Newbie's introduction and fretwire question

Tenthumbs

Hi all,

I'm pretty new on the Fretboard forum - I'm only made one post up to now. I have a long-standing ambition to build a flamenco guitar from scratch and have all the materials to do so - twice - bought plans for a 2003 Reyes from the States . . . However, I'm trying to develop my non-existent woodworking skills before I go anywhere near my precious tonewoods. I'm an engineer by inclination and training but I can't see many transferable skills between the two disciplines so I've been learning on the fly.

I have owned and played guitars for 60 years or so - always classical. I bought my current guitar in 1968 when I was a student; I was doing holiday work in a steelworks at the time and it cost me more than a 48-hours week's worth of wages (it was 24 guineas - £25.20) when I was making £20 a week . . . Couple of weeks ago I also bought a nylon-strung Aria Sinsonido so I can practice in silence.

Over the past couple of years I've bought and built a Chinese Stratocaster kit just to get the hang of setting it up, then bought another Strat in need of attention for more practice - someone had messed up the truss-rod so I removed the fretboard, repaired the truss-rod and replaced the fretboard again. Still nothing to do with classical guitar building but I understand the principles a little better now.

A couple of months ago I started building a headless travel guitar with a classical  neck and fretboard - it's after the style of an Aria Sinsonido crossed with a MOOV - which is solid-bodied with built-in amp allowing it to be heard through headphones. I'm using poplar rescued from a 100-year old piano's keyboard lid for the build, with recycled oak from an old drawer front for the fretboard. I was able to buy the electronics from eBay - the amp comes with a piezo under-saddle pickup. I found photos of the Sinsonido online and deduced the dimensions based on known ones - scale length, width of nut etc. Of course, I now have one but I'm sticking to my original idea - seems to be working so far . . . Apart from my bandsaw and Safe-T-Planer it's all been handwork with traditional tools; planes, chisels, saws, cabinet scrapers etc. 

I'm in a position where I want to buy fretwire next and I'm wondering about the gauge of them - is there a preferred gauge for a classical guitar? My source of supplies has been eBay for tuners, nut, saddle, amp etc and I've been looking at fretwire there too. Some of it is described as having a slight radius to aid installation - will this flatten out to suit a flat fretboard?

TIA for any help

SteveRobinson

Tonetech sells flat fretwire e.g. https://tonetechluthiersupplies.co.uk/fret-wire-jescar-fl37080.html

I'd recommend you phone and ask what fretwire they suggest for a classical guitar, although to a large extent that's a pesonal choice.

Tenthumbs

OK, thanks - I'l try that!

Roland

If you create a build thread in Making & Modding then you will get feedback from experienced guitar builders as the build progresses. They can provide advice on technique, sequencing, and what to do when you’re stuck, or things don’t go as expected.

PeteC

Sounds like you have plenty of transferable skills to me, and well on your way to doing a fine build.  Good luck with it.