When your tapping the fretless side of the instrument, does it feel slightly odd at first? Because the amount of attack needed to produce a note has to be more on the fretless side (especially on the lower strings)than on the fretted side??? I don't know, maybe it's not that noticeable. Please let me know. Thanks. I love the sound of the fretless NS Stick (Bass half).

I've been playing my half fretless Grand exclusively since June. It's really spectacular. The tap attack (acceleration/pressure of the finger) is no different. Just have to find the correct intonation spots while playing multiple parts. Listeners hear a big difference in tone and clarity. And of course the expressive possibilies can't be beat.

SA

The same is true with fretless bass guitars which is why i prefer them.

Love the growl.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taQKRgP--bA[/youtube]

Woah! Does that mean it is a 6+6 with mirrored fretless bass side in 5ths tuning? A custom build, I guess? (since it's not mentioned at the SE site)

Yes a custom built Stick. Standard tuning. Like Don says, the warmth and BRRR and WHRRR factors make it sound super musical. A stainless steel plate on the bass side, the height of the melody frets, acts like one big fret. Extremely expressive and full sounding.
The customization also includes a lowering of the wood on the melody side beyond the last fret, to accommodate right hand fingerpicking and finger-popping exploration.
Stick players who have heard this instrument, have had ear opening positive comments. It's a wonderful instrument.

Steve A

Sounds very interesting! The bass side tuning held me back from ordering a NS half fretless and had me go with a grand instead, as my first Stick. Hope someone will film at Bar Mitzvah and upload to YouTube!

STrange that there are so few half fretless two hand tapping instruments available! I spotted Kai Kurosawa with this costum built Warr http://bit.ly/8sGv6d.

Kai's axe is not a Warr but a Beartrax, a custom guitar built by Siggy Abramzik from Germany, you can check some of his work here http://www.abramzik.com/bearguitars.
By the way Kai's instrument is 1/4 fretless, only the 4 lowest strings of the base side are fretless, and he uses strings that have an additional nylon coat that gives them a somehow darker sound like an upright.
If I remember correctly Kai has also a Warr with the same kind of custom mod (1/4 fretless).

Cheers, Daniel.

Ah, it IS! Thanks! I thought it was a Warr since it was on the warrzone.com front page. Yes, I've been eying the Beartrax for a while. Like this excellent instrument http://www.youtube.com/user/sprugian#p/u/11/7rzFA_UiFWo