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| Fretting a Classical http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=14331 |
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| Author: | Ray Pepalis [ Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:36 am ] |
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I'm ready to install the frets on my first guitar (a Classical). I have the frets cut 1/4" longer than the F/B, and slightly curved. Most of my books just say "hammer the fret in", but C&N suggest hammering in the middle until seated, then hammer the ends. Sloane suggests hammering down the ends a bit to "crimp" them in. I'm confused, since the C&N method left me with kinked frets on a trial excercise. How do you Classical builders install the frets? 
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| Author: | Michael Dale Payne [ Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:48 am ] |
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Ok I will stick my thumb in your already well mixed pie. 
My experience with hammering frets is that "I" have had less trouble with ends coming loose if I start at one end and and work toward the other. So now you are real confused. Right? 
Personally the thing I believe is it is important not to go back over and area that has already been seated as this will cause the tang to enlarge the notch it has created and make it easier for the fret to work loose. |
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| Author: | JohnAbercrombie [ Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:02 am ] |
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Ray- I don't do anything different for installing frets whether the fingerboard is 'flat' or has a radius, so I don't think there's anything special about classical guitar fret jobs. I basically do what Frank Ford explains: Frank Ford on Frets I start the fret with my fingers, then tap in the ends, then work towards the middle. I use a small (1 lb or less?) dead-blow hammer which has a hard plastic face, and back up the neck with a bag of shot. When I'm working over the body, I hold a weight (the head of a small hand sledge) inside against the underside of the top- if necessary I put a block of wood in to make sure I'm not resting the weight on the brace(s). I know I would have major problems using the steel hammer shown in the pic from C&N. It's probably like many jobs- an expert who has 'the touch' can use one of many tools and do good work- a novice needs the help of the right tool for the job. For me, that's a plastic-face dead-blow hammer. Now, if I could just get the filing of fret ends perfect (without marring the guitar top or the fingerboard edge), I'd be happier! You are getting close to the end of your first guitar- good going! BTW, for me, it's worth using even a double lot of fretwire if it means practicing enough so you don't have a problem on the guitar. Cheers John |
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