ArcFret

ArcFret is designed for familiar guitar technique and chord shapes. The curved layout uses conventional guitar fretwire. As with any guitar, the feel depends on the neck, fret profile and setup.

Applications include nylon-string classical, flamenco, jazz, crossover and contrabass guitars, as well as steel-string acoustic guitars and acoustic bass guitars. ArcFret can also be developed for harp guitars, mini guitars, ukuleles and other fretted instruments with an acoustic body. Each specification is assessed individually. On harp guitars, ArcFret applies to the fretted strings.

Yes. Use a standard capo suited to the fingerboard width and radius, with only the pressure needed for clean notes. Capo pressure can affect pitch, so check the tuning after fitting it.

No. Use a normal chromatic tuner set to A4 = 440 Hz and the standard target pitches for your chosen tuning. For a six-string guitar in standard tuning, the open strings are E–A–D–G–B–E, from lowest to highest. No ArcFret-specific pitch offsets in cents, tuner presets or tuning app are required.

Yes. Changing tuning changes string tension and may affect intonation. Tell us your usual strings, action and tunings so that we can take them into account when designing and setting up the instrument. A result achieved in one tuning does not establish the same accuracy in another.

We can develop ArcFret geometry for different scale lengths, string counts and handedness. A new specification requires individual assessment. Building and evaluating a prototype of the same specification allows us to refine the compensation for subsequent instruments.

Yes. We have already built an acoustic bass combining ArcFret with a fanned-fret layout spanning scale lengths from 32 to 34 inches. The different scale lengths and curved fret compensation are designed together for the instrument's strings, tuning and setup.

We use standard guitar fretwire with a conventional tang, bent to the ArcFret curves. The fretwire material and profile are confirmed in the individual build specification.

No. ArcFret is Turkowiak's own compensated fret system for guitars and related fretted instruments with an acoustic body. It is not a True Temperament product.

In workshop tuning checks on guitars fitted with ArcFret, we have recorded pitch deviations within ±1 cent of the target pitches for the notes checked. These results apply to the instruments, tuning, strings and setup used for those checks. They are not a guaranteed tolerance for every instrument or playing condition. Tuning, string choice, action, temperature and finger pressure can affect the resulting pitch.