Fret size

zvone

Hi all!

I'm building a gypsy guitar, so I'm wondering what fret size do luthiers usually use for gypsy guitars. It will be an oval hole, but I'll try to suit it for rhythm playing as well, so i guess some kind of medium frets will be ok. What is your opinnion on this?

Cheers,
Zvonk

HCQ

I just had my Dell Arte refretted. A similar fret size was used - Jescar 51 x 101.

Bones

Interesting question. I used StewMac's 'medium-tall' fretwire on my last build.

https://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Supplies/Fretwire/StewMac_Medium_Fretwire.html

I got a bulk pack of it from a friend who was retiring from lutherie so I thought I would use it since with the tall (.050") crown I can do more fret re-dressings over the years before I need to pull them and refret. But the jury is still out in my mind about using the tall crown. I tend to fret notes with my finger right next to the fret and especially with the B and high E strings I was noticing that I liked the tone better if I put my finger just a bit back away from the fret itself and I'm not sure if the tall crown is what was causing that. Anyway, has anyone else had that experience with the tall crown fretwire?

alton

I just had my Dell Arte refretted and the luthier used Stew Mac wide/medium (.103"x.046"). It had fairly short frets originally, and I have come to like the larger frets on another GJ guitar that I have, so he measured the size and matched it. The guitar plays much better now and sounds "cleaner" - that's the best way that I can describe it.

psychebilly

My GJ fiddle has EVO gold frets...narrow & tall...wears well, better intonation, and the 'tallness' lets me really grab a bent note...

Jazzaferri

The good side to tall frets is they keep you away from the fretboard itself unless you push hard

Ifi you push the string to the fretboard with tall frets the intonation goes away.

AndyW

I was surfing around for GJ guitar fretwire size recommendations and saw a mention of Jescar Gold EVO 57110 [0.057" high x 110" wide ]
[-much wider & taller than the frets on both of the old Sicilian guitars I may use it on.]

Bones

Hey Jazza, yeah that makes sense and I do need to work on using a lighter touch.

zvone

Thank you guys, it will be a helluva guitar!

Jazzaferri

My friend Rob Cheremy actually gouged out the frets on his guitar so it has very quick response and it is very easy to significantly alter intonation.

Talk about a light touch and major control. No 1 jazz guitar call in our town.

vanmalmsteen

A few of my guitars are scalloped like that. Way easier on my fretting hand being that My fingers are never smashing into the fretboard. John McLaughlin always did that to his guitars