SS6100 Fretwire any good?

[slowhandy]

I'm thinking of getting a new neck with SS6100 fretwire, but I've never tried it before.  I was wondering how it is  for playing chords and slides?  Also I've heard that stainless fret wire can result in greater string breakage and poor tone.  Comments please!

Thnx

 

[mrpinter]

I haven't played on 6100 frets so someone else can deal with that; but I have SS 6115 wire on a guitar and I play 9's on it and have had no string breakage problem whatsoever. And I think my tone is just fine, thank you. IMO the poor tone & string breakage issue with SS frets is a bunch of nonsense.

 

[Updown]

I'm thinking of getting a new neck with SS6100 fretwire, but I've never tried it before.

Don't think about it ...... Just do it !!  :icon_biggrin:

I use SS6115 on most of mine with 10's  .................  :icon_scratch:  never had a problem with breakage. 

 

[Jumble Jumble]

There's no reason you could break a string on a hard, curved surface. So discount that.

I've had 6100 on a few guitars and it's on the neck of my current project. I'd say for sliding it's maybe a little easier as long as you're not someone who squeezes the neck hard. Well, if you do, with 6100, you're going to go out of tune. The string might not even touch the fingerboard with normal fretting pressure.

For chords and normal fretting it's absolutely fine, not much difference. For tapping and hammer-ons it is better than smaller fretwire. Two-handed tapping is much louder so you can concentrate on playing and not on smashing your fingers into the string.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

I have it on two builds, it is great stuff.  If you like the bigger fret size, then it is wonderful.  No tone difference, and I man handle my strings, but they don't have excess wear or breakage because the fret.  Their resistance to wear is great, I tend to wear frets quickly near the nut.  That is gone.  I can't recommend stainless frets enough.  Great stuff.
Patrick

 

[Cagey]

I have stainless or gold 6100s on all of my guitars except the Taylor acoustic, and I'm debating changing those. Wouldn't have it any other way. Regardless of the fret size you choose, those frets are just the best. They're very hard and polish up exceptionally smooth, then stay that way. I don't know why rumors persist that they'll break strings; it simply isn't true. If anything, the reduced wear from less abrasion extends string life. They also don't change the tone, regardless of what you hear elsewhere, although I seem to hear slightly more articulation out of them when doing hammers and taps, but that could just be my imagination. In any event, that would be a Good Thing. Add that to the feeling that you're playing on oiled glass, the ease your bends and vibratos are executed, and you'll be so pleased you made that choice you'll become an evangelist about them.

One downside is that many shops will charge as much as double to do leveling/dressing/etc. because they do require a bit more work than nickel/silver frets and the stainless is hard on traditional fretworking tools, but that's not something you have to do on an ongoing basis like you do with nickel/silver frets. If you like, you can have them send me the neck, I'll do it reasonably and forward it on to you. I use diamond and ceramic files, so tool wear isn't an issue for me. Even with shipping, it'll probably cost less than a local shop and I have a lot of experience with these frets.

 

[Tipperman]

Regardless of the fret size you choose, those frets are just the best. They're very hard and polish up exceptionally smooth, then stay that way. I don't know why rumors persist that they'll break strings; it simply isn't true.

Add that to the feeling that you're playing on oiled glass, the ease your bends and vibratos are executed, and you'll be so pleased you made that choice you'll become an evangelist about them.

If you like, you can have them send me the neck, I'll do it reasonably and forward it on to you. I use diamond and ceramic files, so tool wear isn't an issue for me. Even with shipping, it'll probably cost less than a local shop and I have a lot of experience with these frets.

These three points. #1: I've always always used 6230 frets, and I wore through the Nickel/Silver frets like they were paper. Been using SS6230s on my strat for 3 years or so now. Any wear is  completely unnoticeable, if nonexistent. No effect on tone, big effect on playability and feel.

#2: They feel excellent. To say you'll love them is an understatement. The $20 fee literally pays for itself.

#3: Cagey's work has received a lot of positives on this board. Check out Bagmans "Quty Pie" thread. He's spot on about the pricing, too. It's very likely to be more expensive local, even factoring in shipping. Where I'm at there's a ridiculous cost difference for assembly + fretwork + setup from Cagey vs. Local. Plus, he's not like to steal your parts.

 

[Cagey]

Thank you for the kind words.

Is stealing/substituting parts a real issue? I've not heard that before, but nothing surprises me any more. Regardless, it's true that stuff is safe here. No wife/kids/pets/parties and this is a very good neighborhood. Still, I guard people's stuff like it's mine, and I'm armed and heartless <grin>

 

[Tipperman]

Thank you for the kind words.

Is stealing/substituting parts a real issue? I've not heard that before, but nothing surprises me any more. Regardless, it's true that stuff is safe here. No wife/kids/pets/parties and this is a very good neighborhood. Still, I guard people's stuff like it's mine, and I'm armed and heartless <grin>

Around here you pay for CTS pots. You change the pickguard later and find miniature pots. You don't notice (unless you're me) because everything is always on 10. It's not uncommon here. If they aren't ripping you off by taking/swapping parts, they're ripping you off by taking way too much money. For example, a friend of mine swapped out his old BKPs with a set of Lollar Imperials. He went to get his guitar and asked why he didn't get the old pickups back. Guy was like "You have to pay extra for that. Part of my fee is keeping the old parts." Most guys around here are a [expletive deleted]ing joke. Or at the most benign, they do things to your guitar that you didn't ask for/want done. End of tirade.

Point being, Cagey's a boss. Who doesn't love OCD level neat-and-tidy wiring?

 

[Cagey]

Wow. Charging money plus keeping a set of Bareknuckles as "part of the fee" for putting in a set of Lollars? WTF? So... what he's saying is it's a $200+ bill for changing pickups?

I may need to adjust my pricing... <grin>

 

[Strat Avenger]

6100s are pretty big, which means they are harder to dress if they're SS.

I have 6150 SS frets (medium-jumbo) and they are great. The claim that they produce bad tone is B.S., and they don't cause strings to break (there's actually less friction because they are harder).

I personally don't notice them "feeling" any better than regular nickle frets, but they sound as good as anything I've ever had, and I like the fact that they last a lot longer.

 

[crash]

One issue that I have had with stainless frets is that after a while, I will have little indents in the strings from the frets.  I use SS6150 frets and I do press down fairly hard on strings though.

 

[Cagey]

One issue that I have had with stainless frets is that after a while, I will have little indents in the strings from the frets.  I use SS6150 frets and I do press down fairly hard on strings though.

You get that from nickel/steel frets as well, only it happens earlier in the string's life. With either fret metal, if you're tearing up strings, it's because they've been on there too long. The pros change strings as often as socks and underwear because it doesn't take long for them to lose their presence. Strings are cheap. No sense in suffering worn ones. Buy 'em by the 10 pack. It's not like they're gonna go to waste.

 

[Ace Flibble]

My problem there is I prefer the tone and feel of worn-in strings. I have a few guitars that have had the same strings on them for two years now. As such I've stopped using my guitar with stainless frets and am only ordering regular fretwire. Of course then the problem gets flipped and the wire wears down more instead of the strings, but eh. This way 'round works out best for me.

Stainless certainly have a nicer feel to them and there's no question they last forever, but I think there's a good reason why they're not seen on absolutely every high-end guitar and it's reasonable enough to day they simply won't suit everybody. It's like different woods, pickups, whatever.

 

[swarfrat]

I'd rather change my strings than my frets. My main guitar for the last 20 years has had a couple dressings due to wearing. I have GD6100  - they're big - when I first got them, sliding was kinda weird, but I don't really think about it now.

IMO the question should be "What fret size do I want?", not "stainless or not"?

 

[Cagey]

I understand wanting slightly worn strings. When they're brand spanking new, they can be a little buzzy if you keep your action real close until there's a slight bit of wear on them. Usually takes a couple hours of serious play. But, two years? Damn! Those things have got to be disgusting, and within a hair's breadth of breaking. Lemme ask you this: how often do you brush your teeth? <grin>

 

[Tipperman]

Wow. Charging money plus keeping a set of Bareknuckles as "part of the fee" for putting in a set of Lollars? WTF? So... what he's saying is it's a $200+ bill for changing pickups?

I may need to adjust my pricing... <grin>

Well, the fee is $75 for pickup change, and $50 for a setup. So yeah. Apparently that factors in $285 in pickups.

 

[Cagey]

That's incredible. Must not be any competition. Around here, the best shop only charges a bit more than I do for standard work, and they do a damn good job. But, there's lotsa competition, even though it's not as good. You try to charge Hollywood rates and you won't get much work. It's like the Laffer curve as applied to instrument service. There's a point where increasing the price results in lower revenues because one way or another, you get less market participation.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Got it on all 4 of my Warmoths, never going back.  :headbang1:

 

[Cagey]

You're not thinking of making that sig permanent, are you? Few things are as annoying as a flashing display.