Disadvantages Of Stainless Frets?

[LukeR]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if someone could tell me if there are any disadvantages of using stainless frets? I have only heard great things about them; the only restrictive part being their price tag.

Thanks guys,

Luke

[skibum5545]

Some feel they're -too- slippery under the fingers, some think they lend a harsher tone to an instrument, and any leveling/crowning/fretwork that needs to be done can be very difficult because if its hardness.

[rhoads56]

Never ever had anyone say they are worse in any way compared to standard frets. They are only slipperier if they are highly polished.

[LGM Guitars]

I don't like them at all, it's the one thing I can't stand about my parker, they make the instrument feel dead, they are to hard under the strings. I like feeling a little resistance like the standard frets give, the stainless feel so emotionless, like you're playing on ice.

Just my opinion though

[syxxstring]

see and this is where opinons differ...

they are one of the many reasons I love my parker. They are smooth and consistent and shiny. I dunno I also like the low maintance aspect of them. If I ever order another Warmoth neck they deffinitley will be on there.

[RGGR]

I picked up they eat through your strings quite a bit.

[westhemann]

I picked up they eat through your strings quite a bit.

faulty logic.

i say this again and again.friction causes wear,NOT hardness.just because ss is harder,that does not mean it wears your strings quicker.as a matter of fact ,if ss is highly polished,it provides less friction than nickel.when you rub two substances together,the softer substance wears first...but not necessarily faster than against a similar,but less dense material than ss.

but even if that WERE the case,it would not make a difference anyway because strings tend to break at the saddle or at the pick attack area.and how long do you want the same dead set of strings on your guitar.

but believe what you want.i don't care.

[Meegs666]

a guy i know has them on a custom shop strat and loves them. he got them highly polished and said something about how they look great and string bends are a lot easier. the only problem he had was getting used to the slipperyness under the string because the note tends to go a little sharp from sliding around.

and oh yeah, i leave my strings on for two weeks at a time on my gretsch. ive never had a string break, because they die before they break. i usually switch em out before they die on my danelectro because its my practice guitar for standard tuning. seriously, do you guys really let them die and leave them on? you can't hear its dead sloppy sound? if the frets really did eat through the string id never notice because i refuse to play lifeless strings.

Edited January 9, 2005 by Meegs666

[stiggz]

hey,

i have an acousic with stainless steel frets, i like the feel of it, but they do tend to tarnish, sorta like surface rust if u dotn polish them every 6 months or so, but i still prefer nickel-silver

luke

[LGM Guitars]

hey,

i have an acousic with stainless steel frets, i like the feel of it, but they do tend to tarnish, sorta like surface rust if u dotn polish them every 6 months or so, but i still prefer nickel-silver

luke

Sorry, if you're getting tarnishing or any form of surface rust, they aren't stainless, not at all. My parker has never discolored or anything like that. The real world purpose of stainless is the fact that it doesn't tarnish/oxidize etc, whatever you want to call it. It's also non magnetic, well, at least types of SS, there are magnetic SS's out there too

[stiggz]

hey,

i have an acousic with stainless steel frets, i like the feel of it, but they do tend to tarnish, sorta like surface rust if u dotn polish them every 6 months or so, but i still prefer nickel-silver

luke

 

Sorry, if you're getting tarnishing or any form of surface rust, they aren't stainless, not at all. My parker has never discolored or anything like that. The real world purpose of stainless is the fact that it doesn't tarnish/oxidize etc, whatever you want to call it. It's also non magnetic, well, at least types of SS, there are magnetic SS's out there too

tru, lower grade stainless steel will rust dispite what they tell u, but on my frets, primarily the higher 1's (20-22) theres this orangey/ rust coloured build up, it comes away when polished, or scratched away with fingernail, i can only say that it looks like rust

[Curtis P]

and oh yeah, i leave my strings on for two weeks at a time on my gretsch. ive never had a string break, because they die before they break. i usually switch em out before they die on my danelectro because its my practice guitar for standard tuning. seriously, do you guys really let them die and leave them on? you can't hear its dead sloppy sound? if the frets really did eat through the string id never notice because i refuse to play lifeless strings.

wow, my strings last 2 months, not 2 weeks before they go dead, but i take are of them pretty well,

If i went through a set of strigns every 2 weeks, i would be broke!!!

what kinda strings you using?? I use Boomers, i dont know why, but i love the tone of them and they seem to last forever

Curtis

[crafty]

When I used to play in my college's jazz band, practicing everyday for two hours plus rehersals, I'd go through a set of strings every week!

Those bulk boxes of D'Addarios became my friend real fast. I wish my Strat had SS fret because those stock frets took a beating from those two years of constant abuse.

[erikbojerik]

The sweat that comes out of my fingers is about pH 6.0 (I tested with litmus paper), which is very acidic. That means if I don't wipe my strings down with alcohol after every use, they are rusted in about a week.

[RGGR]

(RGGR @ Jan 9 2005, 12:21 PM)

I picked up they eat through your strings quite a bit.

faulty logic.

i say this again and again.friction causes wear,NOT hardness.just because ss is harder,that does not mean it wears your strings quicker. as a matter of fact ,if ss is highly polished,it provides less friction than nickel.when you rub two substances together,the softer substance wears first...but not necessarily faster than against a similar,but less dense material than ss.

but even if that WERE the case,it would not make a difference anyway because strings tend to break at the saddle or at the pick attack area.and how long do you want the same dead set of strings on your guitar.

but believe what you want.i don't care.

I don't care either. I just know that I asked a similar question on jemsite.com on ss frets and someone commended that because of hardness of the SS in combo with the friction the strings cause of the frets....the frets string tended to wear out faster.

To me it sounded like very plausable explanation.

And yes, I know........strings tend to break due to:

- oxidation caused by the salt and sweat on your hands.

- friction wear on frets

- over tensioning & breakage at nut

- pick action.

I take care of my guitar and strings...and although I don't play for hours a day....I slowly see my frets (nickel-silver )wear away and my strings still being in good shape. So to me the story of the ss steal fret wear seemed very logically to me.

But yes, it may be one of those myths that keeps singing around.

Edited January 10, 2005 by RGGR

[LukeR]

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for the insight- it is greatly appreciated.

When the time comes (which shouldnt be too much longer) thats the route ill follow.

Thanks a million guys,

Luke

[syxxstring]

I keep string on my parker for at least 6 months at a time. Usually then I replace them due to being dead. I would say it is totaly a myth. I play the guitar almost daily. Use it 1x or more a week in band practice and gig several times a month on it. I know they need to be changed more I'm just incredbly lazy.

I have noticed no more or less wear due the SS. I also don't buy into Ed Romans brightness thing. It may be that I play a nite fly and not a regular fly but it is one of the best sounding guitars ive played.

[Guitarfrenzy]

Joe Driskill also uses Stainless Steel fretwire on his guitars. I've been thinking about making the move myself or at least try them out. I'm also interested in the gold fretwire if I can find the right size, since I think they would look awesome with all gold hardware guitar. Is Warmoth the only one who sells these?