Stainless Frets anyone?

[punkin]

I've got a "beater" Epi LP. It's not really a "beater" but it gets played a lot. It really is a sweat heart of a guitar. Never any issues and nice and heavy the way I like 'em. Anyways, the frets are due for replacment and in fact, this will be it's second re-fretting (going onto the third set now).

I'm thinking about going ultra durable. I've heard some folks say they're great for longevity and forever smooth but I've also heard a few say that they make the guitar sound very bright.

Anyone have first hand knowledge on the matter? Thanks.

 

[apl]

I don't have personal experience, but over on the Carvin boards this came up a lot when they started offering stainless frets. No one who bought them had any complaints, and they're supposed to last forever.

 

[Dani Pace]

I got an Ibanez RG with stainless steel frets, it's been played daily since 93 and is still showing little or no sign of wear, the finish is well worn but the frets are still in good shape. It's a bright sounding guitar anyway so I don't know if the frets make any difference or not. I can safely say that stainless frets are durable.

 

[metalhead28]

I had stainless steel frets put in my Jackson Soloist. It has an ebony fretboard and was a fairly bright sounding guitar as it was. It may be just a little brighter but not very noticably. The playability is fantastic, string bending and vibrato are much smoother. I love them. I will definitely use them from now on, and no wear issues after about a year or so. (I wore the nickel frets flat in about a year)

 

[punkin]

I wonder why then, aren't manufactuers putting them on new guitars? I know there are a few but,...still very few.

 

[apl]

I wonder why then, aren't manufactuers putting them on new guitars? I know there are a few but,...still very few.

The material is more expensive and since the material is also much harder they have to use special, more expensive tooling.

 

[punkin]

Thats it?! It comes down to economics huh? Bogus really. Look at how much a PRS or a Gibson LP or some of the EB's (not to mention their custom shop stuff). How much more could this add to the cost in the grand scheme.

 

[apl]

Thats it?! It comes down to economics huh? Bogus really. Look at how much a PRS or a Gibson LP or some of the EB's (not to mention their custom shop stuff). How much more could this add to the cost in the grand scheme.

Carvin charges $80 extra for the option.

This was kinda cool, here's a list of Carvin neck options:

Dunlop Jumbo frets - .055 high X .110 wide
Dunlop Low-Wide frets installed - .036 high X .106 wide
Abalone block inlays
Abalone Dot Inlays
Birdseye maple fingerboard with black dot inlays
Maple fingerboard with black dot inlays
Mother-Of-Pearl block inlays
No inlays on fret board (side dots only)
Rosewood fingerboard
Stainless steel frets, med-jumbo .048" tall x .103" wide
Stainless Steel Jumbo frets - .055 high X .110 wide
10" Fingerboard Radius
14" Fingerboard Radius

 

[Light]

We have a good sorce for a variety of different stainless fret wires, and so we've been doing them for a while now. We charge $150 extra for stainless because of the extra labor involved.

As for wear, they haven't been around for long, so there is no absolute knowledge on HOW much longer they will last, but it is quite clear that they are lasting longer. Maybe it will be ten times as long, maybe it will be forever. We just don't know yet. But if you are wearing out a lot of frets, then they make a LOT of sense.

I have not noticed any perceptable difference in the sound, but they do FEEL a bit different. They are a bit slicker feeling. Most guys either don't notice it or they like it (guys who bend a lot tend to like them a lot, guys with heavy vibratos as well).

I've built a few with stainless, and my feeling is that they are worth it for guys who wear out their frets a lot, but if you can get a couple of years between fret dresses then the value is not nearly as great.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[punkin]

Thanks light...for what ever reason...could be my "sprited" playing technique and the heavy vibrato but I go through frets like dinner after a hard day at work. I should say that I play...a lot...practice or otherwise. (And here I was asking for help last with with a heavy handed student )

Thanks to everyone for their comments. I think I'll go ahead and send the workhorse/beater in for a stainless refretting. I'll get back with you all and let you know how it turns out.

BTW Light...I'm kinda on the hook to take the Epi LP in to a guy I've been doing business with a lot lately. I've taken quite a bit of his time and I'm sure he'll do a good job. I owe it to him. My EB and one of my Wolfies are coming due. If I like the stainless job, I'll be calling on you.

Thanks.

 

[Clive Hugh]

The material is more expensive and since the material is also much harder they have to use special, more expensive tooling.

Stainless steel is a bastard of a material to work with, be it machining, fabricating or welding. As the man says it is hard and will last forever but when you bend it the stuff workhardens and it is difficult to bend. Expect to pay the price for this when you buy them.

 

[Light]

Stainless steel is a bastard of a material to work with, be it machining, fabricating or welding. As the man says it is hard and will last forever but when you bend it the stuff workhardens and it is difficult to bend.

It comes in rolls (at least the stuff I get), so it is more like you are flatening it out when you hammer it in, so it is pretty easy to install, as long as the fingerboard (and in particular the slots) are in good shape. But then, that is always the case, just more so with stainless steel.

The REAL bitch is trying to cut it. It files pretty nice though. It just takes longer. You pretty much end up running through a fret nippers in two or three stainless refrets, which will last a couple of years with nickle silver. It feels weird when you level the frets too, kind of slippery.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi