Fret Wire – Tips and Adjustments for Optimal Installation

When refretting, it’s not just about using high-quality material – proper preparation and adjustment of the fret wire are just as important. Differences in radius, tang width, or slot size can otherwise cause the frets to fail to hold securely. The following tips provide practical guidance on how to adapt fret wire and install it correctly – whether you are hammering or pressing it in.

 

1. Check before installation

Before you start installing, ensure the fret wire matches your planned process:

• Material & alloy
• Radius
• Tang width in relation to slot width
• Installation method and tools

Only when all of these factors work together will you get a lasting and clean result.

2. Material recommendation

• For steel-string instruments: 18% nickel silver
• For nylon-string instruments: 12% nickel silver

3. Installation methods

Hammering in

The fret wire should be slightly over-radiused. Leave about 1 mm gap in the middle, then hammer in one end, then the other, and finally work from one side across. Use a nylon hammer to avoid damage.

 

 

Pressing in

This is a very precise method, but even here the fret wire must not be flatter than the fingerboard. Make sure the pressing tool is applied centrally to avoid tilting and damaging the wood.

4. Slot dimensions

• Tang width: usually about 0.5 mm (measure with a feeler gauge only (for 0,6mm: 0,55 / 0,6 / 0,65mm) calipers will not work)
• Slot width: +0.1 mm compared to tang width (excluding barbs)
• Slot depth: 0.3–0.5 mm deeper than tang height to avoid unnecessary leveling

5. Adjusting the radius

If the fret wire doesn’t have the correct radius, it should be bent accordingly.

Here’s how:

• Lay the fret wire on a piece of wood and carefully overbend it with your fingers or pliers
• For more precise work, modify an old pair of pliers: cut a slot about 1.5 mm wide and 2.5 mm deep into one jaw with a Dremel, insert the wire, and bend
• Goal: about 1 mm gap in the middle when placed on the fingerboard

6. Checking the fit

After installation:

• Check along the strings with a fret rocker (3 frets at a time, no “click” sound)
• Check across the neck with a radius gauge
• Only then proceed to crown leveling

7. Note

If some spots already come loose, a drop of superglue can help secure them.