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Anatomy of a Fret

February 20th, 2010

Anatomy of a Fret
Source: Fret Repair

Anatomy of a Fret:
When we talk about frets, there are sure a lot of terms associated with which ones should be used with what instruments, Also, there are many variations available such as wide, medium, narrow, high, low, crown height, tang etc.

Let’s Talk Terms First:

Crown: This is the term that defines the ultimate height above the fretboard. The dimension is often in decimal inches and or mm.
Width: The maximum width of the fret at the point it contacts the wood of the fretboard. The dimension is given in decimal inches and or mm.
Tang: This is the portion of the fret that is set in the fret groove or channel. The dimension is given in decimal inches and or mm.
Tang Gauge: This is the width of the tang that enters the fret groove or channel in the fretboard. The dimension is given in decimal inches and or mm.
Fret Material: Look for 18% nickel-silver for steel string instruments.

Narrow Fretwire:

Narrow/Low Fretwire:
Recommended Instruments: You will see this fretwire used on pre-war acoustic guitars, and modern mandolins.
Width : .053″ (1.35mm)
Crown: .037″ (.094mm)
Tang: .054″ (1.37mm)

Narrow/Medium Fretwire:
This is a standard fretwire used on modern banjos and dulcimers.
Width: .080″ (2.03mm)
Crown: .040″ (1.02mm)
Tang: .062″ (1.57mm).

Medium Fretwire:

Medium/Medium Fretwire:
Recommended for Acoustic Guitars and Electric Guitars. Use to refret Martin, Fender, Guild, Gibson and others.
Width: .084″ (2.13mm)
Crown: .039″ (.99mm)
Tang: .055″ (1.40mm)

Medium/Medium-High Fretwire:
Recommended for Acoustic Guitars and Electric Guitars. Use to refret Martin, Fender, Guild, Gibson and others. You can redress this fretwire a time or two before replacement is necessary.
Width: .095″ (2.41mm)
Crown: .045″ (1.14mm)
Tang: .073″ (1.85mm)

Medium/High Fretwire:
Recommended for Acoustic Guitars and Electric Guitars. Use to refret Martin, Fender, Guild, Gibson and others. You can redress this fretwire a time or two before replacement is necessary. Combines a bit of extra height with extra width.
Width: .092″ (2.34mm)
Crown: .048″ (1.22mm)
Tang: .062″ (1.57mm)

Medium/Highest Fretwire:
Recommended for Acoustic Guitars and Electric Guitars. Use to refret Martin, Fender, Guild, Gibson and others. You can redress this fretwire a several times before replacement is necessary. Combines more height with extra width.
Width: .080″ (2.03mm)
Crown: .050″ (1.27mm)
Tang: .048″ (1.22mm)

Wide Fretwire:

Wide/Low Fretwire:
Recommended for Electric Guitars and Basses. Same width as jumbo rock frets but much lower. You can use for partial fret jobs to match jumbo worn frets.
Width: .106″ (2.69mm)
Crown: .036″ (0.91mm)
Tang: .074″ (1.88mm)

Wide/Medium Fretwire:
Recommended for Electric Guitars and Basses. Use for leveling new frets with plenty of metal remaining for a traditional jumbo feeling.
Width: .103″ (2.62mm)
Crown: .046″ (1.16mm)
Tang: .067″ (1.70mm)

Wide/High Fretwire:
Recommended for Electric Guitars and Basses. Extra height for leveling and re-crowning if needed after installation.
Width: .100″ (2.54mm)
Crown: .050″ (1.27mm)
Tang: .060″ (1.52mm)

Medium/Highest Fretwire:
Recommended for Electric Guitars and Basses. Modern “jumbo” fretwire used on ESP, Jackson, Ibanez, Kramer and similar guitars.
Width: .110″ (2.79mm)
Crown: .053″ (1.32mm)
Tang: .074″ (1.88mm)

Note that this fretwire is based on a single supplier Steward MacDonald and many variations can be purchased. Here are some sources for you to check out:

Steward MacDonald
Jim Dunlop
Luthiers Merchantile Inc (LMI)