Fan Fret wisdom?

[Badcrumble]

Hey there guys.
A few months ago, I completed a beautiful acoustic guitar on a building course, that took me over a year of saturdays.

Anyway, it was an absolutely incredible experience, and I am raring to get going with a second course build (I've tried a solo build, but I just don't have the tools. The plan is to continue my solo build in parallel with the course build, which would allow me to use the workshop of the course to do any tasks for which my workshop is not equipped).

Well, I have been thinking of possibly trying a fan fret on my second build, mostly because I rather like the idea of a baritone, but can't really find use for a full baritone guitar.

I expect I'll be wantng to make a multi-scale of around 26.25"-25.5" , or around there.
Does anyone have any experience in this regard? Unfortunately the luthiers who run the course have never made a fan fret before, but they're keen to dig in and investigate and make a plan to get it done, and I trust them to help me produce an excellent one.

Finally, does anyone know of any jig or template system available for cutting fan fret slots?
I've hunted through the internet but with littles success, tho I expect there is some kind of variable multi-scale jig available somewhere.

Thanks for any advice or contributions you may have, or even just for reading this far
Andrew

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Badcrumble

I expect there is some kind of variable multi-scale jig available somewhere.

I am fairly sure that nobody has produced such an item commercially.

I do believe that one builder has provided downloadable templates wherein you input the variables (string spacing, scale lengths, parallel fret) and you get a printout which you can then use as a slotting guide. Unfortunately I cannot recollect offhand who that builder is.

You might want to take a look at this page

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by murrmac123

I am fairly sure that nobody has produced such an item commercially.

I do believe that one builder has provided downloadable templates wherein you input the variables (string spacing, scale lengths, parallel fret) and you get a printout which you can then use as a slotting guide. Unfortunately I cannot recollect offhand who that builder is.

You might want to take a look at this page

There is... it's called a CNC!

To answer the OP, there's no easy way to build a jig. The layout is pretty simple. Just lay out the fret positions under the outer strings and connect the dots.

[printer2]

http://www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fretfind2d/

Just click on multiple and tell it what you want. Print out your template and have fun.


Just checked out the link in the above post, let's just say I second the page, works great.

[tadol]

Actually, Bruce Sexauer has made up a template that offers the fret spacing, and you can build 2 different jigs with it, one to offer basic straight fretting with easily adjustable scale length, the other a fan fret jig, but I don't remember if it offers as much flexibility in fan difference.

For straight frets, the fretboard is attached under the corian jig at right angles to the blade, and the pin on top of the jig is adjusted to land in the grooves at the scale length you need, I think its anything from 24" to 26" or so? the other jig has a bar on top that lands in the full groove, so for each cut you lift the bar slightly and move the jig over a bit and adjust the angle slightly, re-seat the bar and cut. Because of the many options re: your zero fret placement, board width and max and min scales, it would be very difficult to build a single jig to cover every variation of fan fret. But maybe a jig with a pair of adjustable pins could be figured out - not sure -

if he has a couple of these left, you may want to pick one up from him - Bruce builds some really nice guitars, and no CNCs - I don't think he even has a digital clock - ;-)





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[gpj1136]

You could build one of the magnetic guided fret saw jigs and have the guide movable to an angle then use Wfret and print one for each length. Glue them to the appropriate sides of the fret board. Then set the guide point to point.