Hello Christopher
What I use with nylon is a knot I learned from Dan Larson at an LSA
fest. It's basically a slipknot with the fret pulled tight through the loop.
I find it works great with nylon that has been roughened with sandpaper.
I have too many instruments to string with gut ($) and I play with nails
(you know, for the historical accuracy) which tend to chew up gut strings. I
use nylon and carbon fiber. Interestingly enough, I find my gut frets being
worn much more on the treble side than the bass. Probably more use - but
then, why the higher frets more than the lower? (picture me scratching my
head)
But here's another advantage to nylon frets - virtually no wear.
Best,
Joseph Mayes
On 4/28/08 7:54 PM, "Christopher Stetson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Interesting, Joseph! My lute is well overdue for refretting (sp?), and I've
> always used gut. Do you have any pointers for tying nylon tightly? I tied
> the traditional double frets when I started 30 years ago, then went over to
> single strand with a flame-singed ball on the end to hold the knot. Is this
> basically what you do with nylon? Any advantage to nylgut, etc. (though that
> would eliminate at least part of the cost advantage!)?
>
> Also, do you use gut for stringing, or nylon and overspun? If the latter,
> what's your experience with wear on the frets from the wound strings?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chris.
>
>>>> Joseph Mayes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 4/28/2008 6:36 pm >>>
> Hello
>
> I must differ on some points:
> In my experience, nylon frets are more difficult to tie and tend not to lie
> flat if not tied tight enough - but (and this is huge!IMHP) they never ever
> ever loosen. I just rebought for use as a loaner a lute that I had sold over
> ten years ago the nylon frets were old when I sold it. They're still on the
> instrument and still tight. I had a Donald Warnock lute made in 1967 with
> nylon frets. The original frets are still tight. NEVER EVER LOOSEN.
>
> If you run the fret past a piece of sand paper a couple of times, nylon
> becomes quite textured and holds quite well.
>
> There are people who will tell you that gut frets sound better than nylon.
> These people have better ears than I.
>
> Most of my instruments have gut frets, but if I must retie one, the
> replacement will be nylon for two reasons: 1) expense - it's far cheaper
> than gut. And 2) I won't ever have to tie that fret again.
>
> Best,
>
> Joseph Mayes
>
>
> On 4/28/08 2:46 PM, "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>> Dear All:
>> One of my lutes had a flat fingerboard with edging that came to a rather
>> sharp point, and I had trouble getting frets to lie flat, especially those
>> made with larger-diameter gut. They did indeed exhibit some "daylight" at the
>> edges. I had a luthier bevel the edges slightly, and now the frets all lie
>> flat.
>> I don't think nylon works nearly as well as gut for frets, for a veriety of
>> reasons:
>> 1) It stretches less once in place, and so stays tight longer;
>> 2) It is a little "tacky" and stays in place better than the relatively
>> slippery nylon;
>> 3) It bends more readily than nylon, allowing it to lie flat more easily.
>> Depending on the action of your lute, it also may help to graduate the
>> diameters slightly, starting perhaps with 1 mm gut at the first fret and
>> working down to 0.80 or 0.75 mm at the seventh fret. But if the action is a
>> little high, you can use the same diameter throughout.
>> Cheers and good luck,
>> Jim
>>
>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> Date: 2008/04/28 Mon AM 11:51:02 CDT
>> To: lute@cs.dartmouth.edu
>> Subject: [LUTE] Tying on frets
>>
>> 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
>>
>>
>>
>> To get on or off this list see list information at
>> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>>
>>
>
>
>
