zoltaaam Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Hi there, First of all....I have no any experience in forging or in blacksmithing at all. I'm about to make a guitar and gonna need some help. I want it to be special so I would like to use special materials. Especially, for the frets. The frets are that metal parts on the guitar neck that looks like lines. 22 or 24 of them placed in specified distance to each other. I hope you know what I mean. Anyway... I'm looking for some material which hard and durable and special. I was thinking maybe white gold or platinum but I have no any clue about them. Can they take lots of abuse? Or could you advise me any hard metal like stainless steel but a bit more valuable? Kind regards Zoltan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Depleted Uranium? Before choosing one as a fret material I would look into: Can you source it in an appropriate shape? Can you work with it? HOW DOES IT SOUND WHEN USED AS A FRET!!! searching under jewelry metals I found a listing that states: (increasing number indicates increasing hardness, note does not deal with differing alloys within a "metal") Platinum 4 – 4.5 Titanium 6 Hardened Steel 7 – 8 Tungsten 7.5 Tungsten Carbide 8.5 – 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 There is a reason most guitars have nickel-silver for frets. A real silver alloy with copper and rhodium would be special and might do the job but then you would have the hassle of fabricating custom shape. Consider that the frets not heavy wear items. You didn't say what style of guitar you are planning to build btw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoltaaam Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 20 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Hmmm....uranium sounds special. Where can it be found? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Hmmm....uranium sounds special. Where can it be found? Where ever they are making Nuclear Explosives, Can't be hard to find. Israel, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan.......... Enjoy the glow!! Won't make you Fret at All. Hummmmmmmm Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoltaaam Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 8 hours ago, Charlotte said: There is a reason most guitars have nickel-silver for frets. A real silver alloy with copper and rhodium would be special and might do the job but then you would have the hassle of fabricating custom shape. Consider that the frets not heavy wear items. You didn't say what style of guitar you are planning to build btw? It's an electric semi-hollow guitar. But you are right. The more I think the more I convinced that it's too big bite for me. To find the right material and shape it. I've never worked with metals only wood. Maybe I can ask someone to do it for me. But still. Too much hassle The traditional frets as you said nickel silver. But nowadays stainless steel is getting more popular. And I have a question. This is only a question. Is it possible to mix gold with iron and make it stainless steal. I don't know the ingredients of stainless steal. If i knw well you need copper as well. but what if I mix it with gold instead of copper? Or something like that? This is just from pure curiosity 8 minutes ago, swedefiddle said: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 gold and iron do not make stainless steel though it is possible to turn one metal into another like turning lead into gold but it is not cheap, it would maybe cost you a few billion $ to make $1 worth of gold. what shape metal do you require? at a guess it would be a small oval or flat to set in on edge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoltaaam Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 9 minutes ago, swedefiddle said: Hmmm....uranium sounds special. Where can it be found? Where ever they are making Nuclear Explosives, Can't be hard to find. Israel, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan.......... Enjoy the glow!! Won't make you Fret at All. Hummmmmmmm Neil Whoever were playing on my guitar his face would turn to be sooo radiant like a torch. That would be awesome. That's what I'm talking about when I say SPECIAL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 I presume you have enough money to buy the material you want? I dont know what the going rate is for a pound of uranium and have you thought about how long you would live? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoltaaam Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 10 minutes ago, the iron dwarf said: I don't think I'm rich enough to buy uranium but you might be able to get it some other....dodgy way. And if I make a guitar out if uranium first of all I would sell it as fast as it possible. 15 minutes ago, the iron dwarf said: gold and iron do not make stainless steel though it is possible to turn one metal into another like turning lead into gold but it is not cheap, it would maybe cost you a few billion $ to make $1 worth of gold. what shape metal do you require? at a guess it would be a small oval or flat to set in on edge I didn't mean iron and gold together = stainless steel. But what if you put some gold in stainless steel? Why I can't upload any photo. I wanna show you what fret size is. Here is a link http://mobile.etronic-parts.com/product_info.php/info/p695_fret-wire-6100-6110-6130.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRS Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 7 hours ago, swedefiddle said: Hmmm....uranium sounds special. Where can it be found? Where ever they are making Nuclear Explosives, Can't be hard to find. Israel, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan.......... Enjoy the glow!! Won't make you Fret at All. Hummmmmmmm Neil Isn't the most (not natural) found uranium in Afghanistan from Russian and American DU Ammunition? Most of it is likely pulverized, but of the thousands tons used you might find enough to build a few frets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Just go with preformed nickel-silver fret stock - otherwise you will be unable to finish the job. Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prevenge Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 yeah...I would just go with buying fret wire. But perhaps you could have it anodized or coated in some way to customize it beyond that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dickb Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Not sure how hard it is, but I suggest Radium, It will glow in the dark and Illuminate (or maybe roast) the player. Or maybe you could browse around the local scrap yard and see if you can pick up some Kryptonite . Nota Bene. If using Radium you should consider wearing lead gloves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoltaaam Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 So many good advice... enriched uranium, radium, potassium etc.... just way too many choises. I'm really drawn to polonium....me and my special guitar. I can imagen. Whoever plays on it his finger will be falling off soon after that. .... But unfortunately it seems I will have to stick to the more traditional ways. It worth to come in. Thank you guys I had a good day. All answer is really appreciated. If you still have some advice...just carry on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 The way stainless steel works is that the high levels of chromium in it make an adherent chromium oxide layer on the surface that prevents the iron from oxidizing beneath it. Gold does not do this and so wouldn't make it stainless. The problem alluded to is that using oddball metals may result in a guitar costing more than a new car and the luthier needs to be very skilled in metalworking to get it to work---sort of like the old "If you have to ask the question, the answer is *NO*!" DU is used for more than anti tank weaponry but it is not an easy material to work and is expensive and is slightly more radioactive than other "common" metals which scares a lot of people. If I was picking a "buzzword" metal I would go with Titanium and anodize it in various colours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoltaaam Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 21 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: The way stainless steel works is that the high levels of chromium in it make an adherent chromium oxide layer on the surface that prevents the iron from oxidizing beneath it. Gold does not do this and so wouldn't make it stainless. The problem alluded to is that using oddball metals may result in a guitar costing more than a new car and the luthier needs to be very skilled in metalworking to get it to work---sort of like the old "If you have to ask the question, the answer is *NO*!" DU is used for more than anti tank weaponry but it is not an easy material to work and is expensive and is slightly more radioactive than other "common" metals which scares a lot of people. If I was picking a "buzzword" metal I would go with Titanium and anodize it in various colours. Oh my gosh.....Almost when I thought I had to get some uranium now you've given me some idea. Colored titanium.... sounds quite special. Above, I put it in the wrong way about iron + gold. My initial question supposed to be: Can you put gold into stainless steel to make it (I don't know) let's say special? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 "special" yes; better than the unmixed stuff most probably no; shoot you can dissolve diamonds into steel---you get the same stuff as if you put charcoal into it... If you are just hunting for buzzwords for a WOW factor try jet engine turbine blade alloys... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 If all you're looking for is "special" how about synthetic sapphire, emerald or ruby? It's often grown in long crystals for specific purposes and can be shaped easily enough with the right equipment. Hire the right person. Either synthetic gemstone would cost WAY less than some of the alloys and metals suggested and NOT be lethal to handle. It's plenty hard enough to withstand abrasion from the strings and if supported properly not break. There must be hundreds of synthetic gemstones available the more I think about it the longer the list gets. You can pick something that matches, compliments or contrasts with the guitar's neck and strings. Heck maybe even install LED lighting in the neck so they flare in time with the music. How special can you afford? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoltaaam Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 4 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: 5 minutes ago, Frosty said: If all you're looking for is "special" how about synthetic sapphire, emerald or ruby? It's often grown in long crystals for specific purposes and can be shaped easily enough with the right equipment. Hire the right person. Either synthetic gemstone would cost WAY less than some of the alloys and metals suggested and NOT be lethal to handle. It's plenty hard enough to withstand abrasion from the strings and if supported properly not break. There must be hundreds of synthetic gemstones available the more I think about it the longer the list gets. You can pick something that matches, compliments or contrasts with the guitar's neck and strings. Heck maybe even install LED lighting in the neck so they flare in time with the music. How special can you afford? Frosty The Lucky. Wooow....that was really helpful. I've never thought of that way. Amount of money have on my mind is ~500$. I would say my upper limit ~1000$ But for that price it has to be really special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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