Also, isn't there a greater possibility that fingering at a
thicker fret
will distort the pitch for that given note according to the
pressure
applied?
Ron (UK)
-----Original Message-----
From: Martyn Hodgson [mailto:hodgsonmar...@yahoo.co.uk]
Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 8:24 AM
To: lute@cs.dartmouth.edu; damian dlugolecki
Subject: [LUTE] Re: Hi guys, nylon frets...
Not really true that thicker frets have 'no drawback' -
the use of
thinner frets (but still graduated by the same amount from
lowest to
highest) allows the lute to be set more 'fine' than with
thicker frets
ie the distance required to depress the string to the
fingerboard is
less. Conversely, if one so desired, the use of even
thicker frets (but
still with the same amount of overall graduation) would
result in a
very significant increase in the distance required to
depress a string
and concomitant difficulties of execution.
MH
--- On Wed, 18/3/09, damian dlugolecki
<dam...@teleport.com> wrote:
From: damian dlugolecki <dam...@teleport.com>
Subject: [LUTE] Re: Hi guys, nylon frets...
To: "Martyn Hodgson" <hodgsonmar...@yahoo.co.uk>,
lute@cs.dartmouth.edu
Date: Wednesday, 18 March, 2009, 3:47 AM
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][1]dam...@teleport.com>
wrote:
From: damian dlugolecki <[2][2]dam...@teleport.com>
Subject: [LUTE] Re: Hi guys, nylon frets...
To: "Daniel Winheld" <[3]dwinh...@comcast.net>,
[4]l...@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][5]dwinh...@comcast.net>
To: <[4][6]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][7]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>
--
References
1. mailto:[8]dam...@teleport.com
2. mailto:[9]dam...@teleport.com
3.
[10]http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=dwinh...@comcast.net
4.
[11]http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=l...@cs.dartmouth.edu
5.
[12]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
--
References
1.
http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=dam...@teleport.com
2.
http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=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://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=dwinh...@comcast.net
6.
http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=l...@cs.dartmouth.edu
7. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
8.
http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=dam...@teleport.com
9.
http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=dam...@teleport.com
10.
http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=dwinh...@comcast.net
11.
http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=l...@cs.dartmouth.edu
12. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
