The Music and Musical Instruments of Southern India and the Deccan c13.s1.8

c13.s1.8

The frets for C D E F G A B c were of white metal, the others were yellow. The frets were flatly elliptical with hooked ends, round which a piece of gut was tied, and then brought about three times under the finger-board, catching the hooked ends each time and being firmly fixed. Each fret was therefore tightly fastened in its place, and could not be moved up and down the board without much force. But the fret itself could be deflected to the right or left, leaving the hooked ends fixed. This was not easy, but was possible.