The projection of the string is determined by the height of the nut and
the holes in the bridge. If the neck has a set or slight warp, thicker
frets will be called for and that thickness will be determined by the
projection of the strings.
I used to use much thinner frets but as Dan Winheld has noted, there is
no drawback whatever to using thicker frets.
Cordially,
Damian
Why don't you try a much thinner 9th fret (say 0.50mm) which not only
fits with Dowland's fretting advice (the principal historic source of
fret sizes) but would also enable you to have smaller lower frets, say
down to 0.90mm and thereby set the lute 'fine'?
MH
--- On Tue, 17/3/09, damian dlugolecki <[1]dam...@teleport.com> wrote:
From: damian dlugolecki <[2]dam...@teleport.com>
Subject: [LUTE] Re: Hi guys, nylon frets...
To: "Daniel Winheld" <dwinh...@comcast.net>, lute@cs.dartmouth.edu
Date: Tuesday, 17 March, 2009, 3:52 AM
"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"
<[3]dwinh...@comcast.net>
To: <[4]l...@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
>
> --
>
>
> To get on or off this list see list information at
> [5]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>
--
References
1. mailto:dam...@teleport.com
2. mailto:dam...@teleport.com
3. http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=dwinh...@comcast.net
4. http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=l...@cs.dartmouth.edu
5. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
