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
