> > > The only possible way that double frets could work is if the fret > closest to the nut was slightly lower than the other, allowing the > string to > make contact with the crest of the higher fret. Otherwise you have big > intonation problems. >
Michael, The ridge closer to the nut quickly wears down lower than the other allowing only one stopping point. Alternately --and I don't know how historically accurate this is-- one can tie two frets of slightly different diameters at each position. I've been doing this for the last year and it works fine. > As a guitarmaker, I go through great lengths to crown a metal fret > exactly at the correct point, this is very important. ..and confining. One may no longer experiment with tempered fretting as suggested by the vihuelists and others. But, as you say, you use metal frets as a guitarmaker. > The string should > only come it contact with the crest of the fret. This means that that same crest will constantly wear at the same point on the gut string and this tends to wear it out quicker. Between the lower action and doubled frets I'm certain one can get more milage from gut strings on a lute than a guitar. (I wonder if the action and frets were thought out differently from modern guitars when only gut strings were used in, say, the 19th century?) > Any difference to this is > a personal choice as to how much tolerance one has for out of tunness I'll suppose this includes a tolerance for equal temperment too. ;^) Sean To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
