Can you get a guitar with a zero fret?

[The Fury]

My freind has an acoustic with a fret just in front of the nut (4/5mm), I think it's called a zero fret. Can you buy electric guitars with these? It felt a lot better to fret notes at the first fret. Are there any advantages/disadvantages with this or any reason why most if not all electric guitars don't have them. It seeems to me it would be better to have the string resting on a peice of metal at the nut rather than plastic.

I guess I could get a custom guitar built with one if I desperately wanted, but I'd like to try out en electric 'off the shelf' - so, do they exist and if so, has anyone played one or knows of a manufacturer.

Thanks.

[slaughteredsoul]

I found this in the Guitarist:
http://www.guitarist.co.uk/gear/gear_page.asp?ID=1315
but i've seen a fender jaguar with a zero fret.Check the Fender site,You might find it there.

[The Fury]

Thanks, I read the article, also I couldn't find anything at Fenders' web site. I did a search and I couldn't find any convincing reasons for or against them, I got all the 'salesman jargon' like: "it allows for correct intonation and easy change of string gauge"- well duh, but what does that 'actualy' mean? :rolleyes:

Oh well, thanks again.

[flexistential]

... the zero fret... i remember years ago reading about zero frets, and how they are usually the mark of a poorly made guitar... something about it is easier to make a neck with the correct scale length, or intonation or ....something... i forget, i'm sorry it was really a long time ago but i definitely recall it being classified as a short cut that dubious manufacturers use, and that it should be avoided...

[chrisbs]

agree, avoid the zero fret, not a good thing.

http://www.guitarsearcher.com

[Perfect4th]

I agree on ditching the zero fret. If the issue is easier fretting, buy any quality guitar and, with pratice, ease of fretting is not an issue.

Peace!