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Will a .026 slot be O.K.


goat

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Should work fine. After all, it's an ebony board, that's never had frets before, right ?

I wouldn't be surprised if you still get a little backbow if the fret tang beads are around .037".

If it was me, I'd probably even mash the beads down , but we won't get into that, becaue I don't know the exact specs of your frets, or what kind of system you are using to install them.

With the old-style hammer-in method, they even expect some backbow, and plan to loosen the truss-rod later to get the necks as straight as they can, to mill the fret-tops. problem is that it usually doesn't get perfectly straight, so they have to mill a little more off the fret-tops to get them all level.

Yes, you'll need glue, because you'll have quite a gap between the slot walls and fret tang.

Or you can look for other fret-wire, if you don't like that big gap. I guess I wouldn't like a gap like that either.

On a .026" slot, on Ebony, I would prefer a tang width of .0255". I've never had that size slot, though, so it would be something new. I guess I'd have to order wire from Martin Co, with a tang width of .0275", and shave it down to .0255" and then even punch some new beads in, and shave those down to be no more than .027 wide, for my fretting method, but your method might be different.

But, I should stop writing about what I prefer, because it's not the only way. If you want to master the old hammer-in method, you might be better off to not even read my fretting style preferences.

Dan Erlewine did sound transmission tests on various fretting styles, and came to the conclusion that frets that had no glue at all, had the most poor reading on the meter.

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Should work fine. After all, it's an ebony board, that's never had frets before, right ?

Dan Erlewine did sound transmission tests on various fretting styles, and came to the conclusion that frets that had no glue at all, had the most poor reading on the meter.

I used a caul press.They went in fine.I put glue on the left and right of the slot leaving a space in the middle so the fret would seat.

Checking my receipts,I got my fretwire from Warmoth.It is #6150.

I don`t know what size the slot was supposed to be.I don`t know why I had in my mind .024

The .026 slot worked out fine.

If anyone knows the tang dimensions for 6150 wire I`m curious :D

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What kind of glue did you use ? (if super glue, water thin, medium or gel ?). I'm thinking about trying the gel type, because I assume less of the glue goes soaking far into the wood.

I used Titebond.

I think the superglues are not good because the joint gets ruined if you ever have to re-fret.

Bob Benedetto does it this way(Titebond) on all his guitars.Just leave some out in the middle and a little on the sides(especially if you have binding) for run out.Too much glue and it may not seat because of pressure.

He`s a master luthier and some of his guitars sell for $50,000.

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