Hamer Frets - what sizes? And options for augmenting or crowning bound fretboards?

[geoff_hartwell]

Hey Fellas,

What were the fret wires used in the 90s on Artists and Duotones? Dimensions, details etc.

I’d be curious to know about all the models and years if anybody has the info, but mostly curious about 90s-00s Artists, Duotones, maybe Newport’s too... Eclipses... gah

And sub-question: is there any way to have bound fretboards with smaller frets (like an SG) crowned or augmented to be like Hamer dimensions without just totally replacing them?

[RobB]

On 4/4/2022 at 9:24 PM, geoff_hartwell said:

Hey Fellas,

What were the fret wires used in the 90s on Artists and Duotones? Dimensions, details etc.

I’d be curious to know about all the models and years if anybody has the info, but mostly curious about 90s-00s Artists, Duotones, maybe Newport’s too... Eclipses... gah

And sub-question: is there any way to have bound fretboards with smaller frets (like an SG) crowned or augmented to be like Hamer dimensions without just totally replacing them?

Can’t accurately speak to the fretwire. It’s a medium-jumbo, to be sure. 
 

Most Gibson solid bodies have a 12” radius fingerboard. Hamers are 14”. With smaller, stock frets, you’re better off doing a complete refret with a re-radiused board. You may lose a little binding height this way, but it’ll be negligible with a good tech.

BITD, Eric Johnson had his Strats fretted with tall jumbos and then radiused them to 12”, without resurfacing the original 7.25 radius of the fingerboard. His current sig Strats have a 12” radius fingerboard and med-jumbo frets  

 

 

[Hbom]

Not sure who asked that question on FB but here's my note.

FROM FACEBOOK 101720

 Ok question. What were the stock frets used in 94, on the studio custom? I’m about to go stainless when financials allow. But cannot remember the size. Thanks for any help.

Kim Keller

They were not Dunlop frets. The wire was custom for Hamer. The dimensions were .050” x .100”. There’s plenty of options from Jescar, Dunlop, Stewmac, etc.

 

PS. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIM KELLER!

[Jakeboy]

I was told by someone in the know at Hamer that they ordered the 50x100 direct from StewMac…so that’s what I refretted my Artist with, but in stainless. Feels exactly like all my other Hamers. 

[Jeff R]

And sub-question: is there any way to have bound fretboards with smaller frets (like an SG) crowned or augmented to be like Hamer dimensions without just totally replacing them?

You can't add material that's not there and fretwork generally removes material, meaning your frets are shorter and/or the crowns narrower when the work is done. You're better off spec'ing a refret that is exactly what you seek. This is also your chance to remove nibs and overlap the binding, which has a more player-friendly end result IMHO.

On the other stuff, request Jescar frets specifically. Their NS18 (nickel silver) is traditional material fretwire but it has a higher zinc content to make the end alloy harder and more resilient to wear. SS allegedly lasts forever but it will change your instrument's tone, it will make things brighter and - at low/studio volumes - plinkier. Test-drive a few guitars with SS before you make a conversion from traditional wire. If you love your tone and don't want to roll the dice, go Jescar NS18