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Re honing a Griffbrett

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2018 8:19 am
by Musicmaker
I am awaiting my Adolf Meinel Zither any time now and the Griff Bret may require a re hone.
How is this done please?
Has anyone done it?
Pete

Re: Re honing a Griffbrett

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2018 9:11 am
by Rudy Mueller
Pete, don't fix it if it ain"t broke! You haven't even seen the instrument yet; play it for at least a year, and if there is a problem, START thinking about a solution, perhaps seeking advice/service from a pro. Honing the griffbrett is essentially surgery on the voice box. You are the caretaker of a significant piece of heritage. Caution, caution, caution!

See "tinney sounding a string" in this Repairs and Restoration section.

Rudi

Re: Re honing a Griffbrett

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2018 11:23 am
by Musicmaker
Hi Rudi.
Essentially that is sound advice!
Pardon the pun.
You are of course right.
If it plays okay then if course I will not touch it but I was just thinking that if it has been played a lot and with vibrato causing wear grooves on the frets, that it might need that surgery.
I was thinking that the operation would be similar to honing the frets on a guitar?
I read your rendition on restoring a Zither and you mentioned about honing the Grff Bret which interested me.
Pete

Re: Re honing a Griffbrett

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2018 11:47 am
by Musicmaker
Hi Rudi.
Me again
I have just read the whole conversation between you and Ken re Tinney strings.
Yes....honing the Griff bret on a Zither is very much as I thought it would be.
That was a good article.
Thank you Rudi and also Tom for the information I needed to know.
Pete

Re: Re honing a Griffbrett

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2018 10:56 pm
by Musicmaker
Sorry...I meant Rudi and KEN !
Too much wine ....AGAIN !
Pete

Re: Re honing a Griffbrett

Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2018 8:02 am
by kenbloom
Just a quick note on fret filing. First, use a short (4") straightedge to locate any frets that are high. Work from the high end of the fingerboard towards the low end. I use diamond sharpening steels to do this. They are dead flat and do a fine job. I start with a coarse one and then use my fret files to round the tops. Work slowly and have a good picture in your mind of what you are trying to achieve. Any questions, take two aspirin and call me in the morning. Congrats on the Meinel! I know you'll be happy with it.

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.org