead, these models all have an adjustable locking nut (the height can be tweaked using a hex key) that’s made of either brass or stainless (I forget which). No zero frets, yet they all still have ridiculously low actions.
The way I’ve come to understand from Zivix directly, it’s the unique bridge design that makes it possible to set the action crazy low without any buzzing. When you see the bridge up close and learn to adjust it (I posted a link in the comments to great video tutorial), you start to realize that this bridge is ingenious and is capable of being manipulated in ways that no other bridge is able to be adjusted. I really don’t think the zero fret is doing much of anything with this particular bridge design. The Jamstik I borrowed recently has an even lower action than the Amplitude Max reviewed - and again, this guitar does not have a zero fret. If the Eart and Amplitude guitars didn’t have a zero fret and had the same decent nut that’s already installed, I am fairly confident the action would be just as low as it is with the zero fret installed.
In most cases, the zero fret is an amazing concept. I just don’t think it’s doing anything in the case of the Eart and Amplitudes that have them installed. It’s really the unique bridge coupled with a perfectly spec’ed neck to complement it that makes the action capable of getting adjusted so low without any buzzing.
@@MashaT22 My 2nd acoustic guitar ever was a Framus 12 String 1971. It had a zero fret and it sounded brighter in a very good way. A stainless steel zero fret should be trouble free compared to plastic or bone nuts etc.
@@MashaT22
Is it Latitude or 'Amplitude'? You've confused me...
What if you could get action that low on any guitar by using a capo at the 1st fret while setting it up? I think I might try that soon.
Lowest action I ever played was on an Ibanez flamenco style guitar.from 03. Really huge sound and played like butter. Only too bad it wasn't mine.
That’s crazy! I gotta try one a thems!
10:18 I will continue to blame my lazy ignorant fingers!
I'm a headstock guy myself headless guitars all look like keytars to me nice neck area though 😎🎆🤘
That's a really nice guitar. The pickups sound the same as you would find on an Epiphone. Pretty much spot on Epi. I would definitely change them out, maybe for a set of Dimarzios. How did you like the bridge, was it tight, or a little muddy?
I’ve been a dimarzio fan forever…if I’m changing pickups thats my go to!!
max. I'm a big fan of your channel. your collection is very awsome. perhaps you could help me. I just got my hands on a murdok single cut les paul style guitar with cream binding. abalone inlay on the knobs, the headstock, and pickguard. knobs are metal. dual humbuckers. three way switch. two volume. two tone. standard lp style bridge setup. but I can't find anything out anywhere about this guitar. could you try and find out anything please.
I remember old Gretsch Chet Atkins had a zero fret I ve seen people take a chisel and knock them out I never thought I would ever see a zero fret this day and age .
She sounds great all you got is to do her intone 🤘😜🎸😝🤟😎👍she rocks out everyway which way you make HER
I actually would love to try that.
Nice review! Some other considerations for zero fret guitars:
1. They can slightly change the sound of open strings to more closely resemble fretted strings (since, after all, the string is in constant contact with a fret). This can be a pro or con depending on your point of view.
2. Sometimes zero frets are prone to having grooves worn into them by the strings. When this happens, you can experience that 'plink' sound when bending a string. Not really a big deal but can be annoying. Jeff Kiesel cites this as the reason for abandoning zero frets on Kiesel headless models. I've personally experienced this with a Strandberg guitar, but I know not all Strandberg owners encounter this problem. Your mileage may vary.
Guitar looks cool though, especially for the price, and perhaps any drawbacks of the zero fret may be outweighed by the benefits of consistent low action playability.
You're not gonna grind grooves into steel frets, though.
@@NickTheSickDick My Strandberg has steel frets and it did, in fact, develop grooves after only a few months.
@@thoughtsbeforesleep I wonder if they use a softer alloy or something... Maybe you use a set of strings with a very high carbon content? That seems very odd, I believe you're being honest of course.
@@NickTheSickDick I was surprised as well as I also wouldn't expect it to happen (at least so quickly) with stainless steel frets. This happened with the strings that came with the guitar. Strandberg is aware of the issue and actually offers detailed instructions on fixing it on their site (basically amounts to sanding/polishing the fret). I haven't tried their instructions yet.
pro tip: never listen to "reasons" from Jeff "tone wood" Kiesel
i had a johnny ramone mosrite with a zero fret. that action was also amazingly low
Max - please let me know your opinion 🙏- Eart Gw2 headless or this latitude headless? Which do you recommend? Thanks for everything you do!!!!
Hey Max. I really like the sound of it. What kind pickups . M C UK 🇬🇧
Nice piece of gear. My Strandberg has the lowest action among my guitars.
A carin guitar set just slightly lower. Low e .7mm high e .5mm. Truss set so the neck was super straight. It's possible to get this setup on a loy of guitar if the neck is real straight and not twisted and if the frets are leveled and preferably stainless steel to keep them wearing out as much.
The lowest action of any instrument I've ever tried is probably the Chapman Stick. Those things are insanely low actioned! I have zero-frets on most of my basses and it really helps with the open string tone. I haven't noticed much lower action just because of the zero-frets, but I can imagine it might help a lot on guitars. Something that really helps with lower action on basses are tiny frets. If you order a custom bass sometime, pick the smallest fret size (both height and width) available. Something like Jescar FW37080 or Dunlop 6300 family are great. With frets like these you can get the action super low without any kind of fret buzz (assuming the bass/neck construction and setup are perfect). Intonation also gets better. I think Dingwall uses the Dunlop 6310 for their basses.
Cool!
Are the pick-ups directly mounted to the body? Are they standard size, if I want to switch them out? Thanks. I really enjoy the content.
Just direct mount humbuckers but they have a larger hole in the wing so if you get pickups you will have to drill out the screw hole for the direct mount screw ( it's bigger )
Great video sir. I would scallop that neck since they are stainless frets. Very cool. ♥️🤘Do you have to use double ball strings or does it use normal strings?
Why would stainless frets particularly need scalloped fretboard?
@@Tomislav_B. They wouldn't. I just like it because it's more like really jumbo frets then. He said these were medium jumbos. ♥️🤘
I’m trying to decide between the Ibanez AZES or the Latitude shown in this video. Any thoughts would be appreciated?
I just got this exact guitar, but it's a Censtar. Did the brand change its name or something? I was blown away by how incredibly it plays. I might never get another guitar with a headstock again.
I’m interested in buying one of these but I’m curious if I higher gauge of strings 10-56 for example. Would it create buzzing or would it be a simple bridge adjustment like a guitar with a traditional nut?
I had a cheap 0 fret guitar and used to think "thats a clever way to make cheap nut cuts". So I removed the fret and shifted the nut. Now I'm thinking that could have been a bad idea
Cheap guitar used zero frets because it was cheaper to make guitars this way, but the zero fret was taller than the other fret and didn't help with the action at all. Mosrite was the company that really used zeros frets properly and have wonderful action. Its good to see somebody using Zero frets properly again so people dont have to look for a 60 year old Mosrite.
Looks like a wood shop project. Your opening was very tasty Max. I’m not sure I like headless instrument.
I emailed the company and asked about if they were planning on putting one out with a trem bar. They said yes, but it had not been released yet. So, I want a Cardinal, but im waiting on the Trem bar model.
I knew this was a headless guitar before I ever got a look at the top of the neck. I could tell from the bridge. This guitar has the same exact bridge as the JamStik Studio (which is a slightly modified ALP Leaf-100 with Zivix polyphonic midi electronics). I can almost be certain that Latitude makes its headless guitars at the same factory. Anyone know which exact factory produces ALP, JamStik Studio, Eart, and Latitude guitars?
The necks are quite similar between any of these headless guitars that have the same bridge - the Studio’s neck is amazing, although it has a locking stainless/brass (I forget which) nut and doesn’t use a zero fret. I’ve tried the Studio guitar before. I can be almost bet that this Latitude’s neck is just as smooth and comfortable (although I wish they’d also offer a 24.75” - all of the aforementioned headless guitar brands are only sold as 25.5” as far as I’ve seen). The fretwork on the JamStik Studio was a little scratchy on the treble side when I tried one, but it just would have needed a mild file taken to it. The Jamstik Studio’s neck is very playable out of the box once the files are smoothed a bit.
Let me tell you, this KD bridge is insane on the Studio and it’s amazing on any guitar I’ve ever seen it installed onto. It’s a little intimidating at first glance and is tricky to adjust if you’re just winging it without instructions, but I found a CZcamsr with an Eart headless that uses the same KD bridge - he demoed how to adjust the bridge and what all the screws do here : czcams.com/video/EYmkXKhfhlU/video.html. I suggest watching before fiddling with it because it’s very easy to make a goof and fiddle with the wrong screws until they fall out lol. After you see it once, it’s really easy.
GuitarMax is correct that the action can be set crazy low without buzzing and no guitar tech required, but I don’t think it’s the zero fret alone doing it because the Studio is capable of being set just as low. I believe it’s the bridge design that allows for tolerances not possible in other bridges.
They actually sell the same bridge (and pickups!) separately on Amazon if anyone is interested (long story how I know that lol). The tuning keys eventually need some tightening after a lot of playing (which is true of all tuning keys to some degree) and then it’s back to rocking. This bridge would be a great mod on any existing guitar or for custom and kit builds.
My one gripe is that they didn’t put thumb screws instead of the little magnetic hex key (it’s easy to lose track of if you drop it or set it down, though you can buy extras or use a larger hex key if you prefer). I don’t think they could design the bridge the way it is with thumb screws like some headless bridges have. If the tuning keys are too tight or get very loose, you won’t be able to use your fingers like GuitarMax said. Your fingers will also bump into the adjoining tuners and knock them out of whack, which means you’ll have to keep going back to fix other strings you already did (fyi this happened with my small dainty lady hands lol, not stubby man fingers).
I think anyone would be happy with any guitar brand that has their KD bridge and pickups.
P.S. I’d also love to know where the KD branded accessories are made - I wonder if it’s made at the same factory as all the brands I mentioned.
I want this style in 7s with a multi scale neck.
I only own two guitars. A Charvel model 1C, and a Yamaha SG. They're both nicely set up. But, the Charvel has ridiculously low action. Not too low that you can't pull off the strings, like some.
lowest action guitar I've ever played was my Vigier Excalibur (Shawn Lane signature model) which also has a zero fret. I used to own one. a close second would be my RG 565 Genesis. So I do think the zerofret really does make a difference.
The look of the Latitude is almost identical to the Strandberg headless models.
But the price is quite different! 🎸🎶🎶
The neck profile is significantly different though.
The guitar with the lowest action I've ever played would be the psychedelic purple Jackson ke3 professional series I had as a teenager. The cliche "the one that got away" comes to mind. I have played a lot of Jackson kt3 guitars in my lifetime and the one I had was unique as far as a perfectly straight neck not a single bend, flawless Floyd Rose tremolo and lockouts, it was the closest thing to a zero fret you can find without it being a zero fret. And you know most electric guitars even the very very expensive ones the next usually aren't exactly flawless, but this one was. Out of probably 100 Jackson guitars this was the one that had the flawless everything. And it was from the era before Jackson went cheap.
Aside from the low action, how is this different than the Eart headless that you reviewed? Even the shape looks similar just a bit more rounded.
Another win from Latitude!
Probably the same factory as the Eart headless? Which one do you think is better?
Looks both weird & radical simultaneously. I would have it customized with a larger cutaway, spikier horns, and a built in handle like a Steve Vai guitar. Had to edit because I am amazed by the price!!! 😁
Does it take special strings or do you just lock them down under some tension and cut them off past the nut then fine tune down at the bridge? If they're special strings, what's the availability of them?
Ball end of the string is at the nut
I have one theyre killer for the price though mine came in a trade. I see theyre making 7 strings finally. MAYBE 8 WILL COME!!!!!
This looks identical to the EART GW2. Is this a rebranding from the same manufacturer? How close is it to the GW2 you tried, Max?
Yeah, same but different body wood.
Ibanez 540S from the late 80's / early 90's. By far the thinnest neck I've played as well.
Thank you, love your Chanel...
I just downloaded the app but they haven't sent me a activation code. I'm waiting on their tech support. I'll contact you as soon as I can.
Max, would you say you like this guitar better than the EART headless? I want one but cant make up mind between the two.
Did you decide on the latitude or eart? Would appreciate a pm if you're willing. I am facing the same dilemma. Wouldn't be surprised to learn they are made in the same factory.
Looks like someone was making a large jigsaw puzzle piece while riding in a microbus on a dirt bike trail.
Would you buy the Eart of Lattitude version of this guitar? Seems the Eart pickups sound better.
A zero fret doesn’t change much. You can and should file a nut a low as fretbuzz allows. A zero fret doesn’t change that limit. 1/32 is so low that you have to play the guitar really gently. Super low action is definitely not for everybody. For example Steve Vai wants the action to be 3.2/32 for the low E and 3/32 for the high E. Also Malmsteen and Bonamassa like fairly high action.
Agreed. I used to be part of the "low action is the only way to go" cult until my ear got better and i started to notice how sloppy I sounded. My fretting fingers would tend to get lost too because the strings were too noodley. So eventually I raised the action by less than a millimeter and the extra bit of tension that that created actually helped me to play more precisely...and equally if not more importantly, overall tone was a lot better.
Its easy to get caught up in looking for every short cut possible. I had the same issue with trying to choose which pick thickness i preferred. Thin always felt more "comfortable" but anything beyond hard rock, its difficult to play with control and precision.