Ohhhhhh John can you post pics of your ukes I remember looking up your ukes when I got back into ukes and they were really nice!
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:24 am ] |
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I'm looking for a source of bar frets. Want to use them on a uke I'm building right now. Anyone know of one? |
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| Author: | crazymanmichael [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:28 am ] |
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the only known source, martin, has ceased to sell them. there was some talk over at mimf of getting a group special order made but i don't think anyone did anything. let me know if you find anything. i need some as well. |
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| Author: | zac_in_ak [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:30 am ] |
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Ohhhhhh John can you post pics of your ukes I remember looking up your ukes when I got back into ukes and they were really nice!
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| Author: | Louis Freilicher [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:39 am ] |
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I believe T.J. Thompson bought out the old Martin stock and can supply bar frets in a great number of widths. Louis |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 5:40 am ] |
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[QUOTE=zac_in_ak] Ohhhhhh John can you post pics of your ukes I remember looking up your ukes when I got back into ukes and they were really nice! [/QUOTE]
here are a couple... 
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| Author: | crazymanmichael [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 7:25 am ] |
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did a quick google looking for a contact for thompson but found nothing usable. do you have a contact? |
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| Author: | zac_in_ak [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 7:31 am ] |
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MAN!!!!! 
Those are soooooo nice! with time I hope to make ukes as nice I LOVE Ukes! |
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| Author: | Louis Freilicher [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:23 am ] |
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Here is the contact info I have for T.J. Thompson Guitars 43 Bradford St Ste 2 Concord, MA 01742-2972 Phone: (978) 369-3359 I know he supplied the bar frets for a refret job I did recently at The Fretted Instrument Workshop in Amherst, MA, but I have not dealt with him directly. Louis |
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| Author: | WaddyThomson [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:55 am ] |
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Nice Ukes. Don't think I've ever seen any nicer looking than that. |
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| Author: | crazymanmichael [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:39 am ] |
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louis, many thanks for the information!!! i'll be calling him monday. |
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| Author: | Louis Freilicher [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:53 am ] |
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No problem Michael. I know at the time he had a whole lot of stock on hand and with the number of folks using these frets I'm sure he has some left! I know many are passionate in their like or dislike of bar frets. Personally, I love the feel but they can be a pain to work with and they can creep around in the slots a bit. Just curious if this is a new build or a refret job? Louis |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:56 am ] |
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[QUOTE=crazymanmichael] louis, many thanks for the information!!! i'll be calling him monday.[/QUOTE] let me know what you come up with...if he has any uke bar frets get some for me and I'll take care of the bill... |
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| Author: | crazymanmichael [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 10:47 am ] |
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no problem john, what size do you want and how many feet? louis, i have three instruments in the shop right now that i'm doing repairs on which need bar frets replaced. i thought i was going to have to shim the old ones but this may solve my problem. the little wire i have is the wrong size for these. guess i'll know monday. and you are right, if you don's hammer a few small barbs in they can slip out sideways. |
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| Author: | John K [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 10:54 am ] |
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those are beautiful instruments. There is something really appealing about a uke. Can't explain it but its undeniable, and those are especially appealing. |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 11:00 am ] |
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[QUOTE=crazymanmichael] no problem john, what size do you want and how many feet? louis, i have three instruments in the shop right now that i'm doing repairs on which need bar frets replaced. i thought i was going to have to shim the old ones but this may solve my problem. the little wire i have is the wrong size for these. guess i'll know monday. and you are right, if you don's hammer a few small barbs in they can slip out sideways.[/QUOTE] Ahh uke size..whatever that is (see my expertise here?) And if he has it.. 2o feet or so.... |
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| Author: | crazymanmichael [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 2:43 pm ] |
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uh john, i've never built a uke. what did you use on the ones above? |
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| Author: | Louis Freilicher [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 2:48 pm ] |
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I don't remember the spread but T.J. had them specked down to .001 for slot width. (i.e. .049 .050 .051 etc.) No more shims and foil for compression fretting! Louis |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 3:44 pm ] |
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[QUOTE=crazymanmichael] uh john, i've never built a uke. what did you use on the ones above?[/QUOTE] The ones above are mando fretwire. I'll have to measure my bar frets on my 1920's Martin and let you know tomorrow... |
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| Author: | johnfgraham [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 6:51 pm ] |
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I once had a 1850's New York made Martin (unfortunately stolen) that had bar frets. From my player's perspective - the height of the bar frets makes for an ability on the fingerboard to better accomplish a number of techniques - hammer-ons, pull offs, vibratos and sting bending that surpass what your everyday rounded t-frets afford. Sliding on a string or strings up or down the fret board might be a little hendered depending on how heavy handed it's done. There is something about the bar frets that is lost with the t-frets, even the highest available, at least those that I know of - .05 at the crown. I don't know if it has something to do with the edge of the bar frets of just a little added height (it never occurred to me to measure what that was on my poor old martin). I've sometimes wondered way the fret makers - whoever they are - haven't come up with a hybrid fret wire that is patterned after the bar fret but with a modern t at the base, I envision a trapazoidal profile, rather than rounded, a narrower at the top and a bit wider at the base. Thus eliminating the luthier's complaints of setting and leveling. All it would take is milling a draw plate and pulling the wire. The dimensions could be argued about. Another thought - a bunch of folks that fret about bar frets could haul off and have the draw plates milled and get some fret maker or wire outfit to do the pulling. Even though my personal lifetime needs wouldn't amount to more than a second or two of factory time, I, for one would be pleased to donate to such a cause. john |
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| Author: | Kim [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 7:28 pm ] |
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Hello John and welcome to the OLF 
Not that I intend to use any Bar Fret material myself, but your suggestion is a good one as long as you got enough interest from others here to lure a wire puller into doing the job for you. Cheers Kim |
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| Author: | pakhan [ Sun Jun 03, 2007 7:08 am ] |
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[QUOTE=johnfgraham] I once had a 1850's New York made Martin (unfortunately stolen) that had bar frets. From my player's perspective - the height of the bar frets makes for an ability on the fingerboard to better accomplish a number of techniques - hammer-ons, pull offs, vibratos and sting bending that surpass what your everyday rounded t-frets afford. Sliding on a string or strings up or down the fret board might be a little hendered depending on how heavy handed it's done. There is something about the bar frets that is lost with the t-frets, even the highest available, at least those that I know of - .05 at the crown. I don't know if it has something to do with the edge of the bar frets of just a little added height (it never occurred to me to measure what that was on my poor old martin). I've sometimes wondered way the fret makers - whoever they are - haven't come up with a hybrid fret wire that is patterned after the bar fret but with a modern t at the base, I envision a trapazoidal profile, rather than rounded, a narrower at the top and a bit wider at the base. Thus eliminating the luthier's complaints of setting and leveling. All it would take is milling a draw plate and pulling the wire. The dimensions could be argued about. Another thought - a bunch of folks that fret about bar frets could haul off and have the draw plates milled and get some fret maker or wire outfit to do the pulling. Even though my personal lifetime needs wouldn't amount to more than a second or two of factory time, I, for one would be pleased to donate to such a cause. john [/QUOTE] I totally agree with John. Bar frets do provide the player with tangible differences (benefits) to their playing. I have some bar fret stock if anyone would like some. Warmest regards, Terence |
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| Author: | John Mayes [ Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:27 am ] |
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[QUOTE=John Mayes] [QUOTE=crazymanmichael] uh john, i've never built a uke. what did you use on the ones above?[/QUOTE] The ones above are mando fretwire. I'll have to measure my bar frets on my 1920's Martin and let you know tomorrow...[/QUOTE] the frets in my 1920's Martin uke are: apx (give or take 10-20 thou) .120 tall by .028 wide (give or take 1-3 thou) |
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| Author: | matt jacobs [ Sun Jun 03, 2007 11:07 am ] |
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John, Dan Erlewine uses either silver solder wire, or brazing wire for bar frets. I can't remember which. |
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| Author: | crazymanmichael [ Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:25 pm ] |
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I've never seen any references to his use of either. does he say how he gets a uniform rectangular shape on the round wire? do you know where he describes the use? |
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| Author: | matt jacobs [ Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:59 am ] |
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Michael, When Dan spoke at the LINT masters class the question of bar fretwire came up. Apparently brazing/silver solder wire is available in strips. Email dan for his source of supply |
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