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View Full Version : why banjo frets?



Izaac Walton
Mar-06-2004, 12:32pm
Is it just the feel of the larger banjo frets that some players like? Any other differences compared to regular mandolin frets?

THP
Mar-09-2004, 11:25pm
some believe it adds a bit more amount of sustain and you dont have to push the string down to the fretboard just to the fret, with the wider frets its easier.

Mar-10-2004, 11:37pm
When I was younger I thought bigger frets were better but I tend to prefer the vintage size or at the most vintage/medium size nowdays. You can actually tell the tone difference in the sizes.

Izaac Walton
Mar-11-2004, 11:17am
Thanks for the info! I appreciate it. Can you tell me more about how the different frets affect playability and tone?

It sounds like it may be easier on the fingers playing with banjo frets? I know it can be difficult to describe tone, but do you find the tone between the two types to be significant? Your preference for tone, playability?

Just curious, does anyone know what fret styles are used by the BIG NAME players? Thile, McCoury, Bush, Grisman, etc..

I'm playing standard mandolin frets right now and I'm happy with them. I played a mando with banjo frets the other day for a short time. Felt different but not bad. I'm having a mandolin built and need to chose one or the other. Maybe I'll have more chances to play a mando with banjo frets before the time I have to tell my builder my decision. Just gathering information. Thanks!

Jun-16-2004, 11:49am
Does'nt Chris Thile use standard size frets? Does anyone actually know all the specs of his dudenbostels? I mean like in real detail.

Tom C
Jun-16-2004, 12:43pm
"Is it just the feel of the larger banj* frets that some players like? Any other differences compared to regular mandolin frets?"

No, there's just a large supply. Whenever us mando pickers are around a banj*, we
just start slowly picking them apart until we can't hear them anymore http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Jun-16-2004, 12:53pm
Or does Thile's dude have larger frets?

Jun-16-2004, 12:56pm
Or does Thile's dude have larger frets?

sunburst
Jun-16-2004, 1:59pm
Does'nt Chris Thile use standard size frets? Does anyone actually know all the specs of his dudenbostels? I mean like in real detail.
I'd say that would be Mr. Dudenbostel himself who posts on this board from time to time.

I don't know anything about Chris Thile's mandolin, but I can tell you this:
I got Chris to play a couple of my mandolins once and the first thing he said...after maybe three notes...was "I love these frets!"
They are standard size mandolin wire, but with a little rounder bead than some.

Pete Martin
Jun-16-2004, 2:20pm
I use banjo frets, very rounded and they require much less left hand pressure. YMMV

Jun-16-2004, 3:22pm
I'm having a mandolin built for me now, and out of all the things I requested I forgot to inquire about larger frets. Is that something that later down the line would be hard to change to? Is thier really that much of a difference?

sunburst
Jun-16-2004, 5:03pm
...larger frets. Is that something that later down the line would be hard to change to? Not a problem. You can change fret sizes anytime you want.

Is thier really that much of a difference? Only you can decide.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Fretbear
Jun-16-2004, 10:12pm
I personally would never go back to standard frets, but even if you do like them better, there is no denying that they wear out faster, with less fret stock available for dressing between replacements. I have never understood the argument that the answer to "twice as much string" is "half as much fret".

BigJoe
Jun-16-2004, 10:32pm
I hate the larger frets. They do not intonate quite as sharp and I do not think they are as easy to play. Different strokes for different folks.

ira
Jun-22-2004, 11:16am
i love my fat frets, real easy to play and slide along the top. has helped me to ease my gorilla grip on the mando, which in turn has helped both my left and right hand technique (its still poor, but better).