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Stronger Toothpick Frets

Posted by Randy Webb on January 29, 2010 at 9:59am in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion
Been playing with the real deal, but found a way to make toothpick frets really strong and longer lasting.

I was reading about using sawdust and CA glue to fill holes etc. and had an idea.

I already laquer over my toothpick frets, but since I have a cheap source for CA glue I decided to try something.

I glued down the toothpicks to the fretboard as usual, then I coated the tops and side of them in the thinnest CA I've got. It didnt take nearly as much as I thought, now with the laquer over the top of them too, they are as hard as a rock.

While they are no replacement for "real" frets, they are super quick to do and great for practicing things like nut height, and bridge height, and string angle before you get into the "real" deal....

Just thought i'd pass along in case anyone wanted to experiment with frets with out the cost or wait for materials!

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Replies

  • Jkevn January 29, 2010 at 1:09pm
    Any concerns you have about ordering off the internet should be eased by using a fellow member and all around great guy, (ok, that last part is a bit of a stretch...) CB Gitty sells in quantities small enough to get ya a taste for the real stuff without breaking the bank. I've bought from him as have several others, I don't think you will find a complaint among the lot.

    I agree that the toothpicks add a certain old-timey home-made feel.....just don't expect them to be something they aint.
    As a long time hold out, I will have to admit....the real fret wire brings a whole new dimension to the look and playability of the finished instrument.

    Try it...if you aint happy with his stuff, I'll buy it from you.
  • rich gallagher January 29, 2010 at 11:55am
    ditto on c b gitty - easy to use size in small amounts - great service
  • Dave Breault January 29, 2010 at 11:33am
    I feell your pain, there is a retired/part time luthier in my community that I can get a few things from but he never wants to charge me and I feel guilty just walking out with stuff. I always give him something.
  • Randy Webb January 29, 2010 at 11:22am
    I went back to the toothpick thing cause they are so quick. I tried cotter pins, but they were such a pain to get smooth ends, it would have been just as easy to use real fretwire.

    The only reason I havent used real fretwire yet, is it is impossible to find anywhere around here and Im not a fan of ordering something off the internet without having laid my hands on some of it before.

    Guess I just need to bite the bullet, but filling cotter pins was so difficult that fretwire scares me. So for now it's toothpicks.

    Dave Breault said:
    I'm trying the hardwood round ones and what I did was; after marking the lines in pencil I took a fine scratch awl and scored over the lines. I was careful to come in from both sides towards the middle to prevent tear out of the grain, then used CA glue. I could easily feel the line with the tooth pick and they held very well.
  • Dave Breault January 29, 2010 at 11:12am
    I'm trying the hardwood round ones and what I did was; after marking the lines in pencil I took a fine scratch awl and scored over the lines. I was careful to come in from both sides towards the middle to prevent tear out of the grain, then used CA glue. I could easily feel the line with the tooth pick and they held very well.
  • Randy Webb January 29, 2010 at 11:12am
    It's a super glue-ish kind of thing.
    CA is short for Cyanoacrylate.

    Lots of airplane model builders use it among others. Comes in different viscosities and it's made by different people. You can find it at hobby stores in the model section a lot of times.



    colin mcgrath said:
    what is ca glue? I usually use tightbond 3 and gorilla glue.
  • colin mcgrath January 29, 2010 at 11:07am
    what is ca glue? nevermind just googled it. can't delete post
  • Diane in Chicago January 29, 2010 at 10:55am
    I couldn't get the round ones to sit square with the pencil lines, so I sawed in a shallow ditch with a miter saw. Then the round ones nestle right in and stick better, too. You can even sand them down to get them all even and a little lower -- real fret dressing!

    I just got the grocery store ones. The flat ones we get around here are more splintery and way softer -- and less consistent from pick to pick. But they sure make handy shims when you screw up a cut!



    Randy Webb said:
    Im using hardwood square ones, but I dont use slots, they just glue flat to the fretboard.

    Tried soaking one first, but it didnt adhear as well to the fretboard. What brand toothpick do you use?

    I have some bamboo skewers, but they are pretty large around and I'd def. need to cut slots.
  • Randy Webb January 29, 2010 at 10:51am
    Im using hardwood square ones, but I dont use slots, they just glue flat to the fretboard.

    Tried soaking one first, but it didnt adhear as well to the fretboard. What brand toothpick do you use?

    I have some bamboo skewers, but they are pretty large around and I'd def. need to cut slots.
  • Diane in Chicago January 29, 2010 at 10:48am
    I heard you can dip them in the thin stuff, and then glue them into slots. Never tried it. I used the hardwood, round ones. The flat ones are really mushy and die pretty fast.
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