Stainless steel fret wire??

[L-1329]

Has anyone ever played on this? It is an option on Warmoth necks. All they say is that it wears much better and feels slicker. Costs more too. Sounds like a good thing, any thoughts?

[sunburstbasser]

Doesn't Parker use stainless?

[acwild]

Stainless frets sound a little brighter and last a long time. On regular guitars, some people don't like them because stainless frets eat strings, but I think that applies more to frequent string bending. Considering the cost to refret, I think I'd go with stainless if I had a choice.

[L-1329]

 

Originally posted by acwild Stainless frets sound a little brighter and last a long time. On regular guitars, some people don't like them because stainless frets eat strings, but I think that applies more to frequent string bending. Considering the cost to refret, I think I'd go with stainless if I had a choice.

 

 

I agree, new strings are cheaper than new frets. I am thinking that I could get a narrower steel, which I prefer, and hope that that even though they're smaller they could last as long as larger alloy frets. Is this a logical thought?

[sunburstbasser]

Originally posted by L-1329 I agree, new strings are cheaper than new frets. I am thinking that I could get a narrower steel, which I prefer, and hope that that even though they're smaller they could last as long as larger alloy frets. Is this a logical thought?

 

If you want them to really last, just learn to play only using open strings.

 

Though your idea should work. Don't use the hardest strings possible and they'll last even longer.

 

Flats?

[takeout]

If you use stainless frets and stainless strings, neither will wear out the other.

 

They are reputed to be a bitch to work on, but once you get them leveled and dressed, you can forget about them.

[Stirt]

Stainless is great. Have it on four guitars now. My strings always break at the bridge never at the fret. I suppose if I left my strings on for a year I could tell better what the frets are doing to them, and how they look green. I play professionally every weekend so I'm changing my strings every week anywho.

 

Rock on-

 

 

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[prima]

 

Originally posted by takeout If you use stainless frets and stainless strings, neither will wear out the other.

 

 

Sure they won't.

[__tony__renaud]

Ed Roman has a lengthy rant about the evils of stainless frets on his site. Of course, he has rants about all sorts of stuff. He maintains SS frets are brittle sounding and take away from the overall sound, but he's mostly speaking about guitars.

 

I'm happy with the alloy they use now on basses. Refrets are just a part of life for me, personally.

[takeout]

 

Originally posted by prima Sure they won't.

Care to elaborate?

 

Unless there are major differences between the alloys, any damage to either should be negligible. One metal has to be harder than the other in order to damage it.

[Ender_rpm]

I am the proud papa of a 95 Parker Fly Deluxe, and after 10 years it plays like it did out of the box. The feel is much slicker than regular frets, to the point where playing on cheap frets almost hurts from the gritty feeling. Played a new Mojo wednesday, and it plays the exact same. Amazing really. Also, i use DRs, the nickel wound ones, and never break a string on a fret. Its usually @ the bridge or neck from fatigue or whammy abuse. But yeah, they are brighter than nickel frets. I would imagine its about the same difference as a maple v rosewood fingerboard, ie noticable, but not a deal breaker. course, the Parkers 'board is graphite, and I've never played a non-parker with SS frets, so YMMV.