Stainless steel frets
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jackthehack
Epic Member
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Lots of us do, don't sound any different from regular frets; haven't had them long enough and have too many guitars to play one exclusively enough to even to begin to notice wear on the nickel ones, much less SS, but sure others here can chime in...
guitarhobbyist
Junior Member
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I read somewhere that some "Old Timers", and thats the words they used not to insult anyone :toothy11:, said they prefer the old nickel frets. They could hear the difference. While I have not used them myself, I see them only as a plus. I picture them having that smooth feeling to them, like when you add new strings to a just polished fret. Plus they last longer. For only $20 more, I'm using them in my next neck.
N
neilium
Guest
I've got them on two guitars. I can't really give you an apples to apples comparison to nickel frets, but there's nothing about them I don't like. They feel great, and I can't attribute anything soundwise positive or negative to the frets. I've had them for a year now, and they look like new.
To me, Stainless feels great, sounds great and doesn't wear for an extremely long time. My next neck will get the Warmoth Gold fretwire; but is just about as hard as the Stainless.
If you've ever paid the big money for new frets to be installed in a used neck, you'd be inclined to go Stainless or Gold fretwire for a neck build to avoid those costs down the road.
If you've ever paid the big money for new frets to be installed in a used neck, you'd be inclined to go Stainless or Gold fretwire for a neck build to avoid those costs down the road.
I've finished, installed and played two stainless fretted necks now. One is Vics... one mine. There are 15 other guitars here, all nickel silver frets. No issues, but... given the choice, I'll choose stainless. They just feel great. Slippery when ya bend. Having never A/B compared its hard to say if there are tone differences. As Gregg pointed out - if you get 3x the wear (or more) thats 1/3 the refret costs for yer favorite baby.
SkuttleFunk
Hero Member
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I have had basses (Fender, Rickenbacker, and even a cheap Japanese with mandolin frets) that were over 30 years old, and the original nickel frets were still just wonderful. unless you play bass with a death grip (which, if you do, needs some attention to get resolved BTW) there is nothing wrong with nickel frets, nor is there any requirement to use stainless frets
and for the record - I have a couple Warmoth necks with stainless frets and one with the gold frets. on a bass, I can't hear the difference that a new set of strings (i.e. different brand or model) won't account for. definitely nothing that a different set of pickups won't easily walk all over. I also don't feel any difference outside of the different profiles, but then I don't play like Billy Sheehan (nor do I have his seriously lacking tone)
all the best,
R
and for the record - I have a couple Warmoth necks with stainless frets and one with the gold frets. on a bass, I can't hear the difference that a new set of strings (i.e. different brand or model) won't account for. definitely nothing that a different set of pickups won't easily walk all over. I also don't feel any difference outside of the different profiles, but then I don't play like Billy Sheehan (nor do I have his seriously lacking tone)
all the best,
R
try getting your hands on some bell brass fret that warwick uses
http://www.warwickbass.com/manual.pdf
page 2 i don't think it would effect tone like they say, don't know how durable they are. (silver/bronze alloy)
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-167716.html
from skimming this talk bass thread, it seems you can email warwick and ask them for some fret wire, might have to go through a dealer or tech that handles warwick.
http://www.warwickbass.com/manual.pdf
page 2 i don't think it would effect tone like they say, don't know how durable they are. (silver/bronze alloy)
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-167716.html
from skimming this talk bass thread, it seems you can email warwick and ask them for some fret wire, might have to go through a dealer or tech that handles warwick.
