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Permalink Reply by Jason W. on July 13, 2011 at 2:22pm

I've used low fret wire for slide-and-finger guitars to keep your slide from beating on the frets if you have to angle it off the strings at some point. All the ukuleles I've made have used narrow fret wire, just because I feel like using wide fret wire really crowds a fret board on a uke's (or any smaller cordophone) smaller scale.

 

These seem to make the most sense to me, but to err is human and there might be some better trade-off a more experienced builder can share for using other types.

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Permalink Reply by Roadkill a.k.a. John Maw on July 13, 2011 at 8:52pm

Hi.

This isn't advice. Simply saying what I have done so far and I'm sure you will draw your own conclusions. I have fretted three so far and I am very happy. I used medium/medium as it seemed to be the most standard, thinking that as I was also learning to play I would develop the right touch to adapt to whatever I had. On the last two instruments I used light electric strings and play a mix of fretting and slide. With the light strings you do have to be a bit careful of the slide, but it seems quite manageable.

One thought that I have is that the string weight and tension might influence the choice of frets. I'm not sure, but it seems logical. I hope someone else with more experience will have an opinion.

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Permalink Reply by Uncle John on July 15, 2011 at 1:12am

I like medium medium too.  I did a couple with jumbo and that was a mistake.   I like to sometimes use 1 jumbo for a zero fret (nut).  Also, I recommend using the stew mac fret calculator and using cm rather than inches.  Makes it easier to measure precisely.  You would need a meter stick or a yard stick with centimeters.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on July 15, 2011 at 1:44am

M/M as well for 'commodity' builds. That is, builds i take to fests. Else i use med/higher or jumbo.

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on July 15, 2011 at 10:38am

Me, I like low narrow. I build mostly smaller instruments. Also, I find it easier to play since notes don't go sharp as easily if you push down too hard on the strings.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on July 15, 2011 at 11:42am

Good point Diane! How about dulci's?  I would imagine narrow as well. Most all of the dulci's my dad has I think are narrow.

 

-WY

Diane in Chicago said:

Me, I like low narrow. I build mostly smaller instruments. Also, I find it easier to play since notes don't go sharp as easily if you push down too hard on the strings.

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Permalink Reply by Uncle John on July 15, 2011 at 12:21pm

Diane said her piece well.  I once used jumbos on a mandolin.  Hard to push the strings down and I think it took them out of tune.

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Permalink Reply by SlowHound on July 15, 2011 at 2:37pm

Thanks for the input all. I'm guessing MM is my best starting point but LN could be worth getting as well. Very much appreciated.

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on July 16, 2011 at 9:44am

yup, I think any of the major mountain dulcimer (to be played in your lap) makers use low narrow, especially if they are building an instrument made to be played with a noter.

my spouse reports that his fender strat has a neck with jumbo frets, so you CAN get notes to go sharp. those players play with a very light touch indeed.

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