Martin 1833 Shop no longer selling fret wire

[Paul Breen]

Martin 1833 Shop used to sell fret wire with Martin's standard crown height and width dimensions in a variety of tang widths. There where maybe 10 (?) different tang widths available that all had the same crown profiles. Tang widths varied in .001" increments. It was my favorite crown profile for acoustic work and the variety of tang widths was great for odd fret slot widths or compression fretting. Not all fret slots are the .023" standard after all. I am aware of StewMac, Luthier's Mercantile, Dunlop and Jescar but they don't sell it like the Martin offereings with all of the tang widths.

I was very disappointed when I went on-line to the 1833 Shop and the wire was gone. I have left a phone messge with thier customer service hoping to be put onto their source for this very versatile fret wire. I am not optimistic though that they will reveal their vendor source.

Anyone know where I can get wire like this now?

[Paul Breen]

"They make it for Martin, try the 1833 shop."

??Deja vu??

[Paul Hostetter]

When this thread was started, Martin wasn't yet using Jescar wire in multiple tang widths. Now they are. Jescar did it specifically for Martin, for their repair shop. 

[Paul Breen]

Can't help you with the wire but could use what you have by gluing them in with CA or Titebond if the wire is a fairly close fit. You could also use the Don Teeter epoxy method if the wire doesn't bite at all. Sounds like you have already invested enough time searching to have completed a couple of fret jobs...

[Ned Knepp]

Barry, since you don't seem to be able to find the correct tang width you might think about making one of these.  It would be more work but it should allow you to use the wire you already have.

I agree with Paul that opening a new thread is preferable to reopening an old one. It's often the case that the OP's question differs in some way from yours and the thread can end up suddenly forking in the middle for anyone that wants to use the old thread for information.  It also confused the readers AND poster. There are a limited number of "reply" that can be added to a comment which means that sooner of later a response to your question will end up at the bottom of the thread. Fragmenting both the original thread AND your question/response cycle. 

Also... some of us are just old and easily confused (at least that's what my kids keep telling me).

[LARRY KLOSE]

"Barry, since you don't seem to be able to find the correct tang width you might think about making one of these.  It would be more work but it should allow you to use the wire you already have."

Or you can get the one StewMac sells, for "only" $73.25.

Sometimes revived old threads help us novices get a feel for the history...and avoid being told to "go look at X thread back in 20XX."

Larry

[Barry Chern]

yep, I knew about the stewmac option, and it seemed so pricey... ha, if only I'd know then. as usual.

I appreciate seeing your pictues, I had only seen the end result before. This seems a bit beyond what I'm equipped/experienced for as well. but, maybe one of my gurus will be inspired by it.

[Paul Breen]

Yea!

 

Thanks for posting the good news.

[Bill Langsdorf]

This discussion was very educational for me, thanks. 

I have been using wire from Allparts, as their prices are much better than Stew-Mac and they have a good selection of sizes. Anyone know who their supplier is?  I would hate to think I am shortchanging my customers with cheap wire.  I don't buy a lot of wire; usually keep the std. guitar size and order anything else when I need it. 

By the way, I have had good luck so far using cyano wicked in to guarantee fret retention after clamping them in.  I think filling the slot between fret tang and wood also stiffens the neck.  Couldn't prove it though.

[Murray MacLeod]

Martin may well be buying their fretwire from Jescar, but if they are,  they are buying the cheapest (=smallest) sizes.

 

My new HD28-VS had frets with a crown height of.037", which is a total nonsense.

 

Refretting with .047" high Jescar Evo Gold has brought about a miraculous transformation in playability.

 

Not that this has any relevance to the OP's topic of tang width, but just thought it was worth throwing in ...