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Post subject: Stainless steel frets
Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:58 pm
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I've been pricing out a neck from Warmoth. I see you have the option of stainless steel frets or nickel. I dont think Ive ever played on anything with stainless steel. Logic tells me the stainless would hold up longer, but I have no idea what they would feel/sound like. Does anyone have an experience with them, and can you tell me what you find are the difference between them and the standard frets on most guitars. Are they easier to bend on? Do they make a brighter tone? I just have no idea, and dont know of any production guitars that have them for me to try. This forum is by far the best site on guitars, I get MUCH better explanations here than any research site, so I put my guitar playing life in your hands LOL. Anyways, let me know guys (gals).


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Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 1:24 pm
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The stainless frets are by leaps and bounds, the most durable out there. However, the guitars I've played with them, bend wise, seem to have a bit of drag vs. the more conventional alloy frets. As to affecting the tone, the stainless definitely made the guitars sound more trebly. I would think that the stainless would chew up string sets quickly too. Personally, I wouldn't want them; YMMV.

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Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 1:42 pm
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I would love to try out stainless steel frets.

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Post subject: Re: Stainless steel frets
Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 2:45 pm
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windwalker9649 wrote:
I've been pricing out a neck from Warmoth. I see you have the option of stainless steel frets or nickel. I dont think Ive ever played on anything with stainless steel. Logic tells me the stainless would hold up longer, but I have no idea what they would feel/sound like. Does anyone have an experience with them, and can you tell me what you find are the difference between them and the standard frets on most guitars. Are they easier to bend on? Do they make a brighter tone? I just have no idea, and dont know of any production guitars that have them for me to try. This forum is by far the best site on guitars, I get MUCH better explanations here than any research site, so I put my guitar playing life in your hands LOL. Anyways, let me know guys (gals).


When I ordered mine at Warmoth, I chose not to take them, since I never had to refret a guitar since I started to play...

I chose to invest my money in a pao ferro board.


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Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 2:49 pm
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If they give the guitar a brighter sound, id probably not get them. Strats tend to be bright anyway, which is fine because thats why I love the tone, but any brighter may be too much. Thats why I prefer the rosewood to the maple fretboard


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Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 3:15 pm
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I'm very tough on Frets. When I'm due to replace my frets, it will be stainless steel.

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Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 3:16 pm
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windwalker9649 wrote:
If they give the guitar a brighter sound, id probably not get them. Strats tend to be bright anyway, which is fine because thats why I love the tone, but any brighter may be too much. Thats why I prefer the rosewood to the maple fretboard


If that is so.......wouldn't the tone controls on the guitar and amp adjust for that?

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Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 5:31 pm
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If that is so.......wouldn't the tone controls on the guitar and amp adjust for that?[/quote]

Yes, but to me, when I roll off the highs, it loses something else I cant really describe. Makes the sound kind of muddy, even with tone pots that supposedly arent supposed to do it, like grease buckets. So id rather keep the primary tone a little less bright than be forced to roll down the tone knob.


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Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:27 pm
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Do stainless steel last more ?


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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 1:17 pm
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Suppose to last much longer because much harder. But who here has them on and able to confirm?


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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 1:48 pm
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I have two necks with stainless steel frets and they do last a lot longer. So far I have no fretwear. I just installed an Allparts neck with nickel frets two weekends ago and the frets are already showing some wear. When I noticed the wear I looked at the neck with stainless steel frets and it had no visible fretwear. I have been playing the guitar with stainless steel frets regularly for about a year now. It is my favorite Strat so it gets played the most of all my Strats. To me string bending is smoother with the stainless steel frets.

The guitar with stainless steel frets doesn't seem to be too bright. The guitar is actually the darkest sounding Strat I have, but there are other parts to consider in the overall tone. I haven't had any necks with nickel frets on the guitar to be able to compare any brightness stainless steel frets may add, but I don't think brightness would be an issue. I have strummed the guitar unplugged comparing it with similar Strats that I have with nickel frets and I don’t hear any pronounced brightness caused by the frets.

My preference is definitely stainless steel. For me the benefit is not having to worry about having the frets re-crowned or replaced anytime soon. It may be my playing style or I may press the strings too hard, but frets seem to wear quickly on my guitars.


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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 1:51 pm
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MattR wrote:
I have two necks with stainless steel frets and they do last a lot longer. So far I have no fretwear. I just installed an Allparts neck with nickel frets two weekends ago and the frets are already showing some wear. When I noticed the wear I looked at the neck with stainless steel frets and it had no visible fretwear. I have been playing the guitar with stainless steel frets regularly for about a year now. It is my favorite Strat so it gets played the most of all my Strats. To me string bending is smoother with the stainless steel frets.

The guitar with stainless steel frets doesn't seem to be too bright. The guitar is actually the darkest sounding Strat I have, but there are other parts to consider in the overall tone. I haven't had any necks with nickel frets on the guitar to be able to compare any brightness stainless steel frets may add, but I don't think brightness would be an issue. I have strummed the guitar unplugged comparing it with similar Strats that I have with nickel frets and I don’t hear any pronounced brightness caused by the frets.

My preference is definitely stainless steel. For me the benefit is not having to worry about having the frets re-crowned or replaced anytime soon. It may be my playing style or I may press the strings too hard, but frets seem to wear quickly on my guitars.


That why when I do a fret job.....it's going to be stainless. Did your guitar come with stainless, or did you have a fret job, and have stainless put on?

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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 2:45 pm
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Syeklops wrote:
MattR wrote:
I have two necks with stainless steel frets and they do last a lot longer. So far I have no fretwear. I just installed an Allparts neck with nickel frets two weekends ago and the frets are already showing some wear. When I noticed the wear I looked at the neck with stainless steel frets and it had no visible fretwear. I have been playing the guitar with stainless steel frets regularly for about a year now. It is my favorite Strat so it gets played the most of all my Strats. To me string bending is smoother with the stainless steel frets.

The guitar with stainless steel frets doesn't seem to be too bright. The guitar is actually the darkest sounding Strat I have, but there are other parts to consider in the overall tone. I haven't had any necks with nickel frets on the guitar to be able to compare any brightness stainless steel frets may add, but I don't think brightness would be an issue. I have strummed the guitar unplugged comparing it with similar Strats that I have with nickel frets and I don’t hear any pronounced brightness caused by the frets.

My preference is definitely stainless steel. For me the benefit is not having to worry about having the frets re-crowned or replaced anytime soon. It may be my playing style or I may press the strings too hard, but frets seem to wear quickly on my guitars.


That why when I do a fret job.....it's going to be stainless. Did your guitar come with stainless, or did you have a fret job, and have stainless put on?



I purchased the two necks with stainless steel frets from Musikraft. I don't know of any manufacturer using stainless except for Anderson or Suhr, I can't remember which one.


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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 4:06 pm
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MattR wrote:
Syeklops wrote:
MattR wrote:
I have two necks with stainless steel frets and they do last a lot longer. So far I have no fretwear. I just installed an Allparts neck with nickel frets two weekends ago and the frets are already showing some wear. When I noticed the wear I looked at the neck with stainless steel frets and it had no visible fretwear. I have been playing the guitar with stainless steel frets regularly for about a year now. It is my favorite Strat so it gets played the most of all my Strats. To me string bending is smoother with the stainless steel frets.

The guitar with stainless steel frets doesn't seem to be too bright. The guitar is actually the darkest sounding Strat I have, but there are other parts to consider in the overall tone. I haven't had any necks with nickel frets on the guitar to be able to compare any brightness stainless steel frets may add, but I don't think brightness would be an issue. I have strummed the guitar unplugged comparing it with similar Strats that I have with nickel frets and I don’t hear any pronounced brightness caused by the frets.

My preference is definitely stainless steel. For me the benefit is not having to worry about having the frets re-crowned or replaced anytime soon. It may be my playing style or I may press the strings too hard, but frets seem to wear quickly on my guitars.


That why when I do a fret job.....it's going to be stainless. Did your guitar come with stainless, or did you have a fret job, and have stainless put on?



I purchased the two necks with stainless steel frets from Musikraft. I don't know of any manufacturer using stainless except for Anderson or Suhr, I can't remember which one.


MMM now I can't stop thinking about stainless steels frets :)


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 4:33 pm
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Im wondering if they allow the vibrations to travel through the necks any better????


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