Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
- natthu
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Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
Has anyone here had any experience with either Quarter tone guitars or the brand Revelation*?
I was thinking of buying one of these Revelation Marrakesh guitars (they have extra frets to access tones not usually found in Western music).
I can source one pretty easily from interstate, but I don't have the opportunity to try one locally first.
I know it's not really the same thing, but I have the EHX Ravish Sitar effect pedal and quite enjoy trying to sound a bit "Eastern" at times.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
*Revelation make what looks to be a pretty decent budget Bass VI (as well as other Offsets, including a twelve string JM), which is what drew my attention to them in the first place.
(Picture stolen from a finished Reverb sale - my apologies to the original owner):
I was thinking of buying one of these Revelation Marrakesh guitars (they have extra frets to access tones not usually found in Western music).
I can source one pretty easily from interstate, but I don't have the opportunity to try one locally first.
I know it's not really the same thing, but I have the EHX Ravish Sitar effect pedal and quite enjoy trying to sound a bit "Eastern" at times.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
*Revelation make what looks to be a pretty decent budget Bass VI (as well as other Offsets, including a twelve string JM), which is what drew my attention to them in the first place.
(Picture stolen from a finished Reverb sale - my apologies to the original owner):
- natthu
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Re: Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
I should probably mention, I have previously owned a de-fretted telecaster neck which achieved a similar Eastern sound, but it was very difficult to play well (and I'm a fretless bass player)...
- Hilarion Lefuneste
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Re: Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
I think Eastwood makes a microtonal guitar too.
Yes, they do: https://eastwoodguitars.com/blogs/news/ ... nal-guitar.
But if you're interested in that kind of sound, why not just play an electric saz?
Yes, they do: https://eastwoodguitars.com/blogs/news/ ... nal-guitar.
But if you're interested in that kind of sound, why not just play an electric saz?
- natthu
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Re: Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
That looks very cool. I love it.... however, it's more than twice the price of the Revelation Marrakesh and looks to be pretty rare/hard to source (especially since I'm not in the US). I can get the Revelation brand new from a shop here in Australia (no import tax) delivered to my door for a nominal fee.Hilarion Lefuneste wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2019 6:24 pmI think Eastwood makes a microtonal guitar too.
Yes, they do: https://eastwoodguitars.com/blogs/news/ ... nal-guitar.
I guess the quarter tone guitar option provides familiarity - plus it can actually just be played like a normal guitar, for normal western guitar sounds. Since I'm no musical virtuoso, that makes it a bit more versatile. I did go to the bother of looking up electric sazs, and it would be cool to have one, but I fear it's probably a bit too niche of an instrument for my purposes.Hilarion Lefuneste wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2019 6:24 pmBut if you're interested in that kind of sound, why not just play an electric saz?
- kimson
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Re: Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
Great, now I want one...
- Zork
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- Zork
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Re: Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
Quick idea: the frets on a Saz Baglama and similar instruments are actually made from a nylon fishing line. So I thought "why not take a guitar, get some fishing line and put in the additional frets the traditional way?" I will try this asap! Now I need to find someone in the turkish community who shows me how to do it.
- kimson
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Re: Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
I verily approve of this idea.Zork wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2019 3:21 amQuick idea: the frets on a Saz Baglama and similar instruments are actually made from a nylon fishing line. So I thought "why not take a guitar, get some fishing line and put in the additional frets the traditional way?" I will try this asap! Now I need to find someone in the turkish community who shows me how to do it.
- natthu
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- antisymmetric
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Re: Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
This is all getting interesting! Subscribed.
Watching the corners turn corners
- Zork
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Re: Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
Fishing line ordered. You'll need 0.35 or 0.4mm monofilament nylon line if anyone else wants to try this. Here's how you tie the frets: https://youtu.be/TuN821QQ6S4 (I don't understand turkish either but it's pretty clearly shown).
@natthu: let me know if I hijack your thread too much.
@natthu: let me know if I hijack your thread too much.
- natthu
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- Zork
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Re: Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
Ok thank you! Can you tell me some more about your fretless guitar? I'm about to finish a fretless neck for my strat, too, and I'm really curious about it. Did you use open tunings? What kind of strings? I plan to get the heaviest flats I can possibly find and experiment with open tunings with a lot of tension. Can you share some experience?
- Bradley-Jazz
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Re: Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
Hi, I’ve no experience of microtonal guitars (all sounds fascinating though!).
However, I have a bit of Revelation guitars. I had a Jazzmaster-esque 12 string which I sold in advance of getting an Electric XII, and still have their take on a Bass VI.
Both are good guitars. Well finished, pretty solid hardware, and play well. Both are pretty heavy, but then they are large instruments.
If the price is right, my experience is that Revelation is worth a go.
However, I have a bit of Revelation guitars. I had a Jazzmaster-esque 12 string which I sold in advance of getting an Electric XII, and still have their take on a Bass VI.
Both are good guitars. Well finished, pretty solid hardware, and play well. Both are pretty heavy, but then they are large instruments.
If the price is right, my experience is that Revelation is worth a go.
All the cheeses....
- natthu
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Re: Revelation Marrakesh (Quartertone Offset)
Thanks for that. I have suspected that they fill a similar market space to high end Squiers or maybe low end Fenders (ie decent quality, but still somewhat affordable). All the reviews I've read, plus your opinion, seem to confirm this.Bradley-Jazz wrote: ↑Mon Nov 04, 2019 4:14 am...If the price is right, my experience is that Revelation is worth a go.