Fretting Exotic (Aussie native timber) Boards

[Kamusur]

Hello to everyone and many thanks in advance for any input

Was hoping to get some feed back on a couple of points regarding the fretting of boards using our native stock (Not the trad Maple, Ebony and Rosewood) that are now becoming popularly offered for sale and use such as Blackwood, Jarrah, Mulga, Gidgee and some other even more unusual choices.

Are the frets staying put in the long term without the use of glues as a safety measure? Are some of them lifting a couple of seasons down the track?
Are people using frets larger than medium to gain an advantage from using the longer tangs on jumbo wire etc? (Yes its true there isnt much tang on some of the medium wires)

Once again thanks to all who take the time to respond Steve

[peter.coombe]

I have used Gidgee and NSW Ironwood on mandolin fingerboards and didn't change anything. Frets went in similar to Ebony and no problems while I had the instruments and I have not heard from the customers so they must be still be ok.

[jeffhigh]

Ive used Cooktown Ironwood as normal
What I would like to know is what Maton used during the 50's and 60's.
It seemed to be prone to wear and deterioration. looked a bit like Blackbean?

[DarwinStrings]

I used Cooktown ironwood on my first guitar and 17 years or so later the frets have never budged (little bit of white glue I think, from memory, as I built with Cumpiano in hand)

Jim

[Kamusur]

Thanks gentlemen for the replies. As an aside I have a piece of Gidgee but i need masonry tools to work it. Its pretty tough and they reckon Red Ebony (aka Cooky metal timber) is even harder.
No i was wondering about the Blackwoods and other softer style hardwoods.

Steve

[Kim]

I've used mulga and would do so again in a heart beat.

Cheers

Kim

[Allen]

I've use Mineretchi, Cooktown Ironwood, Gidgee, Blackwood, Lace Sheoak, Bull Oak and a few others. Fret as normal with either Titebond, HHG or CA wicked in from the fret end. All worked great.

[Tod Gilding]

Hi Allen, That's good info,Thanks . Could you please explain how exactly you wick the fret with CA, Just For Us Novice Guy's.

[Allen]

If it's a unbound board there will be a bit of fret tang and just the tinniest bit of fret slot showing on the side of the board. A drop of thin CA on the end of the tang will wick into the fret slot.

If you trim back your fret tang prior to fretting then you will have the full slot visible. If you give a light sanding to the board edge you can push in the sanding dust into the slot and then a drop of CA will set it rock hard. Another light sanding to level and your done. In ebony the slot becomes all but invisible using this method.

[Bob Connor]

A lot of those desert hardwoods are much denser than Ebony.

There used to be a table on Tim Spittle's old website that had a lot of info on weights and Janka scales of various woods. According to that table Mulga was about half again as dense as ebony.

If it's not on the new website I'll try and get it from him and post it up here as I think it is really useful.

I've never had problems with any of those desert woods

[Daniel_M]

I have used figured Jarrah on electric necks for fingerboards and never had an issue – and I used tiny little frets (I like them – others don’t). It worked great and the Jarrah darkens nicely. Just a bit of titebond and all good.

[charangohabsburg]

There used to be a table on Tim Spittle's old website that had a lot of info on weights and Janka scales of various woods.

This one?

[Paul B]

I've used western Myall without a problem.

[Bob Connor]

There used to be a table on Tim Spittle's old website that had a lot of info on weights and Janka scales of various woods.

This one?

Yes Markus

That's the table I was talking about.

Regards.