Dear nameless asker,
gut is more flexible than nylon. You will therefore more likely expect
some gap with nylon frets than with gut which most people use. Nylon
works, but it is more difficult to prevent the knot from slipping.
You don't want a really sharp edge on the fingerboard, but you don't
want too much of a radius either. Use your best judgement.
Flat fingerboards are typical for Renaissance lutes while Baroque
lutes tend to have a slight crown. I personally find it much easier
with a crowned fingerboard so I ordered my liuto attiorbato with a
crowned fingerboard as well although the original's is flat. Again,
there is no strict rule so you might want to fit your lute's neck to
your hand.
Success!
Gernot
On 28.04.2008, at 18:51, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Hello Lutenists,
I need some help. Not with the fret knot itself or the like, but
please bear
with me:
I stripped the fixed metal fret fingerboard from my lute & replaced
it with a
fretless fingerboard. I am not a luthier, just very careful. I did
not bevel
or fillet the edges of the fingerboard, at least not yet. I notice
that the
stress resulting from the nylon fret trying to make the sharp bend
is lifting
it up near the edge. That is, near the edge of the fingerboard there
is a
small gap or "daylight" under the fret. It is actually not all that
small, big
enough so that I can see that it will be a problem.
I know this is not a lute building list but you can help me get
playing again
by looking at your lutes (assuming you are using tie on frets) and
telling me
if the edges are beveled or filleted, and if so, how much. And here
is another
question: if you lay a straight edge on your fingerboard, is it
straight or
crowned? I was careful to get mine really flat but now I wonder.
Another related question I have is, nylon or gut for frets? I only
have nylon
right now. Is this stress effect peculiar to nylon? I would not
think so since
I notice that wrapped strings lift near the edge as well.
Thank You All Very Much,
-plh
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