| Author |
Topic: Actual fret material for a steel guitar fretboard? |
Duane Reese
|
Posted 10 Jun 2009 6:33 pm |
|
I've always thought it would look really slick if you had real metal guitar frets in a rosewood fretboard with mother of pearl markers for a steel guitar fretboard. It could sit down in a recess in the neck, and would look just about like a conventional guitar fretboard but wider (10-string). They do it with resophonic steels all the time, sooo....
Anyone ever seen anything like that? Any steel builders want to give it a try? 
Hey, you'd never have to get a fret dressing ever again. |
|
|
|
Martin Weenick
From:
Lecanto, FL, USA
|
Posted 10 Jun 2009 7:27 pm
|
|
Duane, I sometimes make them out of cocobolo and abalone, but never tried wire frets. Sounds interesting though. Martin.
_________________
Several custom steels. NV-112 Boss DD-7 |
|
|
|
Danny James
From:
Summerfield Florida USA
|
Posted 10 Jun 2009 7:31 pm
|
|
A good friend, Rick Aiello, used to pour some Rickenbacher style cast aluminum Fry Pan lap steel guitars. He did all the work himself and made and wound his own pickups as well. In completing and finishing them, he installed regular spanish guitar style frets, and inlaid round abalone fret markers.
They really looked nice. Maybe if he sees this he will send a picture of them for all to see.
His work can be found and seen on the HSGA Forum. |
|
|
|
David Nugent
From:
Gum Spring, Va.
|
Posted 11 Jun 2009 2:57 am fretboards
|
|
| I may be mistaken, but I was under the impression that "Lamar" steels are built with wood fingerboards, pearl dot markers, and actual frets. |
|
|
|
Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
|
Posted 11 Jun 2009 6:41 am
|
|
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix/4627_101_0092_1.jpg
I don't know if Lamar ever used actual fretwire on his boards or not, but he's been building them out of rosewood and other woods for years. I bought one of his guitars in the early 90's that had wooden fretboards. A really classy touch from a really classy builder. |
|
|
|
Jay Jessup
From:
Charlottesville, VA, USA
|
Posted 11 Jun 2009 10:23 am Re: fretboards
|
|
| David Nugent wrote: |
| I may be mistaken, but I was under the impression that "Lamar" steels are built with wood fingerboards, pearl dot markers, and actual frets. |
Not on mine, just wood fretboard and MOP fret markers. |
|
|
|
Stuart Tindall
From:
England, UK
|
Posted 12 Jun 2009 12:34 am
|
|
Hi Duane,
I built my own steel and used a rosewood fretboard with regular frets
I liked the idea of making it look more familiar to regular guitarists,
Stuart |
|
|
|
Martin Weenick
From:
Lecanto, FL, USA
|
Posted 12 Jun 2009 3:09 am Fretboard
|
|
Beautiful work Stuart ! What did you use to make your fret slots ?? Martin.
_________________
Several custom steels. NV-112 Boss DD-7 |
|
|
|
Stuart Tindall
From:
England, UK
|
Posted 12 Jun 2009 4:52 am
|
|
Hi Martin,
I used a regular fret saw that I have for fretting guitars. It is much thinner than a standard saw, as it has very little set on the teeth,
Stuart |
|
|
|
Duane Reese
|
Posted 12 Jun 2009 6:16 am
|
|
| Yes, that's precisely the idea I had, Stuart. It' looks great! |
|
|
|
Stuart Tindall
From:
England, UK
|
Posted 12 Jun 2009 12:34 pm
|
|
Hi again folks
Another reason I went for regular frets was because it is much easier to make a slot, if the saw judders a bit and the slot isn't perfect the mushroom effect of the fret covers the imperfections.
I was advised to use Holly lines, as Holly is very white in color but I reakon it would be too thin to just make one cut with a saw, with a regular fret only one saw cut is necessary per fret.
Incidently Martin your neck looks stunning, great craftmanship,
Stuart. |
|
|
|
Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
|
Posted 12 Jun 2009 6:17 pm
|
|
I have a radial arm saw I use to cut fret slots. I took an 8 in plywood saw blade and took it to a saw sharpening place and had them grind down about one inch all around the edge to where the saw was the thickness of a fret slot. I mark off the fret slots using a 24 inch ruler in 100ths of an inch. I could see it a whole lot better 35 years ago!! I use a magnifying glass now. Slots cut real nice and perfectly straight with no tear out at all. If I need to work on the slot more to match the different sizes of fret wire, I use a dremel tool and some dental bits.
I like the look of the above fretboard with real frets. Easy and economical to make. |
|
|
|
Eddie Cunningham
From:
Massachusetts, USA
|
Posted 14 Jun 2009 10:15 am West Coast Steel frets !!
|
|
| The "West Coast Steel Guitar" uses real metal frets on all their steels in I believe a rosewood fretboard . Looks real; nice !! They are available in all styles including T-8 consoles !! I have a T-8 and it is real nice looking and a real "player" !!! Eddie "C" |
|
|
|
Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
|
Posted 14 Jun 2009 11:28 am
|
|
| Stuart, those frets look great on your board. Even though actual raised frets are not necessary on a steel guitar, it just seems to give them a "finished" look. |
|
|
|
John Fabian
From:
Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.
|
Posted 15 Jun 2009 8:04 am
|
|
| You could also inlay the frets with silver wire (1mm sq.) under the lacquer. |
|
|
|
