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Frettin over frets...

I've been searching for a while now for a good item to use for frets (besides fret wire...duh) I've used toothpicks and copper wire, both of which worked ok. The problem was making a groove to seat the fret in, my miter saw makes a groove that was smaller than the copper and the toothpicks so they both kinda sat on top of the fret board. My attempts at widening the grooves with a small file resulted in even less accuracy for fret placement.

I do this for fun, so the idea of using non-guitar parts and not having a million dollar wood shop, is a large part of the attraction. So anyway, while I stomped around the shop because my frets were not cooperating, I found a whole brick (2000) of finishing nails for my air nailer. I have tried these before but the 18ga. nails were a lil on the small side for what I was after. As luck would have it, some dummy bought the wrong size nails...these are 16ga!

A few light taps to seat 'em and I may not even need to use glue. I aint been this stoked since I found these cursed home-made instruments...now every one is gonna get frets. I knew I saved all this junk for a reason...:)

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Permalink Reply by Maurice Brines on September 9, 2009 at 8:25am

Great story, the list of things to use just keeps growin. I haven't started yet to build my first CBG, somehow I got sidetracked and am building a CBG amp first. :)

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Permalink Reply by Jkevn on September 9, 2009 at 3:57pm

I aint wearin no "Fret Dress", for NoBody,...and if you don't like my poor playing instrument that buzzes and does not intonate properly, you can just.....

Well you can just build your own, that's what...and have a damn fine time a-doin-it! :)

*Note* I'm smiling, if you're not, read it again...If you still don't, go play a while. I'm not responsible for grumpy people with no sense of humor...

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Permalink Reply by Tam Givens on September 9, 2009 at 7:08pm

How about using umberlla spokes.

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on September 10, 2009 at 1:06am

Big Daddy made this for me back in November, about installing "real" fretwire frets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z9_pr7ntwk

StarGeezers said:

Having made a number of scratch built guitars over the years (31 so far ), fretting was always the most tedious and exacting of the skills needed for success.. Proper installation and "fret dress" is critical to a good playing instrument .. Frets need to be securely set, properly leveled, and crowned to work properly, fret ends need to be nicely smoothed and rounded as to not cut the players fingers ... Skimping on this part will only produce a poor playing instrument that buzzes and does not intonate properly ... You guys done any threads on proper fret installation and dress techniques???

You can see some of my guitars at www.glenweber.com

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Permalink Reply by Bluesheart on September 12, 2009 at 3:24am

OH, where do you find brass cotter pins? and are they expensive? My first fret neck is underway and brass is my hardware theme. You split the pins and glue them down w/o slots?? Thanks, Bruce

Diane said:

2000 divided by 20 = 100 guitars!

Post a close up photo?

I used cotter pins for the first 20 or so builds, and they still have a place in my heart. Mostly because they come in brass.

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on September 12, 2009 at 3:31am

I got mine from Grainger.com, but they may have discontinued them. They are primarily for marine use. I like the 3/32 size, 2", so you have plenty for cutting off. I bought them by the bag of 100 at the time. They look pretty nice - you can see photos of them on my page.

I cut a shallow slot -- more like a ditch - with my regular old miter saw so they were nice and square. Then smear crazy glue in the ditch with a toothpick and lay them in. You have to file the ends BEFORE you glue them on -- they can't take the stress of filing afterwards and pop off. I'd use 2-part 5 min epoxy if I were doing it again. Have not done cotter pin frets in a while.

Bluesheart said:

OH, where do you find brass cotter pins? and are they expensive? My first fret neck is underway and brass is my hardware theme. You split the pins and glue them down w/o slots?? Thanks, Bruce
Diane said:
2000 divided by 20 = 100 guitars!

Post a close up photo? I used cotter pins for the first 20 or so builds, and they still have a place in my heart. Mostly because they come in brass.

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Permalink Reply by big fat tom on September 12, 2009 at 11:54am

I'm using aluminum curtain rails like this: http://alumitec.com.br/site/fotos/trilhos_02.htm . Just cut each rail at appropriate size (I use scissors to do this), and you get a poor's man fret wire... a friend of mine sells and installs curtains and gave me some scraps of rails, and I'm only use it on my builds since then. After some adjustments with a file, you can get low action without any buzz.

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Permalink Reply by Outhouse Instruments on September 12, 2009 at 12:45pm

I just finished my 1st attempt at frets and a fretboard. With a little patience I was able to use clothes hanger wire in a snug fitting slot and gorilla glued.
I think with a bit more looking I can find a saw and small diameter hanger wire that will match better.

Matt

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Permalink Reply by StarGeezers on September 13, 2009 at 11:23am

I would Highly Recommend trying regular fret wire for a nice playing, long lasting fret job ... It's cheap enough , and once it's in , it's there forever... no glue ... It does make the Best job... a gazillion guitars out there can't be all wrong.... Try it , you'll like it !!!!! 4- 5 bucks worth is more than enough for a CBG, you'd spend more on corners than that ...

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Permalink Reply by Jkevn on September 13, 2009 at 1:57pm

StarGeezers, I'm starting to come around to your way of thinkin...The magic of these instruments for me is taking things that have no place on a guitar, and making it play. That having been said...it is a PITA making things work for what they outta-notta. A 16ga. finish brad just so happens to fit the slot that my miter saw makes...sign from above? NO. When it's all said & done they are differing depths (heights). That's not a problem on the ones I just made, they're gonna be played slide and the punch I even sanded down (almost) flush to the neck for markers only. (pics Posted) But, it sure was painstaking for the amount of good I got.

If Diane can talk about sympathetic strings and other such nonsense on here, I guess I may as well try "real" fret wire....dammit.

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on September 13, 2009 at 2:17pm

I fought the "real" fretwire thing for the first 20 builds - for the same reasons. I've switched to real, and it has made a HUGE difference in intonation accuracy up the neck. So I am a convert. You'll want to experiment with wire sizes. Me, I like the low/narrow. But I make tiny instruments.

Jkevn said:

StarGeezers, I'm starting to come around to your way of thinkin...The magic of these instruments for me is taking things that have no place on a guitar, and making it play. That having been said...it is a PITA making things work for what they outta-notta. A 16ga. finish brad just so happens to fit the slot that my miter saw makes...sign from above? NO. When it's all said & done they are differing depths (heights). That's not a problem on the ones I just made, they're gonna be played slide and the punch I even sanded down (almost) flush to the neck for markers only. (pics Posted) But, it sure was painstaking for the amount of good I got.

If Diane can talk about sympathetic strings and other such nonsense on here, I guess I may as well try "real" fret wire....dammit.

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Permalink Reply by Jkevn on September 13, 2009 at 2:29pm

I keep thinking about that "T" shape, if you saw 1/2 -way through the neck, the fret wire will still sit at the same height. I've made a mark on my miter saw that I thought would be the trick, but depth (levelness) is still a problem.

How are y'all seating the fret wire? If you say a special tool I'm gonna just cry or something...