"Using the thinnest frets that you can get away with" is a
basic premise for fretting, but there are many lutes where the
neck has set (but hopefully not twisted)
where heavy frets are called for. My baroque lute represents
just such an instance where everything is fine except that
much thicker frets are called for and more
care in selecting sizes to taper up to the 10th fret. Here is
the fret scheme for my lute:
frets
1,2,3 1.25 mm
4,5 1.20 "
6 1.10 "
7 1.05 "
8 1.00 "
9 .95 "
10 .85 "
So if you find you need heavier frets, do not be alarmed. My
lute plays beautifully, there is no undue wear on the strings
on the finger board,
and everything is in tune. You may have to invest in some
fret gut, but like tuning, it's part of the job.
Damian
Please visit my web site at www.damianstrings.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel Winheld" <dwinh...@comcast.net>
To: <Lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 11:57 AM
Subject: [LUTE] Re: Hi guys, nylon frets...
Dana- this seems like excellent advice & cautions in regard
to nylon
frets. In line with that, I would also advise noting what
the neck
and fingerboard are made of- ebony fingerboard with ebony
veneered
neck would seem to be best; in any case the hardest,
toughest woods
possible would be in order.
Anything else, especially if the lute is of some value,
could be
counter productive so why not go with the easier, safer, and
in any
case better sounding traditional alternative?
That said, I would also advise the thinnest frets that you
could get
away with. Dowland's advice seems appropriate here; he
starts with
4th course for the first two frets (.85 - .90 mm), next two
of 3rd
course size, (.70-ish) 5th & 6th fret, 2nd course; and the
rest
trebles.
Also single frets would be best; while the traditional
doubles are
rarely used by modern lutenists anyway, only gut doubles
will "bed
down" properly for cleanest sound. Attempting to get enough
tension
for tightness, and for the fret to lie flat near the
fingerboard
edges at the first fret position with 1.15 nylon would take
two
gorillas with vice grip pliers. And a titanium neck with
carbon
fingerboard.
Dan
Nylon can be made to work, but it even more of a pain in the
proverbial
than gut. It is stronger than most neck woods and will
leave an
indentation; some like that, it marks where the fret goes.
Others dislike
it for the same reason, get it wrong and you are stuck. The
knots are
prickly, and burning them makes noxious smoke which you
really shouldnt
inhale.
Nylon is probably longer lasting than gut, but not forever,
I have had
nylon frets break.
I switched to gut a long time ago and far prefer it.
The first fret is particularly challenging as you have so
little room
above it to use in stretching the knot tighter; I always
found pliers
necesary on the first fret; leave the ends long enough that
you can grip
away from the knot, then wrap a length around the jaws, you
dont want to
be squashing the nylon to get a grip anywhere near the knot.
--
Dana Emery
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