Where Do You Buy Your Fret Wire?

[hendrix2430]

Hello, just curious where you all buy your fretwire?

Is it pre radiused?

If not, is it hard to radius without a special tool?

IS Stew MAc fretwire pre radiused or not?

Thanks!

[Southpa]

I just received my order from StewMac. I usually order enough fretwire for the project I am currently working on, just a couple feet at a time. This time I decided to "stock up" for future guitars. Its not only valuable for new projects but also for re-fret work on used guitars. I got 70 feet, they mention that amount at the website as a roll of fretwire, but I received 35 straight lengths in a plastic tube. I can't imagine them selling it pre-radiused, I assume you are referring to the radius related to fretboard radius and not the radiused crown on the fretwire. Its all crowned ie. rounded fret tops but I doubt you would get a length of fretwire in a circle that is say...24" across for a fretboard of 12" radius in the mail. It just doesn't make good shipping sense.

You have to bend them yourself. I usually bend with my fingers for the longer fret lengths up the neck and use a tiny bench vise for the shorter lengths. It helps to "overbend" them slightly so the fret ends anchor well. A few folks here have used fret bending machines. Here is a tutorial courtesy of BC on how to build one.

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/bender.htm

Edited March 18, 2005 by Southpa

[Scott Rosenberger]

I get mine from Dunlop by the pound. It comes pre-radiused for 12" Radius boards

[Devon Headen]

What size slot do you use Scott?

[erikbojerik]

I get mine from Allied Lutherie in 25' rolls; the radius of the roll is very close to 12 inches, so when you snip it to length it is already pre-bent at that radius.

[Southpa]

So some folks DO ship it pre-radiused, well there ya go. Everyone but StewMac, I guess, good to know.

[Scott Rosenberger]

I cant remember, it's the Stewmac Fret slotting saw or pre slotted fingerboards. I only have trouble with Ebony boards slots because the wood doesn't like to compress like maple and rosewood so I have to mash the barbs when fretting ebony boards

[unclej]

i buy mine from stewmac by the tube and i also purchased one of their radiusing pliers..it only takes 2-3 seconds to bend so i've never bothered with pre-radiused wire or a radius machine.

[Devon Headen]

I cant remember, it's the Stewmac Fret slotting saw or pre slotted fingerboards. I only have trouble with Ebony boards slots because the wood doesn't like to compress like maple and rosewood so I have to mash the barbs when fretting ebony boards

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So the extra size doesn't cause any kind of extreme warping in the neck? Because the StewMac saw cuts a .023" kerf, and the tang on the Dunlop wire looks like it's at least a hundredth bigger on most wires. Thanks

[frank falbo]

I just got a load from Warmoth. I wouldn't have used them, but they had a special fretwire I wanted to try. It's the wire Tom Anderson used before switching to stainless. It's slightly triangular in shape, but not too much. I am in love with it. The feel is right between a Dunlop 6000 and a 6105. The fret peaks feel like 6105 but the triangular shape makes if feel less harsh, and the extra mass makes for a more solid sound, vs. the snappier sound of the thin 6105. I mean, I have no favorite wire, I love all different sizes for different guitars, but this wire is a very good size and shape if you want a big modern rock jumbo without feeling like you have speedbumps.

It comes pre-radiused (although I couldn't care less, but you were asking) and still requires the extra hand radiusing to match the fretboard. Not to match the radius of the board, but rather to match the situation. Sometimes you need the whole fret over-radiused, and sometimes just the ends.

BTW, Dunlop makes many different sizes of wire, but you have to watch out, because the tang and barbs are also very different between wire sizes. If you choose a Dunlop wire based on crown size alone, you could end up with a weakened neck, or a backbow.

[GuitarMaestro]

I only be fretwire in rolls. That means it's already pre-radiused to a radius that is usually tighter that what I need. Which is no problem. I just press the frets in and then they get their deisred radius. This works perfectly with a tighter radius but not with a bigger....

[hendrix2430]

Just ordered a bunch of stuff from Stew Mac today, including 8ft of their Wide/Medium fretwire, Dunlop's equivalent of 6150 fretwire.

8ft is enough for a guitar right?

[Southpa]

8ft is enough for a guitar right?

You can manage 2 - 22 fret guitars w/ 8 ft of fretwire and have a little left over.

Edited March 19, 2005 by Southpa

[hendrix2430]

ah ok, thanks. Well, that will be for my next project then...if I have enough courage to start another one.

Now I realize how much there is to building a guitar from scratch, especially when your main tools are a cheap router, a cheap jig saw, sanding paper/files, and elbow grease.

[stiggz]

man!!! i wish some 1 told me that 8 foot could do 2 guitars, i ordered 10 foot , bah only an extra 3 bucks, probably woulda wasted it

[Devon Headen]

StewMac recommends 6 feet for a guitar. I usually need only 1 or 2 frets off the third 2 foot section.