fretting tutorial updated

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by PhilUSAFRet on June 8, 2012 at 2:57pm

thanks, I've long forgotten how I fretted that dulcimer kit I built 30 years ago!

Permalink Reply by Kirsten Macfarlane on June 8, 2012 at 8:03pm

Do you recommend getting a fret saw? (they're hard to get where I am!) I'm going to practice fretting before I commit it to a build! (I've only made 1 cbg thus far hehe :D) But thanks this is handy!!

Permalink Reply by PhilUSAFRet on June 8, 2012 at 8:11pm

I plan on getting this Zona Dovetail Saw....best deal I could find.  Zona also has a wide aluminum miter box to go with it. It is .020" thick, so the kerf would be about the same as a fret saw at .021 or .022.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BRJD8W/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF...

Permalink Reply by Glenn Reither on June 8, 2012 at 8:36pm

That dovetail saw is a great find. Looks just like a fret saw, without the depth gauge.

Permalink Reply by PhilUSAFRet on June 8, 2012 at 9:11pm

Yeah, a super deal.  I had to contact Zona to find out the thickess. They have two aluminum miter boxes, one is their "wide" model.  Just as good a price as the saw.

Permalink Reply by Glenn Reither on June 8, 2012 at 10:02pm

Thankfully, since I got my mitre saw (drop saw) I don't need a box any more. By the way, if you were planning on using the mitre box as a fret cutting guide, I suspect a chunky square or triangle will be better. Mark frets with a fine pencil. When you cut, lay the blade along that line so you can't see any pencil, bring your square or triangle up to the blade, make a start and check - if you got it right you will be obliterating your pencil line. Again, seems obvious but wasn't to me and there must be SOMEONE out there as stupid as I am.