Zero fret
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A zero fret is a fret placed at the headstock end of the neck of a banjo, guitar, mandolin, or bass guitar. The zero fret is positioned at the end of the instrument's scale, and serves to hold the string above the fretboard and other frets.
[edit] Function
The zero fret is positioned at the location normally occupied by the nut. On a guitar having a zero fret, the nut is located behind the zero fret and serves solely to keep the strings spaced properly. The strings rest atop the zero fret, which is higher than the other frets. This provides the proper clearance as the strings pass over the fretboard.
[edit] Purpose
The zero fret will give the sound of an open string a timbre identical to that of a fretted string. Many players find this to be an advantage, particularly those who frequently incorporate open strings into runs primarily consisting of fretted notes. The zero fret is commonly associated with less expensive instruments, since the cost of the labor involved in making a nut with slots carefully filed to the correct height is greater than the labor required to install a zero fret. Some manufacturers that frequently use(d) a zero fret are Gretsch, Kay, Selmer, Höfner, Anderson, and Vigier.
[edit] See also
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