banjo frets/standard frets?

[Izaac Walton]

I'm guessing the preference for chosing one or the other is a personal thing. Which do you prefer? Why?

[Dave Cohen]

It's not a matter of builder preference. It is instead a matter of player preference. You have to play some mandolins with standard frets, then play some mandolins with banjo fret wire, then decide which one(s) you like. I prefer the "standard" mandolin fret wire. Why? B/c it "feels" better, whatever that means.

Generally, the intonation will be better with smaller fret wire, other things being equal. But if frets made from the larger fret wire are well crowned, etc., the difference will be small, perhaps even not noticeable.

Ken Cartwright had an article on the subject a while back in Mandolin Magazine. It would be worth your while to look it up.