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PostPosted: Thu Dec 21, 2023 4:59 pm 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2021 6:35 pm
Posts: 12
Location: alabama
First name: STEVE
Last Name: LEONARD
State: AL
Zip/Postal Code: 36312
Country: United States
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I need to radious some fret wire but do not have the "store bought" device to do that. Is there another method I can use to radious fret wire? Hopefully this is the approperate place for this question! TIA

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 21, 2023 6:35 pm 
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Joined: Thu May 12, 2005 5:46 am
Posts: 2931
Location: United States
You can make your own. Here’s mine, all the parts are from my local hardware store.
Works well.
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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com



These users thanked the author Jim Watts for the post: buzzleo (Thu Dec 21, 2023 10:35 pm)
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 21, 2023 7:53 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2005 4:02 am
Posts: 3227
Location: The Woodlands, Texas
First name: Barry
Last Name: Daniels
In a pinch, you can just bend the wire in your hands and get it to an appropriate radius. Bend a long length to keep the curve fair and without kinks.


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 21, 2023 10:43 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2013 2:26 pm
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First name: Carl
Last Name: Dickinson
City: Forest Ranch
State: California
Zip/Postal Code: 95942
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Steve,
You might get more responses in the General Building category, but Jim and Barry's responses are right on.



These users thanked the author CarlD for the post: buzzleo (Fri Dec 22, 2023 12:04 pm)
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2023 3:48 am 
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Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 12971
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
We buy our wire from Jescar by the pound and have every size they offer. It comes in spools already radiused.

As such we don't need to radius it because the spool radius is perfect for immediate installation. You want the radius to be tighter than the radius of your board that helps keep the ends down during installation especially with stainless wire that is much less flexible.

So with all this said if you can befriend a local luthier in your area chances are they may also purchase their wire from Jescar (good stuff our favorite wire) and perhaps you can purchase it already radiused from you new best friend local luthier. We don't sell anything to anyone and avoid it at all costs but I know that some others in the trade will sell to others at times.

This is what I did before I entered the repair business and was just building I purchased my wire, often with a nice lunch for the luthier from my local luthier.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2023 10:01 am 
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Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:04 am
Posts: 5743
First name: Chris
Last Name: Pile
City: Wichita
State: Kansas
Country: Good old US of A
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
When I was getting started in the late 70's, I used needle nose pliers to impart a curve to my fretwire. It was many years later that I purchased a StewMac fret bender. My technique and handtools changed a bit, but judicious use of tools and a sharp eye for me through. I'll admit - the fret bender does make it a breeze. I've even used it to straighten already curved wire...

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