darkshadow54321 Posted January 28, 2012 Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 Hi everyone, I'm interested in the concept of a zero fret but one of the major turn offs for me is the way they look. I hate the gap that is left between the zero fret and the nut/string guide, as seen here: I think it looks much nicer if the zero fret is right up against the nut, like this: However, I don't know of any luthiers doing this on a guitar. Why is that? I'm guessing by having it so close there may be issues with the strings being more likely to move around/jump out of the slots (especially with trem use) but I'm sure there's probably a way to compensate for that... Your thoughts are appreciated! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted January 28, 2012 Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 The second pic is of an instrument with bar frets. That is an older style fret. More info at Frank Fords site: http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Guitar/Frets/00045BarFrets/00045barfrets1.html With a bar style fret you can easily deepend the fret slot to cut stright throught the fretboard, but up a wider steel bar against the end of the fretboard and but upp the nut to the bar to get a neat thing like in that photo. With modern frets you would need to cut a normal fret slot and then cut off the fretboard, leavin just a tiny amount of wood on one side of the fret tang. I think that it is a very high risk that the fret tang would split the wood. Of cause you could first fret the guitar and then cut it off. I dunno if that would lessen the risk of splitting enough. My advise is to make some test pieces and just try it our. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 28, 2012 Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 The difficulties in fitting a zero fret with the slot being so near to the end of the fingerboard would simply mean instant breakage hammering or pressing. The bar fret example is perhaps a little misleading as to the feasibility of ramming a nut right up to a zero fret. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Workingman Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 What about a glue in fret? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 Sounds good. It probably makes sense to cut a wider-than-normal fret slot for the zero, file off the majority of the tangs and secure it using Titebond or some other glue that can be released with heat. Having a worn zero would be a massive pain. In that respect, you wouldn't have to use a large amount of force to seat it perhaps. A less satisfactory method would be to leave the end of the fingerboard long, mount the zero and then cut the board close to the zero to achieve the short distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkshadow54321 Posted January 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 Excellent points! Thanks to all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mender Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 It can be done, although you have to be very accurate. Cut the nut as shown in the picture, glue it into the fretboard, then cut the fret slot exactly where the nut and fretboard touch. I would recommend using a caul and press to fit the fret into the slot, unless you want to cut the slot slightly wider so the fret tang pushes in easily by hand, then glue the fret in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Certainly looks like the best way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mender Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Certainly looks like the best way. It works extremely well. I devised the idea many years ago so I could retro fit a zero fret on non-zero fret guitars, but still allow the guitar to be put back to original simply by fitting a new nut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 That makes you sound older. Say you invented it when you were a teenager. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mender Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 I am getting older. I reach my official retiring age of 65 at the end of August this year I think it was around 1968 when I came up with the idea. I bought a Fender Strat that someone had cut the nut slots too deep on, and as I've always preferred to have a zero fret, I had to work out how to fit one without making permanent modifications to the otherwise original spec guitar. That idea popped into my mind pretty much straight away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 So it's great to see we're forging ahead into new grounds here with guitar technology! To revisit the OP's question, I think the answer is "no". The gap is not necessary, however it does not detract from the function of the zero fret and neither does reducing it. It just becomes more of a chore trying to eliminate something that isn't a problem in the first place. I do like the retrofitting a Fender style nut install with a hybrid zero and guiding nut though. That's really cool Mender. It's not often that I see things which make me want to click my fingers and say "dang". There must be an emoticon (or app) for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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