It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:00 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Fret wear ?
Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 8:42 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
This one will die quick I'm sure.

Is fret wear really all that big of a deal ? I think it's mental.

In 40 years+ I've only had one bass refretted and it didn't need all the frets done anyway. I think it was mainly from playing 6 nights a week- 5 sets a night for a solid year. AND the bass was gigged for 5 years before the 6 nighters and for at least 5 years after. I made more than enough money to have a few frets replaced. Did I mention I used Rotosound round wounds on it?

Fret wear is normal. It's not a reason to not use certain strings because of the frets. I realize fret materials differ- but I'm sticking with my experience on this one. It's almost like people are trained to say "I wish those strings didn't eat my frets or I'd get some".

:D


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Fret wear ?
Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 8:52 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 4:18 pm
Posts: 1921
Location: Upstate, NY
stroker vance wrote:
This one will die quick I'm sure.

Is fret wear really all that big of a deal ? I think it's mental.

In 40 years+ I've only had one bass refretted and it didn't need all the frets done anyway. I think it was mainly from playing 6 nights a week- 5 sets a night for a solid year. AND the bass was gigged for 5 years before the 6 nighters and for at least 5 years after. I made more than enough money to have a few frets replaced. Did I mention I used Rotosound round wounds on it?

Fret wear is normal. It's not a reason to not use certain strings because of the frets. I realize fret materials differ- but I'm sticking with my experience on this one. It's almost like people are trained to say "I wish those strings didn't eat my frets or I'd get some".

:D



I view frets as a consumable like anything else. Except they have a really, really long life. Kind of like a car. Your strings almost like tires and your frets like rims. I gig pretty steady. I never worry about it. I pick strings by what they sound and feel I like. I think the only exceptions would obviously be a fretless bass. Where rounds would chew up the board. I use flats on one bass right now, rounds on the other. I never give a second thought to fretwear. When or if the time comes. I'll have the bass refretted. No big.

_________________
http://www.reverbnation.com/casanovafrankensteinandthevoodoomachine
https://www.facebook.com/CFandtheVM

2012 Fender Custom Shop 55 Precision Bass
2012 Fender American Vintage 57 Precision Bass RI
2014 Fender Super Bassman and Bassman 100T/410 Neo


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fret wear ?
Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 8:55 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:14 pm
Posts: 3169
Location: Linningrad
I had my frets dressed last year on my '76 Precision. First time they had been touched since they were installed at the Fender factory in Fullerton, California 38 years ago. I have used roundwound strings for the vast majority of that time which were mostly Rotosounds or Dean Markley Blue Steels.

That Precision is now my flatwound (GHS Precision Flats) assault bass due to it's extreme purcussive attack and super solid fundamentals. You'd have to hear it to belive it. Yes, it's that good! :mrgreen:

_________________
2012 Lefty American Standard Jazz
2017 Lefty American Professional Precision
2018 Rumble Studio 40 Combo
2016 Rumble 200 Combo
One day they shall name a GREAT city after me, and they shall call it LINNINGRAD


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fret wear ?
Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:29 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
Good- I see I'm not out alone standing in the mud field without a creek paddle.
Linnins bass is the perfect example. Just like my 74. AND I need to hear the Assault bass . I've been hearing about it but not of it..or in it....or...whatever.

The frets are more like tires that last a long time-- yeah!

Your bass is a tool. I mean that in a good way.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fret wear ?
Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:55 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 1:58 pm
Posts: 1051
Location: SW Florida
I have had frets dressed, but not replaced, on vintage basses I have purchased. I have only one bass that has had frets replaced, prior to me, and I have another that really should as they look like ditches. You can tell some of my basses have been heavily played prior to falling into my collection, but no real fret problems.

I am inclined to believe it takes more wear than I am ever going to put into a bass to effect the frets big time, rounds or flats.

My question would be, are all frets from different manufacturers created equal? Even within Fender, is the same material used in different countries of origin. I have no clue. Maybe some frets wear more easily due to the quality of the material used?

_________________
Collector of vintage Fender 4 string basses.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fret wear ?
Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 2:12 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
affprod wrote:

My question would be, are all frets from different manufacturers created equal? Even within Fender, is the same material used in different countries of origin. I have no clue. Maybe some frets wear more easily due to the quality of the material used?


Absolutely there are differences in the quality of the material used to make frets. One should not expect Squier frets to last as long as Fender USA frets. Also the size of the fret matters, Fender vintage type electric bass frets wear faster because they essentially are electric guitar frets. I like the feel of vintage frets but they are not as durable as medium jumbos.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fret wear ?
Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 2:43 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:48 pm
Posts: 2315
I had to have fretwork done on a guitar after my brother & a friend decided to re-enact a scene from Cheech & Chong's Next Movie--and they sliced up the frets--so when I went to bend a string it got stuck in the fret.
Fortunately that guitar had huge frets so a fret job worked, and not a replacement.
the frets are still big.


_________________
It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fret wear ?
Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 5:12 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 7:16 pm
Posts: 18659
Location: In this country town, where the laughter sounds...
I think another factor in fret wear, is how close to the fret a player presses on the board. The closed to the fret, the more wear.

_________________
"Electric Lady"
Image


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: