Special Shaped Wire

When Radcliff Wire was founded in 1959, locating special shaped wire was very difficult for manufacturers. Most wire suppliers couldn’t (or wouldn’t) provide what they needed.

Don Radcliff launched Radcliff Wire to satisfy this need, and special shaped wire is still our passion today.

One of our most notable special wire shapes can be found on the Parker Fly carbon fiber electric guitar. It’s the lightest electric guitar there is, and its neck piece is much thinner than those of other guitars. Because the fret board is about the same thickness as a piece of construction paper, there’s no way to press a fret into it.

Realizing they had a problem with configuring and installing the frets, the Parker Guitars company reached out to us for help. Our engineers worked with them to design new fret technology for the Parker Fly.

Together, we replaced the nickel silver frets with Stainless Steel frets. The mushroom-shaped design of the old fret was replaced by a design where the frets were bonded directly to a replaceable Carbon Fiber fret board.

Today, Parker Fly is the preferred guitar among many professional musicians. Dave Martone, who has played with Nickelback and 3 Doors Down, uses the Parker Fly almost exclusively.

This story is one example of the design flexibility of special shaped wire and Radcliff’s ability to work with innovative designers and engineers to realize their vision.

Industries Served

Our special shaped wires serve all industries, from music to aerospace. In the aerospace sector, special shaped wires are indispensable for components that demand precision and high strength-to-weight ratios. These wires contribute to the manufacture of turbine blades, structural components, and intricate fasteners, all essential for the demanding environments faced in aviation and space exploration.
Medical devices also benefit significantly from special shaped wire. Stents, guidewires, and orthodontic appliances are just a few examples where the specific geometric properties of these wires can lead to better patient outcomes and innovative treatment solutions.
The jewelry and eyewear industry also utilizes special shaped wire in many applications, for aesthetic design reasons as well as some practical eyewear frames, jewelry pieces and findings.

Testimonial

“You and your company stand out in my Parker Guitars history memory as “Best of All Possible Vendors.” It was great to have such a dependable source for such an important component. Thanks again for that!” – Ken Parker, Founder – Parker Guitars