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PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 12:18 pm 
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First name: Daniel
Last Name: Petrzelka
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So much information, how do you choose?

I'm getting ready to refret that mid 90's Martin 000 I've been cleaning up. On guitars I've built I've used both StewMac 147 and 155—but can't say I have a strong preference on wire size. Of all the the minute details I fret over, wire size has not yet been one. Crazy as its the primary interface with the instrument.

This fret wire chart maps out many of the popular sizes:
http://www.lutherie.net/fret.chart.html

Jescar 37080 - .080 / .037
Stew Mac 147 - .080 / .040
Stew Mac 148 - .084 / .039
Stew Mac 152 - .092 / .048 (too wide for this application)
Stew Mac 155 - .080 / .050 (I have enough of this in-house, but too tall for the right Martin feel?)
Dunlop 6230 - .078 / .043

My OM-28 measures at .080 x / .035 - it plays really nicely. The 000 frets measure approx .079 wide.

Its likely some of you can point me to threads where this has been discussed before.

Favorites, pitfalls to any of these?
Help talk me into something.



These users thanked the author dpetrzelka for the post: kjaffrey (Sun Feb 04, 2018 7:24 am)
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 5:21 pm 
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I would use the Jescar 0.080 X 0.043 over the 0.080 X .0.037. I have used the 0.090 X 0.047 on my own builds



These users thanked the author Clinchriver for the post (total 2): dpetrzelka (Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:34 am) • Hesh (Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:19 am)
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:22 am 
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Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
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Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
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What Greg said and at the very least use Jescar wire, it's our favorite.

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Ann Arbor Guitars



These users thanked the author Hesh for the post: dpetrzelka (Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:34 am)
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:35 am 
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Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 10:02 am
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First name: Daniel
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Thanks guys - time to place a Jescar order...


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:39 am 
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First name: Daniel
Last Name: Petrzelka
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Other than precise measurement and checking against specs, are there other tell-tale signs of the maker of a piece of fret wire?
Barb shape? Bottom edge profile?

I have a couple coils of fret wire that I've picked up from guys over the past couple of years, some labeled, some not. The stuff I think was from LMI is way to big for this project, but I should take time to positively ID it.


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