Bar frets

[Timbuck]

A vintage Martin "style1" soprano that I acquired recently is fitted with bar type frets and I really like the feel of them and I would like to try some on one of my ukes ... does anyone know where I can get some of this type of fret-wire. ? I located some stainless steel that would do the job, here but far too expensive. https://www.etsy.com/cart/?show_cart=7191735562
50F2B8E4-6727-4AAB-973A-C379115CC032 by Ken Timms,

 

[Tom Snape]

I heard about this source in a YouTube video from "twoodfrd" (E. Woodford)

Bar-Fret Wire - TJ Thompson Guitars - Pro Luthier Tools

This is the fret wire that Martin company used up until mid 1934. It is sold in 2' lengths.

proluthiertools.com

 

[PetalumaRescuke]

Thank you I have searched (google) for appropriate bar fret for quite some time. Nice find

 

[Red Cliff]

You can buy it at LMII. Might be easier for you Ken as they ship to UK. Not cheap though.

Bar fretwire, 18% nickel silver, 2 pieces

Buy more & save! Save 20% on 6 or more. Bar fretwire was commonly used on stringed instruments before the turn of the 20th century. It was used on some Martins™ into the 1930's. Bar fretwire is more difficult to install than today's extruded, tanged wire. If you need the wire to be a bit...

www.lmii.com

 

[Kekani]

Google search led me here - no affiliation

Bar-Fret Wire - TJ Thompson Guitars - Pro Luthier Tools

This is the fret wire that Martin company used up until mid 1934. It is sold in 2' lengths.

proluthiertools.com

 

[Timbuck]

Yes! I also found that one but the size of the fret wire is not the same as the fret-wire that is fitted to my Martin soprano.

 

[MarTay6]

Love bar frets....

 

[Timbuck]

The width of the fret wire on this 1926 soprano is wire gauge size 21 ... This is .028" or 0.723 mm.

 

[EDW]

I have seen some mentions that Liam Kirby (Wunderkammer) uses bar frets. Any idea what he uses?

 

[spongeuke]

Just got a couple of Barr fret lengths, They are narrower than the T frets I have but are wider than what Martin used, as Timbuck stated.

 

[Luke Plays Uke]

I have those on my Martin and they are absolutely great, though I can’t put my finger on WHY.

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

You can buy it at LMII. Might be easier for you Ken as they ship to UK. Not cheap though.

Bar fretwire, 18% nickel silver, 2 pieces

Buy more & save! Save 20% on 6 or more. Bar fretwire was commonly used on stringed instruments before the turn of the 20th century. It was used on some Martins™ into the 1930's. Bar fretwire is more difficult to install than today's extruded, tanged wire. If you need the wire to be a bit...

www.lmii.com

My only experience with 18% nickel silver was “pre-war” index and bird finger banjo picks. They were sooooo much better than any other (Dunlap-brand) pick I’d ever used, seemed to cause far less unnecessary friction. Unfortunately, I lost / permanently misplaced them somehow.

 

[John Colter]

I have those on my Martin and they are absolutely great, though I can’t put my finger on WHY.

It's best if you don't put your finger on the fret itself. You should be holding the string down just behind the relevant fret.

I suppose I must include an emoji -

 

[Timbuck]

All I've seen so far is too thick ...LMI recommend a jewellers mill to reduce the thickness ..?

 

[Graham Greenbag]

All I've seen so far is too thick ...LMI recommend a jewellers mill to reduce the thickness ..?

I hesitate to comment but hope that I might add something helpful.

It may be that to get the thickness desired it’s necessary to saw and file sheet brass to size. Some simple jigs might help / be needed.

IIRC Sven (Argapa Ukes) has used bar frets on some of his builds, he used 4 x 1 mm and 3 x 1 mm section bar from a model making shop and something similar is available on eBay. Maybe that’s worth investigating … maybe the tops could be chamfered to narrow the bar.

I‘m wondering what blade you’ll use to cut the slots and how you’ll control slot depth; and also whether swopping crowned frets for square ones on the same fretboard might impact on intonation - but surely the change in fretted strings’ free length is more notional than significant.

 

[Red Cliff]

All I've seen so far is too thick ...LMI recommend a jewellers mill to reduce the thickness ..?

I'd have thought a resourceful chap like yourself could come up with some contraption to roll the bar to the required thickness? Although then they will be too tall 🤔

 

[Timbuck]

I'd have thought a resourceful chap like yourself could come up with some contraption to roll the bar to the required thickness? Although then they will be too tall 🤔

Not! if I calculate the correct wire dia before rolling... Don't ask me how I will do that but I will when I get round to It.

 

[MarTay6]

Not! if I calculate the correct wire dia before rolling... Don't ask me how I will do that but I will when I get round to It.

I have NO doubt! I forsee a miniature precision roller in my crystal ball!

 

[Timbuck]

I have NO doubt! I forsee a miniature precision roller in my crystal ball!

I have done wire flattening before using my Southbend lathe and a large roller bearing....but that was years ago and the wire was copper...Nickle wire is much harder to flatten.

 

[Bibs]

From a quick research, hard 18% Nicklesilver, hardness 99 [half-hard is 83]; Cartridge Brass 100; 6061-T6 Aluminum 95; 7075 Aluminum is 150 I think.