Frets for Vega 5 string banjo

[Lee Gendvilas]

The person who owns this banjo would like to keep the same width frets - .060, but he'd like a taller crown if possible. The crown height on this banjo is .030 (fret 5). If I go to a taller fretwire, it's looks to me (after measuring) like the width of the fret will cover part of the inlay (see pic). Any suggestions or sources for wire is greatly appreciated.

[Hesh Breakstone]

Hi Lee.  I don't know but it looks to me like there is plenty of room from the edges of the inlays, not the filler...., to the frets to even use .080 X .040 wire which would give your client approx. 25% more height.  The additional .020 in width is only .010 on each side or the thickness of three Post-it notes.  If you have any 80 X 40 you could clip the tang and fit a piece to see how it looks?

[Lee Gendvilas]

Hello Hesh! Thanks for helping me see things better (I think I need to git sum stronger magnifier glasses). No, I don't have .080 X .040 wire and I was going to size a piece if I had some. I like your Post-it note perspective. I found .079 X .051 at AllParts, 2 ft length @$5 and Jescar has .078 X .050, 1 lb. for $45. So, I'm gonna get 2 ft length from AllParts and see how that works.

[nathan clark]

Your best bet is the .080" x .043 or very close equivalent, assuming that You're going to lose minimal height after LC&P. IMO, that's a relatively narrow width by modern standards without too much height. I would be concerned that anything bigger is going to freak out someone who is used to a height of .030". Once you hit .050", you're torying with railroad tie territory.

[Lee Gendvilas]

Hi Nathan. I agree with you and respect your opinion. With this gentleman it's not going to freak him out. He plays many different string instruments and understands what may happen. What I plan on doing is getting the 2 foot length and put several short pieces on a flat piece of wood and have him run his fingers over it, maybe stretch a string across them. That way if he doesn't like the crown height I could take it down a little until I get it where he likes it. Then I'm not doing another leveling/crowning or pulling frets from the Vega later on 'cause he doesn't like the height of the frets. Please let me know if this makes sense or not.

[nathan clark]

In an ideal world, you would have a some demo guitars that you've refretted with the different available sizes.  This gives folks a chance to have some hands on experience with the different sizes.  This is what I've done in my shop and it's made the "what fret size do you want?" discussion with customers much easier.  I typically break out the demo guitars for the customer then get back to my repair work at the bench while they noodle on the demo guitars.

Short of that, maybe a fretboard with a couple frets of each size so folks can compare them to one another?

[Mark A. Kane]

Dunlop 6000 ought to do the trick...

That's a little joke.

[Frank Ford]

Personally, I'd really like to find some .065" wide, .045" tall fret wire for old time banjos.  A #9 like this one deserves sensitive treatment.

Failing that, I'd be talking about the Jescar .053 x .037, even thought it's not as high as I'd want.  One thing to consider is the new frets will most likely feel higher than similar, worn ones.

Otherwise, regular (nominally .080 wide) guitar wire would provide great playability at the cost of some "vintage appearance."

[Lee Gendvilas]

Just found out this banjo neck is a reproduction. Earlier I was so concerned about the frets that I didn't pay close attention to the neck itself. It has a backbow that won't correct with loosening the truss rod. I've begun reading the articles of straightening necks with heat and clamping but from what I've read so far, it's 50/50 as to whether it works. I have LMII's fingerboard heat blanket and Hideo Kamimoto's book. For those of you who say use Hideo's technique, what temperature and for how long do you recommend? For those of you who say don't do the heat/clamp technique, what do you recommend?

[Eric Steven Johansen]

Nice reneck, is that an original headplate? Nice either way. Gotta tell you Lee that I've had the best results for back bow issues by removing and reseting the fretboard. This gives me the ability to remove some of the backbow by leveling the neck and then reinstalling the board. Best part is that that wood is now well cured and once straight it wont be inclined to move.