“Fretless guitars are freeing. I’m trying to convince more bands to experiment with them. You can escape from whatever box you’re in”: Fretless guitars can change your perspective on the instrument – just ask Dead Poet Society’s Jack Collins

Jack Collins of Dead Poet Society opens for Badflower at Circolo Magnolia on December 15, 2022 in Milan, Italy.

Boston’s Dead Poet Society have come to be defined by their quirky use of fretless guitars, putting a fresh spin on gnarly, fuzz-drenched alt-rock riffs. When they bear their teeth, the riffs sound like Queens of the Stone Age’s evil twin, with hook-lavished indie vocals a devilish partner in crime.

But it almost didn’t end up that way – as guitarist Jack Collins’ teenage DIY guitar mod resulted in carnage. “When we were 15, me and my best friend had an idea to shave the frets off of my $400 Schecter Diamond Series seven-string that I bought from the mall,” the band founder explains.