Fretwire with narrow tang

[Bob Steinarsson]

I'm i need for fretwire with a tang no more than 0.020" wide (slots are 0.019"). The crown should be maximum 0.100" wide and minimum 0.045" tall. Where can I find this wire? I suppose Dunlop has got one or more, but I find no place with detailed specs except the fretwire chart at Luthier.net, and there it is stated : "Tang widths are to be double-checked". Jescar has got some, but I don't feel like buying this wire in bulk as I will hardly need it much in the future. Any suggestions?

Thanks

[Antonio Cotichini]

No suggestion but a couple of questions: what kind of instrument are you talking about, and why is that fret size so irremissible?

[Bob Steinarsson]

The guitar in question is a Yamaha FG300. It's got a bound fingerboard. The slots are 0.019" and the old frets are 0.016". I hoped that I could do the job without widening the slots. I think that I can force in 0.020", maybe even 0.021", but I'm afraid that the standard (0.023") would be hard. I'm also afraid that it would compress the neck into a backbow.
BS

[William F.Eden]

Try Stu Mac in Ohio USA

[Michael P. Lemieux]

Hello
Why not just widen your fret slots to 0.23" and get you your frets at stewmac. There frets are designed for 0.23". They even have an inexpensive fret slotting handsaw ($30.00) with a depth guage designed for their frets and cuts a fret slot to 0.23" Plus you can buy fret wire in 2 foot lengths. Just a thought.
Mike

[Bob Steinarsson]

Thanks for answering. I have a good stock of fretwire, also wire from Stewmac. I have even got saws and whatever needed to refret a guitar. The fingerboard is bound. If it hadn't been, I would have widened the slots. As it is, I will either have to remove the binding, or I will have to dremel the slots to 0.023".

The question is plainly: Does anyone know where I can get hold on fretwire with a narrow tang? Does anyone know the tang size of the different Dunlop wires?

If not, I may have to widen the slots and insert wire from Stewmac or any other of the wires that I have got.

BS

[Michael P. Lemieux]

Hello again
Try Luthiers Mercantile International. The closest they have is a tang width of 0.20" - width is 104 and the height is 47. The item # is FW9665 - 1-800-477-4437 Hope this helps. Just a thought.
Mike

[Bob Steinarsson]

Thanks! I have studied the LMI catalog, and I didn't find this wire in it (issue 61). It is also a bit too wide for the type of guitar. I think that the ideal width should be between 0.08" and 0.09". There is also a question of shipping. LMI is incredibly expensive overseas (this is a question for the owner of the guitar, but I try to keep the expenses low). I prefer to order from Stewmac, much because of the far lower shipping costs.
BS

[Jeffrey L. Suits]

Much easier to Dremel the slots...

[Paul Breen]

Here is a link to the Martin Guitar site. They sell fret wire in various tang widths.

http://www.martinguitar.com/1833/catalog.php?cat=Kits%20Parts%20%26...

[Joshua Levin-Epstein]

Another option would be to alter the tangs. Stew Mac sells what they call "the fret barber". http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Pullers,_nippers,_siz.... You might end up needing to glue the frets in, if the barbs are totally removed.

Joshua

[Bob Steinarsson]

I'm afraid that this only removes the barbs. The tang remains the same, and it is the tang width that is the problem, not the barbs.
BS

[Antonio Cotichini]

My opinion: given that we're not talking about a Golden Era Martin, are you sure that your costumer wouldn't accept that you cut also the binding so you can enlarge the slots? Many nice guitars are fretted this way. Otherwise you must charge much more money because of the time you need to cut all the fret-ends after having enlarged the slots. As you know a bound fingerboard is a bigger trouble!