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I should do a poll but not really be much interest and otherwise difficult to do. I would like to know what general fret size you like? It seems to me that frets are bigger now than the past and most players like jumbo. The 2 most important measurements are the fret high and the width as they sit on the slots. Rather than get into specs I find not really any guitar with narrow and small frets that I like. Personally, I like a bit of higher fret as it allows more dressings and less wear on the fingerboard. I am getting ready to refet an GIbson L5 and have not done an L5 in a few years. The player wants larger frets or at least what is on them now. Hard to measure as they have been dressed down so that original specs hard to know.
I know I will Jescar but they have Jumbo at .110 and medium at .90. My own L5 seems to be at the .90 to .1 and I love that size. But I have used the .110 and they are nice too. So rather than get technical what do you all like for fret size and height?
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My 89 strat came new with what Fender calls "medium jumbo", which is supposedly Dunlop .103 x .046), which I always liked a lot. I had it refretted a couple of years ago with Jescar .104 x .047, which I think I like even more (though it's hard to say because the original frets were 30+ years old and worn way down by many level/crown jobs).
My D'Angelico semi-hollow has Stew-Mac .100x .050. Also also re-fretted a couple of years ago, but I don't remember the size that was in there before; i just went with what the luthier recommended based on the measurements he took.
I'm not sure what's in my Seventy Seven Hawk Jazz Deep archtop -- I measured the width at .90, but I can't measure the height with my caliper. Subjectively, they feel about the same height as the Jescar .104 x 047, or maybe a little lower. This guitar feels as close to perfect to me as I think one could, at least for straightahead jazz playing.
Anyway, they're all within the realm of "medium". I had 60s Gibson flattop with low, skinny frets, and an early '70s SG with low, wide ones. I definitely prefer higher and taller to those. I've tried a few guitars with even taller frets, which I don't think I like much. TBH, it took me many years to understand this (and other aspects of guitar specs), and I did spend many years playing guitars that were more difficult for me to play than the ones I have now.
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IIRC, Mark Campellone uses Dunlop 6150, which is .102 and .042 high. They feel perfect, but that may be because of Mark's incredible fret work!
Standard Gibson historic is said to be Jescar 45100, so .100 and .045 high. Pretty close to what Mark uses.
Roger Borys uses Stew-Mac 0152, which is slightly narrower at .092, and .048 high. Because of the height they feel a bit different, but I like those a lot as well.
All three are in the same ballpark, I think the height and the dressing are what you tend to feel more.
I'm not a fan of wide low jumbos, which everyone used to use, or high narrow frets, which I believe are used on some Fenders now.
If I were having a fret job done on an L5 I would ask for one of these, probably the Jescar 45100 if that brand was your preference.
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Jescar 51100 is my favorite fret size. That would be classified as medium jumbo. I like larger wire too, but smaller not as much. I really don’t like the really small, skinny vintage wire.
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My favorite or an electric is 90 55, commonly referred to as 6105. Taller frets means more clearance before you press on the board. Any time I use shorter frets I always end up hurting my fingertips because they inadvertently press into the board.
104 47 (medium jumbo) is also a good fret size but I prefer 90 55 for the height. Additionally wider frets can produce a more metallic sound, since the string is in contact with more of the metal surface.
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51100 or 100 51 also seems like a good size. I don’t think I have that on any of my guitars but sounds like it’s right between the two sizes I mentioned.
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Whatever is on the guitar I happen to be playing....
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Originally Posted by
vintagelove
The bigger the better.
Seconded. I had my ES refretted with SS Jescar 58118, which I believe is the biggest they make. Anything to make an instrument more playable.
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Thanks for all these tips. For this refret I am going to decide between the Jescar 55090 and the Jumber 57110. The present size is .9 and on my 2003 L5 it has .10
Going for the wider stuff a .11 in the jumbo is where I am thinking. The 55090 will work but not sure since the fellow does like wide frets. He plays fine on this set up but just prefers wider and the frets are at the lowest now no dressing in them.
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I always liked the Fretless Wonder Frets they seem to work very well for me flat (almost fingerboard level) and very wide........ I think they get a bad rap because someone like Eric Clapton (not saying Eric Clapton (someone like him)). They said you cannot bend the strings very well and that kicked it off.
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Yes, Jescar EVO Gold wire was the best balance between durability and workability and yes it has unfortunately been discontinued. I have used a variety of sizes:
- Acoustic Flattops use 0.043” x 0.080”
- Archtops use 0.047” x 0.095” and 0.055” x 0.090”
- Tele uses 0.047” x 0.104”
On my next guitar, all I have available to me at this point is Jescar EVO Gold 0.051” x 0.100” wire. The thought of going back to nickel wire is anathema to me at this point.
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I spoke to Jescar and they think EVO is gone maybe for good. While it is better I can deal with the nickel silver but no stainless steel. If you get EVO then you make never get it again so they seem to think maybe avoid the stuff. I know some manufacturer should pick up on this and go to work a market for sure. Would be good if new guitars used it like Gibson.
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Jescar EVO, and whatever Mark put on my recent Special. It's a killer player.
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