Alternative to fret wire? - Cigar Box Nation2024-03-29T12:43:41Zhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/alternative-to-fret-wire?xg_source=activity&feed=yes&xn_auth=noClothes hangers. The dry clea…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2020-01-23:2592684:Comment:34364842020-01-23T07:15:47.690ZStewhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/Stew
Clothes hangers. The dry cleaner types. The thinner gauge one for frets and the thicker gauge for zero fret. Install with a couple of spots of the gel superglue.
Clothes hangers. The dry cleaner types. The thinner gauge one for frets and the thicker gauge for zero fret. Install with a couple of spots of the gel superglue. I'm going to try Clothes hang…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2020-01-22:2592684:Comment:34364502020-01-22T17:36:39.006ZJeremy Moorerhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/JeremyMoorer
I'm going to try Clothes hangers.
I'm going to try Clothes hangers. I've tried toothpicks, brass…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2012-02-15:2592684:Comment:9850572012-02-15T18:16:57.852ZBT Cohoshhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/Jon
<p>I've tried toothpicks, brass craft wire, copper electrical wire (15 amp), and stainless wire brads. My favorite is the copper wire. It's a little beefy for a standard fret (easy to fret a note sharp), but you learn to deal with it. I straighten lengths of salvaged wire by clamping one end and pulling *really* hard with lineman's pliers. I use a hand-miter saw to cut shallow grooves that the wire lays in. Incidentally, the best glue I've discovered for this is a cyanoacrylate (super…</p>
<p>I've tried toothpicks, brass craft wire, copper electrical wire (15 amp), and stainless wire brads. My favorite is the copper wire. It's a little beefy for a standard fret (easy to fret a note sharp), but you learn to deal with it. I straighten lengths of salvaged wire by clamping one end and pulling *really* hard with lineman's pliers. I use a hand-miter saw to cut shallow grooves that the wire lays in. Incidentally, the best glue I've discovered for this is a cyanoacrylate (super glue) put out by Gorilla Glue that's rated "impact resistant"--it's been reformulated to give it some rubbery "give", so frets are less likely to pop off. I've used it on instruments I've played from mountaintops to deserts, and never lost a fret.</p> They look good. I like the ey…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2012-02-14:2592684:Comment:9835542012-02-14T16:19:48.345ZCalebhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/KB
<p>They look good. I like the eyebolts as guides too.</p>
<p>They look good. I like the eyebolts as guides too.</p> On my last two builds I have…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2012-02-14:2592684:Comment:9836452012-02-14T16:00:49.896ZWilliam McCauleyhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/williamMcCauley
<p>On my last two builds I have used 1/8" brass rod from Lowe's. I cut the slots to half the thickness of the rod on my table saw (the blade has an 1/8" kerf) and put the rod in with Titebond med gel superglue. Use a long wood plank, sand paper and a long straight edge to level. The nice thing with using the tablesaw is the depth of the cut is constant.</p>
<p>On my last two builds I have used 1/8" brass rod from Lowe's. I cut the slots to half the thickness of the rod on my table saw (the blade has an 1/8" kerf) and put the rod in with Titebond med gel superglue. Use a long wood plank, sand paper and a long straight edge to level. The nice thing with using the tablesaw is the depth of the cut is constant.</p> I get bone for nuts and saddl…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2012-02-14:2592684:Comment:9835042012-02-14T12:56:56.100Zrobert joneshttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/robertjones
<p>I get bone for nuts and saddles from the local pet store, dog section.</p>
<p>Haven't thought about making bone frets though, might have to give that a try.</p>
<p>I get bone for nuts and saddles from the local pet store, dog section.</p>
<p>Haven't thought about making bone frets though, might have to give that a try.</p> for me next best thing to rea…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2012-02-14:2592684:Comment:9831422012-02-14T04:32:39.825ZWadehttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/Wade
<p>for me next best thing to real frets are wooden/skewer type frets that I harden with either wood hardener or soak ends with super glue. Metal just seems to pop off and wrapped frets don't have enough contact with a flat fretboard for me. so far fretwire is easiest and cost effective if you include some of your time invested into a project.</p>
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<p>Wade</p>
<p>for me next best thing to real frets are wooden/skewer type frets that I harden with either wood hardener or soak ends with super glue. Metal just seems to pop off and wrapped frets don't have enough contact with a flat fretboard for me. so far fretwire is easiest and cost effective if you include some of your time invested into a project.</p>
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<p>Wade</p> I have used half a stainless…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2012-02-14:2592684:Comment:9832082012-02-14T04:25:45.105ZPeter Greedhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/PeterGreed
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">I have used half a stainless split pins cut on the diagonal to form a point then bent into a staple shape and knocked in to undersize holes drilled just in from the edge of the finder board. Not pretty but not much of what I do is.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Cheers…</span></p>
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<p><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">I have used half a stainless split pins cut on the diagonal to form a point then bent into a staple shape and knocked in to undersize holes drilled just in from the edge of the finder board. Not pretty but not much of what I do is.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Cheers</span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Peter</span></p> ps I like the paperclip idea…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2012-02-13:2592684:Comment:9826782012-02-13T23:42:17.760ZBlueshearthttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/Bluesheart
<p>ps I like the paperclip idea too!</p>
<p>ps I like the paperclip idea too!</p> I used 1/16" brass rod for my…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2012-02-13:2592684:Comment:9828212012-02-13T23:41:32.945ZBlueshearthttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/Bluesheart
<p>I used 1/16" brass rod for my first fretted neck, a lot of work and you have to glue them into slots on the neck. They have held ok . A couple have popped off during extreme temperture changes but glued them back on. All in all, just more trouble than it is worth. I love to "make" al the parts, but when you can get fret wire for what CG Gitty sells it for, it is kind of a no brainer. If you really want to keep it cheap and "real" try wooden toothpicks, but you still have to either glue or…</p>
<p>I used 1/16" brass rod for my first fretted neck, a lot of work and you have to glue them into slots on the neck. They have held ok . A couple have popped off during extreme temperture changes but glued them back on. All in all, just more trouble than it is worth. I love to "make" al the parts, but when you can get fret wire for what CG Gitty sells it for, it is kind of a no brainer. If you really want to keep it cheap and "real" try wooden toothpicks, but you still have to either glue or varnish them down and I dont think they will have as much sustain or volume as steel ones.</p>