SS 6150 & 6105: Help Please!

[Afd1469]

So 12 years ago I ordered a Warmoth neck with, I believe, what are stainless steel 6105 frets.  I just received a new neck for a different guitar and it has stainless steel 6150s. I love the way my fender with Warmoth ss6105's feels, and after consulting with a sales guy at Warmoth, I ordered the 6150s on this neck ,  because he said they have the same height as the 6105's, but there wider which gives it a slicker feel when moving up and down the fretboard.  Apparently, these have the same height; however, after much research on the Internet I found that other fret wire manufacturers have different dimensions for 6105's and 6150s.

So I'm a bit confused as to what I just put on my guitar?!

For example: Dunlop 6105 has a height of .55. The Warmoth 6105's have a height of .47.  The warm-up 6150 also have a height of .47.

So according to Warmoth website, I should have a neck with 6105s and a neck with 6150s, and each should have a fret height of .47 correct?

If the above is correct what will the wider 6105's feel like in comparison to the 6150s?

I am trying to determine if I screwed up and got the wrong size fret wire on a brand-new neck that cost me nearly $600.  Any shared experiences thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[rapfohl09]

I would definitely go by what sizes Warmoth has on their site.

6105 - .095" x 0.045"

6150 - 0.103" x 0.046"

So I would say the salesperson at Warmoth knew his stuff, just a 6150's will be just a little wider. The 0.001" difference in height is negligible, I don't think anyone has calipers for fingers.

So all in all, I think you will be getting what you are expecting.

 

[Afd1469]

I would definitely go by what sizes Warmoth has on their site.

6105 - .095" x 0.045"

6150 - 0.103" x 0.046"

So I would say the salesperson at Warmoth knew his stuff, just a 6150's will be just a little wider. The 0.001" difference in height is negligible, I don't think anyone has calipers for fingers.

So all in all, I think you will be getting what you are expecting.

Thx!!

So what can I expect to be the differences b/t the two?  Pros ams cons?

 

[bagman67]

... and as a practical matter, the .001 difference is unlikely even exist once you dress the frets for your first setup - you'll grind that .001" off.

 

[Creeping Death]

I would definitely go by what sizes Warmoth has on their site.

6105 - .095" x 0.045"

6150 - 0.103" x 0.046"

So I would say the salesperson at Warmoth knew his stuff, just a 6150's will be just a little wider. The 0.001" difference in height is negligible, I don't think anyone has calipers for fingers.

So all in all, I think you will be getting what you are expecting.

Thx!!

So what can I expect to be the differences b/t the two?  Pros ams cons?

Your going to love the 6150s like rapfohl09 said they are almost exactly the same height so they will feel good to you seeing as you like that height. As for the width, the wider frets will take longer to wear down so your frets will last longer. So if that is the height you like the 6150s are a much better option. I hope you enjoy them!

 

[aarontunes]

6150 vs 6105:

6105 is narrower and feels a little "frettier" as you move your hand up and down the neck. It's a more tactile playing experience.

6150 is wider and has a smoother feel as you navigate around.

Don't get lost parsing out dimension half as wide as a gnat's eyelash. The difference isn't night and day. Most players are comfortable and can play well on either wire.

 

[burgundy]

I've been going through this same headache, trying to figure out the fret size for my very first Warmoth neck.

The Fender AmStd I am replacing the neck on has the Fender Medium Jumbos, which as someone who learned on a Hohner Les Paul with very low/curved frets have always felt quite bulky to me. They also have weirdly flat tops. I've read/been told that I will adjust to them and be able to play with a lighter touch, and that they're better for bending. The bending thing seems to be true enough but they still seem to require a more deliberate 'hovering' motion when doing slides in order not to flub, where on the LP copy I can slide up and down cleanly and it feels very slick, and play with a more light/fluid touch.

I gather however that the Warmoth's 6150s have a very round top, and as such are a different shape completely from the weird flat frets on the AmStd. I was thinking maybe this would make them less resistant to slides, and generally facilitate a lighter touch? Anyone got any thoughts comparing the two?

 

[mystique1]

The Fender frets would have been round when they were new as well. Sounds like they've had a light dress, and haven't been re-profiled which is kinda common to be honest. I have SS6150s on my Strat, and they were just about perfect "out of  the box", so I've no plans to have them dressed. Very shiny and very smooth too. Love 'em!

 

[Cagey]

If they're not stainless 6100s, they're CRAP!​

 

[burgundy]

So are people generally of the view that bigger frets enable a lighter touch? It seems kind of counter-intuitive to me. They feel clumsier and more awkward, less like a seamless part of the fretboard. But then maybe that's just a technique thing because I learned on low Gibson-style (I'm guessing 6130) frets.

Seems like almost everyone now prefers larger frets of one kind or another, whether it's tall and narrow or bulky and round. I almost never read about Strat-builders opting for vintage or 6130s.

 

[bagman67]

The bigger frets do allow a lighter touch because you actually fret the note with less finger pressure on the string. It does seem counterintuitive, but remember that the fret is the point that determines the pitch, not the point where you press on the string. With lower frets, the tendency is to press harder against the string until you're making full fingertip contact with the fretboard - which is not really necessary, and can slow you down.  A taller fret allows you to fret the note to pitch without making contact with the fretboard.

 

[aarontunes]

Yep. It's not the fret that slows you down, it the friction of your fingers on the fingerboard. This is particularly true for bends and vibrato. If you get you fingertips up where they aren't dragging on the fingerboard so much you can definitely move around and do things faster. It's really the same idea as a scalloped fingerboard. On my guitars w/ 6100 frets I have to constantly remind myself to play lighter....to guage my finger pressure on the top of the frets and not the feel on the fingerboard. If you play too hard you can actually bend notes sharp with your finger pressure.

The downside to bigger frets is that you don't get the nice "grippy" feel that lower frets have, which is great for rhythm playing.

 

[Cagey]

Just be aware that if you develop a preference for and ability to play good-sized frets, nearly everybody who plays the thing will put it out of tune for you. Just as a favor, of course. They'll think you can't tune a guitar and try to rectify that for you, when it's actually them manhandling the thing that makes it sound "out". Taller frets means a heavier touch will sharp notes, and it's particularly noticeable on chords. They'll tune it, then tune it again, then again and again and again, then throw it in the fireplace and call it unsalvageable. Naturally, you'll be a prime suspect charged with their death, but it's justifiable. You'll get off.

On the plus side, if you can keep people's paws off your fiddle and thus avoid prison, the feel of tall frets is great. You have a lot more control. You just have to learn to not work so hard. What could possibly be wrong with that?

 

[bagman67]

And as far as it goes, I am very very happy with the several necks I have with 6115's.  Kind of a compromise between the superwide tall frets and the narrow, lower vintage-style frets.  And I support your urge to go with stainless.  You won't be sorry.

 

[burgundy]

So SS are smoother, making bending easier? Is the same true for sliding up and down the neck? Hmm maybe that could offset some of the 'railroad' problems I get with my current medium jumbos

 

[bagman67]

I suspect sliding up and down the neck will have more to do with lightness of touch than the fret material, but there may be some effect.  Dunno.

 

[burgundy]

and apparently Warmoth make the SS versions in different dimensions than the regular (?) so that the 6105s are exactly the same dimensions as the USACG 6125s, and a far cry from Dunlop 6105s. This is a lot to take in/speculate on from behind a screen, wondering which semi-random direction to send hundreds of dollars in

 

[Cagey]

So SS are smoother, making bending easier? Is the same true for sliding up and down the neck? Hmm maybe that could offset some of the 'railroad' problems I get with my current medium jumbos

The bending is dramatically easier with stainless frets, as is vibrato. It's almost as if they're lubricated. But as Bagman says, sliding up and down the neck has more to do with your touch. Frets are bumps and they'll introduce friction - there's no getting around that. You just have to lighten up.

 

[Cagey]

and apparently Warmoth make the SS versions in different dimensions than the regular (?) so that the 6105s are exactly the same dimensions as the USACG 6125s, and a far cry from Dunlop 6105s. This is a lot to take in/speculate on from behind a screen, wondering which semi-random direction to send hundreds of dollars in

First, Warmoth doesn't make fretwire. they buy it and use it/label it for sale.

Second, You can't really go by part/catalog numbers. For instance, what Warmoth calls 6100SS sized wire is what LMII calls FWSS110. Same stuff. Brother from a different mother. Or, maybe the same mother. Can't tell without a subpoena or an inside source.

What you have to do, if you're going to be particular about it, is look at the dimensions. There's crown height, fret width, tang length and width, etc. Once you know what you like/want, then you can shop around.

 

[burgundy]

and apparently Warmoth make the SS versions in different dimensions than the regular (?) so that the 6105s are exactly the same dimensions as the USACG 6125s, and a far cry from Dunlop 6105s. This is a lot to take in/speculate on from behind a screen, wondering which semi-random direction to send hundreds of dollars in

First, Warmoth doesn't make fretwire. they buy it and use it/label it for sale.

Second, You can't really go by part/catalog numbers. For instance, what Warmoth calls 6100SS sized wire is what LMII calls FWSS110. Same stuff. Brother from a different mother. Or, maybe the same mother. Can't tell without a subpoena or an inside source.

What you have to do, if you're going to be particular about it, is look at the dimensions. There's crown height, fret width, tang length and width, etc. Once you know what you like/want, then you can shop around.

Oh yeah I get that, that was what I meant - according to the charts on the Warmoth site their 6105 is .095" x .045", where Dunlop 6105 is .090" x .055", like it is at USACG. And what USACG calls 6125 (.095" x .047") is almost the same as Warmoth 6105. But in the stainless steel section Warmoth has 6105 listed as .095 x .047 which is exactly the same dimensions as USACG 6125.