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So , my first actual newbe question . After cutting the fret slots with a .53mm Pax saw , I have come to realise that all the fret wire I have is .71mm tang width . Exactly what size tang fret wire should I be using ? My first build used a precut finger board with .71mm slots . Something I didn't even consider when buying fret wire .

At 0.71 mm width I think you're actually talking the width across the tips of the barbs.
https://jescarmusic.com/pages/fret-wire-specifications
0.53 mm slot should be good for most tangs, just slightly larger, although it's best to check before cutting slots, some are larger, DAMHIK.
The barbs bite into the wood to secure them in the slot.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Yeah , these frets are .71 at the tang and .96 across the barbs . Others I have are .58 and .86 which I bought ready cut and trimmed. I think they might fit if I have enough . Cheers .

OK.
That's a pretty big tang width....

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

The thicker tang might be good for doing refrets on guitars that have been refretted a few times and have worn out fret slots.

Do we need a zero after the point?
maybe .071 instead of .71 and .096 instead of .96.

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Puts a new spin on “jumbo” don’t it?


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I think they are using that alien metric system.

Glad Windows 10 has a built in calculator with a conversion tool.

0.71mm = 0.028"

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Brian R, Wood Mechanic
N8ZED

I did not know that! Thanks for the tip!


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Not with Metric we don't .

Where is your wire from and what is the part number?

Frets should fit the slot with moderate pressure but not be too tight. If they are too tight they force the neck into back bow which is yet another reason to always use a quality double action truss rod.

It's common for us to press one fret in just to observe the fit and then adjust accordingly.

In the Martin guitar world, vintage Martins before the early 70s did not have truss rods so the neck is manipulated in its shape with every fret installed with a different tang width. Can't remember if there are 5 or 7 Martin tang sizes we have them all so when a fret fits too snug and I want to avoid back bow I can go to a narrower tang.

DOOOH.
My bad.
Next time I'll try actually reading what the OP says before I post!

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Say what you do, Do what you say.