TOOL
Fret wire
Nickel silver or stainless, and the crown shape decides the feel.
| Common crown widths | 0.080 – 0.110 in |
|---|---|
| Common crown heights | 0.036 – 0.057 in |
| Tang widths | 0.020 – 0.024 in, matched to the saw |
| Materials | Nickel silver (18% Ni), stainless steel, EVO gold |
| Hardness | Nickel silver 150 – 200 HV; stainless 300 HV and up |
| Forms | Straight lengths, coiled, pre-radiused |
| Slot width | 0.023 in for a 0.022 in tang |
|---|---|
| Slot depth | Tang depth plus 0.5 mm clearance |
| Leveling allowance | Buy 0.010 in taller than the finished height you want |
| String wear | Stainless wears strings faster; nickel is gentler |
| Working tools | Nickel: standard files. Stainless: carbide or diamond |
| Price band | Low to moderate per instrument |
Fret wire is sold by the crown width and height and by the tang size. The crown is the visible part the string touches; the tang is the barbed section that grips the slot. Getting both right is what makes a fret job stay put and play cleanly.
Nickel silver is the traditional material: easy to work, easy to level and crown, and gentle on strings. Stainless steel lasts several times longer and feels slicker, but it destroys files and requires a completely different set of tools to work.
At this stage
Choose the wire before you cut the slots. Tang width and slot width have to match, and changing wire after slotting means re-slotting the whole board.
Suits these instruments
- All fretted instruments
Works with
- Ebony or rosewood fretboard
- Fret press
- Fret leveling file
- Fret slotting saw
- Cut fret wire ends fly. Wear eye protection when clipping wire to length.
- Fret ends are sharp burrs until they are filed. Do not run a hand along a freshly seated board.
Working notes
- Buy enough wire for the job plus three frets. One bad cut is normal.
- Pre-radius the wire to match the board before pressing — it seats far better.
- Stainless steel is worth it if you play hard, but budget for diamond files.
- Keep a short offcut of each wire size as a slot-depth gauge.
Related
Fret slotting saw
One saw, one kerf, no second chances.
Fret press
Seats a fret evenly instead of hammering it in.
Fret leveling file
Makes every fret the same height, then gives the crown back.
Nut file set
The slot depth sets the action at the first fret.