Fanning the frets on stringed instruments has been done as early as Renaissance times. Now, the multiscale fretboard is gaining popularity again, as artists look for improved ways to get the best tone from their guitars.

To explain the benefits of fanned fret design, we ghostwrote this blog post for a local luthier at Strictly 7 Guitars (S7G). Based on an informative interview with the company president and plenty of additional research about multiscale guitar design, this blog describes the difference that fanned frets can make:

Pretend you’re holding a guitar. Without bending your wrist, slide your fretting hand up and down the neck. Notice how your arm naturally makes an arc like a windshield wiper blade? The fanned fret design mimics that ergonomic motion, which naturally makes a multiscale guitar more comfortable to play.