Stainless steel frets have nearly no impact on tone and are tough as nails. Every instrument should come with them standard these days. SS frets play like butter — super smooth and glassy feeling.
Similarly one may ask, are stainless frets good?
PROS: considerably longer fret life, bends are much smoother, vibrato is much easier, more responsive to your attack, they never get dull. CONS: string life (if you are using nickel strings) will be diminished, expensive. Seems to be a no brainer really!
Correspondingly, are stainless steel strings hard on frets? One of the most significant string materials to be aware of is stainless steel. As we’ve learnt, Stainless Steel is hard and will certainly cause wear to frets made from a softer material such as nickel.
Just so, do capos cause fret wear?
Every time you press your strings against the frets, the friction between them subtly changes the shape of the frets, causing them to wear out. … The greatest fret damage is caused by capos—especially under the plain strings. Fret wear is a normal by-product of playing your instrument.
Do stainless steel frets wear strings out?
On electric guitars, your wound stings will eventually wear down your frets. … So with stainless steel frets you have frets that are quite a bit harder than the strings that you’re playing, which means that your frets are going to actually wear down your strings a lot more quickly.
Does Fender use stainless steel frets?
Standard Nickel/Silver Fret Wire
The materials are actually brass and nickel. The nomenclature is a carryover from the early 1900s, when fret makers actually used a nickel/silver alloy. … Fender does not use stainless steel frets on any of it’s models.
Does string gauge affect fret wear?
the string gauge, though possibly a factor, is definitely less important that fret material. softer frets (softer steel, bell brass) wear out extremely quickly compared to stainless steel frets or just a slightly harder steel. the best way to avoid fret wear is to go with stainless steel frets.
How hard is it to Refret a guitar?
Performing a complete refret job is about as big as a job can be in guitar lutherie – but don’t let that scare you away. If it’s done poorly, you can usually salvage the job by pulling the frets again and giving it another try. It’s an extremely valuable skill to have, and the core requirement for a perfect action.
How long do ss frets last?
Well-known member. Loving the feel of the SS frets. DrKev said: Nothing lasts forever.
How much does a fret job cost?
Steel frets are very hard wearing, but are considerably more expensive to fit. Typically a guitar refret will cost between $200 and $400. A fretdress, as part of a set-up typically costs between $50 and $100, and will solve most problems, without the need for a refret.
How much does it cost to put stainless steel frets on a guitar?
Even if you use stainless steel frets and include full set up with nut replacement, we won’t suggest going beyond $400 or at a maximum of $500 for a fret job. If you’re able to find someone who charges per fret, then that’s better.
Is Refretting a guitar worth it?
So, how much does it cost, and is it worth it? Refretting usually costs between $200 and $400, and it is worth it if you plan on playing that guitar. Especially if it is a more expensive one. Refretting cheaper guitars might not be a good idea since the whole procedure can cost more than you paid for the instrument.
What kind of frets does Gibson use?
6130s are better known as ‘medium jumbo’ fret wires. This size is often used by Gibson on their more modern guitars. If you pick up a Fender Telecaster then play a Gibson SG, you’ll notice a big difference in fret size and playability.