Bar frets

Timbuck

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I have seen some mentions that Liam Kirby (Wunderkammer) uses bar frets. Any idea what he uses?
 
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.
 
You can buy it at LMII. Might be easier for you Ken as they ship to UK. Not cheap though.
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.
 
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 - :giggle:
 
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.
 
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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 🤔
 
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. :)
 
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!
 
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.