Bar frets

Timbuck

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
6,382
Points
113
Last edited:

Red Cliff

Active member
Joined
Dec 31, 2012
Messages
256
Points
28
You can buy it at LMII. Might be easier for you Ken as they ship to UK. Not cheap though.
 
OP
OP
Timbuck

Timbuck

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
6,382
Points
113
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.
 
OP
OP
Timbuck

Timbuck

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
6,382
Points
113
The width of the fret wire on this 1926 soprano is wire gauge size 21 ... This is .028" or 0.723 mm.
 

EDW

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
3,583
Points
113
I have seen some mentions that Liam Kirby (Wunderkammer) uses bar frets. Any idea what he uses?
 

spongeuke

Active member
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
Messages
667
Points
43
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.
 

Oldscruggsfan

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2022
Messages
2,658
Points
113
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.
 

John Colter

UU VIP
UU VIP
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Messages
3,303
Points
113
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:
 
OP
OP
Timbuck

Timbuck

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
6,382
Points
113
All I've seen so far is too thick ...LMI recommend a jewellers mill to reduce the thickness ..?
 

Graham Greenbag

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 15, 2017
Messages
1,910
Points
113
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.
 
Last edited:

Red Cliff

Active member
Joined
Dec 31, 2012
Messages
256
Points
28
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 🤔
 
OP
OP
Timbuck

Timbuck

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
6,382
Points
113
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

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 17, 2021
Messages
364
Points
63
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!
 
OP
OP
Timbuck

Timbuck

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
6,382
Points
113
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

Active member
Joined
Oct 30, 2022
Messages
77
Points
33
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.