curved fretwire on uke

[Mystic]

Hi All

Making 2nd uke and was bought fretwire at local store. Discovered it was curved, not flat, but thought it would flatten when I fretted the uke.
After fretting and levelling it still appears to still be somewhat curved on a non-radiused fingerboard. Not sure if this will affect notes and playability.
Should I proceed to glue in bridge and nut or rip out frets, plane and sand down the fretboard and replace with new fretboard and flat fretwire or will it play ok as is.

Asking because it would be likely easier to plane down the fretboard (it this becomes necessary) before the bridge goes on rather than finishing the uke and then finding out this is a problem.

All advice appreciated

Mystic

 

[dofthesea]

It's important to make sure all the frets are seated properly in slot. Did you hammer frets or use a fret press? How much of a radius?

 

[Island Jim]

If your fingerboard is truly flat and your frets are properly seated it wouldn't matter if the fret wire was slightly curved to start with. If the fret board now has a radius then one or both of these aren't right.

 

[Mystic]

It's important to make sure all the frets are seated properly in slot. Did you hammer frets or use a fret press? How much of a radius?

I used a fret hammer...hammered edge, other edge then middle....in retrospect to flatten more probably should have started in the middle. the hieght of the fret in the middle appears to be maybe 1mm higher than at edge

 

[Mystic]

If your fingerboard is truly flat and your frets are properly seated it wouldn't matter if the fret wire was slightly curved to start with. If the fret board now has a radius then one or both of these aren't right.

the fretboard is still flat, but the top of the fretwire is about .5 to 1 mm higher at middle than at edges, so yes, there is a curve on the fretwire - does not seat totally flush to the fretboard in the middle - can slightly see some of the top of the tang above the fretboard

 

[Mystic]

It's important to make sure all the frets are seated properly in slot. Did you hammer frets or use a fret press? How much of a radius?

can see a little of the tang below the bead of the fret in the middle of the frets (about .5mm to 1mm)

 

[Mike $]

a pair of locking C- Clamps will probably help flatten out the radius. I use them to seat my frets and they work perfectly. Don't glue your frets in before you flatten the radiused frets, or carefully remove the frets and put in flat frets.

 

[Island Jim]

Did you fret the fingerboard on your bench or glued to the neck? I always fret my fingerboard on my bench, hammer the frets in then press them with my bench vice with hardwood cheeks on the vice jaws. I then file the fret ends flush and bevel them before gluing them to the neck. After it is glued I do the final leveling and fret dressing.

 

[Mystic]

a pair of locking C- Clamps will probably help flatten out the radius. I use them to seat my frets and they work perfectly. Don't glue your frets in before you flatten the radiused frets, or carefully remove the frets and put in flat frets.

can I actually yank them out once the crazy glue has gone in?

 

[Mike $]

can I actually yank them out once the crazy glue has gone in?

I don't think things will turn out too great if you already glued in the frets. How thick did you leave the fretboard? I just made a fretboard that is 7/64" thick, and my Martin Soprano is 3/32" thick. If you have enough fretboard left over after removing and replaining frets, it could still work with flat frets (unradiused).

 

[rb4player]

I always radius my frets before installing on my flat fingerboards. It is easier to get them fully seated that way for me. Starting with flat frets is more likely to leave high fret edges. I think you simple failed to seat them completely during installation, initial radius should make no difference as fretwire is relatively soft.

If you are gluing them in anyway, you might slightly file the tangs next time to reduce the resistance to installation. I don't glue my frets.

 

[Mystic]

Did you fret the fingerboard on your bench or glued to the neck? I always fret my fingerboard on my bench, hammer the frets in then press them with my bench vice with hardwood cheeks on the vice jaws. I then file the fret ends flush and bevel them before gluing them to the neck. After it is glued I do the final leveling and fret dressing.

i fret the fingerboard - put in the glue, then file the sides, then glue to neck and then flatten them with sandpaper and dfo the final crowning

 

[Mystic]

I don't think things will turn out too great if you already glued in the frets. How thick did you leave the fretboard? I just made a fretboard that is 7/64" thick, and my Martin Soprano is 3/32" thick. If you have enough fretboard left over after removing and replaining frets, it could still work with flat frets (unradiused).

fretboard was pretty thin....I have the feeling I will need to plane it down very thin after removing frets (likely with a chisel) and then make a new fretboard and fret it with flat frets......challenge will be to plane it down level and square to neck without damaging the cedar top - risky but doable

 

[Island Jim]

You could try grabbing the frets with a flush ground end nipper, they should come out even with glue. I would not use a chisel!

 

[rb4player]

Flat (straight) frets will not help if installed shy of being fully seated. You can properly seat flat or radiused frets. Take extra care in that procedure and everything will be fine.

(The moment a flat fret is struck with a hammer, it is no longer flat)

 

[Mystic]

You could try grabbing the frets with a flush ground end nipper, they should come out even with glue. I would not use a chisel!
View attachment 171195

 

[Mystic]

thank you for the suggestion....i think I have one of those somewhere in my very old inherited and rarely used tools - will need to dig that out and see if I can salvage the fretboard.....will let you know how it works out

 

[BuzzBD]

Be sure and heat each fret with a soldering iron before trying to pull them. Here are some pictures of a fret hammering caul that I make and sell to the students of my lutherie school. You first seat one end of the fret in the slot, place the caul over the fret and three quick, moderate blows with the hammer and the fret is fully seated. Because you are hitting the caul and not the fret there is no chance of dented fretboard, or bent or kinked frets.

 

[Timbuck]

I never bothered with curved wire .. just straight long lengths … also I use a hammer and a press … it works ok most of the time but sometimes I get an awkward fret that dosn’t want to behave

 

[Mystic]

I managed to get them out with not much damage to the fretboard....deepened the frets and sanded....will get some flat frets and try again....thanks to all for the advice