Fretwire for bass

Setup, repair and restoration of Rickenbacker Instruments

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Wiker
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Fretwire for bass

Post by Wiker »

I’m refretting a 1996 4001V63. What I want is frets as close to original as possible.
Based on these measures viewtopic.php?p=258771#p258771
I got Jescar FW37080 fretwire (0.37 height, .080 width).

I tried to measure the original frets (after pulling them out), and they seem close to .080 width. The height is not so easy to measure in the first place, and the original has of course been leveled on top. It’s hard to say but they might have been close to .037 when new.

I hammered in a couple of frets and they feel good, but I’m a little concerned if they will end up a bit low after the finish has been applied.
So, before I hammer them all in and refinish the fretboard, I thought I’d as if anyone else has re-fretted a bass with .037 height?
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Wiker
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Re: Fretwire for bass

Post by Wiker »

Well, better too high than too sorry, so I've ordered the same Jescar wire in .043 height x .080 width.
But I might just end up using Dunlop 6190 (.043 x .084) as the tang on these are a closer match with the original frets.
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ken_j
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Re: Fretwire for bass

Post by ken_j »

jingle_jangle wrote:... A close match for both guitars and basses from Rickenbacker is Stew Mac #0148 or #0155.
Source: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=395073&p=623463&hi ... re#p621584
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Wiker
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Re: Fretwire for bass

Post by Wiker »

Thanks, but I’ve already done my homework with the searched engine. :wink:
I was just wondering if anyone had actually used frets as low as .037" (.94mm), which is lower than any frets mentioned here on RRF.
If I don’t use the Jescar wire I will use Dunlope 6190, which I already have.
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