Fret Wire #

Fretwire is frequently called "nickel silver", This though can be misleading as frets dont actually contain silver. Frets are typically composed of 18% nickel, 80% copper and small amounts of other materials such as zinc, lead, and cadmium.

Really good fret wire has a higher amount of zinc and less copper. Jescar and their NS formula is 62 percent copper, 18 percent nickel, and 20 percent zinc. Because it’s harder than traditional fretwire, it lasts longer.

Stainless steel is another very good option as it is very hard wearing and will last basically the life of your guitar. The downside of stainless steel is that it is difficult to work with and traditional tools could be easily damaged or wear out quicker if you are doing alot of stainless frets.

Because of this there is a premium attached to any work carried out by a luthiers which could even be more than double what they would normally charge to re-fret a guitar.

Fret Sizes #

6230 – VINTAGE #

Vintage fretwire is often found on pre-60s Fender models, they are typically 2.0mm (.078”) wide and 1.1mm (.043”) tall. Vintage Fender and others.

6105 – MODERN NARROW TALL #

As per its name, Narrow Tall fretwire is thin, yet tall which gives a good feel against the fretboard. Narrow Tall frets are usually around 2.2mm (.090”) wide x 1.3mm (.055”) tall. A lot of beginner guitars come with these installed as they’re easy for new players to get to grips with, providing a very balanced playing feel.

6150 – VINTAGE OR CLASSIC JUMBO #

Vintage Jumbo are wide and short usually with measurements of around 2.6mm (.102”) wide and 1mm (.042”) tall. If you are a vintage guitar lover, you will more than likely feel very comfortable with this size.

6130 – MEDIUM JUMBO #

Medium Jumbo fret wire is the most commonly found of all fret sizes today, as they provide a great balance between playability and ease of bending. You’ll find these on the majority of higher Fender and Gibson guitars and they are generally sized around 2.6mm (.106”) wide and 0.9mm (.036”) tall.

6100 – JUMBO #

While Jumbo fretwire isn’t the most popular out of all the sizes available, it certainly has its fans. Players who like to shred will enjoy this size of fret, as it makes lighting fast legato and techniques like two hand tapping much easier. Ordinarily coming in at a size of 2.9mm (0.110”) wide and 1.3mm (.055”) tall, they can often be difficult to play for players with smaller hands. Those who are used to smaller frets may also end up pushing down too hard and sending the notes sharp when first getting to grips with a set of Jumbo Frets.

Fret Sizing #

Fig. 1. Fretwire is measured by the crown’s width (A) and height (B), as well as the size of the barb (C) and depth of the tang (D).

Fretwire comes in a variety of sizes and shapes. Fig. 1 illustrates the four elements that determine a particular style of fretwire. They are the width and height of the crown, the size of the barb, and the depth of the tang.

The crown is the exposed part of the fret. When you fret a note, you’re pressing the string to the very top of the crown. Like a row of hooks, barbs secure the fret to the fretboard. Barb width determines the width of the fret slot and the tang determines the depth of the fret slot—i.e., how far the fretwire penetrates into the fretboard.

The size and shape of each of these four elements are specifically designed for different playing preferences and types of guitars. The crown width can vary from ultra narrow (.053") to super jumbo (.118"). The fret height can be anywhere from a short .032" to a tall .060". The width of the barbs and depth of the tang also vary from .019" to .040".

All these dimensions have a specific purpose and are important considerations when choosing fretwire. For example, wider frets can produce a stronger tone, but as they wear, the guitar’s intonation "drifts" farther than with narrow frets. But narrow wire has its drawbacks, too: Narrow frets won’t cause your intonation to drift as much, but they wear down faster than wide frets.

Tall frets will last longer before they need to be replaced. However, I don’t recommend them for someone who plays with a strong grip. If you grip the neck tightly while playing or use a capo, the strings will pull sharp as you play. On the other hand, shorter frets wear out faster (especially if you use a capo) and need to be replaced more often.

The size of the barbs and tang have a profound effect on a guitar neck, and if you decide to install new frets, it’s very important to use the correct size. If the barbs and tang are too narrow or shallow for the slots, the frets won’t seat securely in the fretboard. This causes them to lift out when the weather changes and yields uneven frets and a lot of buzzy or dead notes. When the barbs and tang are too wide, they can crack and chip the fretboard, or even cause the neck to back-bow. In the case of a back-bow, you have to re-fret the guitar.

lutherie.net – provides an excellent manufacturer/sizes overview.