Looking for frets

I'm restoring a 70's Conn Classical guitar for a buddy of mine. After receiving the new frets I ordered, I pulled the old ones out. I'm measuring the tangs at .045" thick. That's HUGE compared to the wire I ordered. Does anyone know where I can get new fret wire with a thick tang like that? I don't want to have to order one of those super expensive tang expanding tools.

Thanks in advance.

Her's a link to Stewmac , they have a good range of fret wire. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Stewart-MacDonald_Fretwire/Medium_Fretwire.html

Her's a link to Stewmac , they have a good range of fret wire. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Stewart-MacDonald_Fretwire/Medium_Fretwire.html

That's where I got the replacement wire. It seems they offer tangs in different depths, but not thicknesses. I'm probably gonna wind up needing one of those tools.

Here is a guide to make a pair of tang wideners. http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier/Tools/FretExpander/fretexpander1.html

Try Luthier's Mercantile International. Or go to Jescar, a manufacturer, and see if they have links to distributors or retailers.

When you say the tangs are .045", is that including the barbs? Maybe the guitar once had "bar' wire which is not t-shaped, and is refretted already with some special wide-tang conversion wire.

To be honest, I haven't gauged the fret slots, just the tang. I'm gonna do that now though.

Slots measure at 0.03

Luthier's mercantile has wire with overall width (including the barbs) up to .048"

Luthier's mercantile has wire with overall width (including the barbs) up to .048"

Ahhh, good lookin out. I've measured and remeasured the slots at between .03" and .0305". Figure I'd be safe with barbs that wide?