jaspete Posted March 3, 2003 Report Share Posted March 3, 2003 Has anyone tried stainless fretwire? I know some makers are using it, but I haven't been able to find a supplier yet. I'm sure it's fairly hard to work with, but it should last forever. thanks, jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted March 3, 2003 Report Share Posted March 3, 2003 Yeah, the makers of new necks, like Warmoth don't want guys like me to get stainless wire, because anyone with common sense knows it's a better deal to have an older neck refretted with SS wire than paying extra to have it on a brand new neck. Almost all brand new necks need the fret-board re-leveled at least a little after they're a few years old ,if the player wants those little warps, bumps and twists that a new neck often gets to be taken care of. THEN have SS frets put in and the frets and fret-board set-up should last a long time. I haven't used it yet. I've talked with guys who have used it. Some say it's much harder to deal with than regular wire and some says it's not much different. I'd like to try it on my own guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syxxstring Posted March 3, 2003 Report Share Posted March 3, 2003 parker uses it and it rawks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted March 3, 2003 Report Share Posted March 3, 2003 my ibanez sabre has it and i like it.less fret wear and bends are super easy i think cause stainless is a little slicker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M Posted March 7, 2003 Report Share Posted March 7, 2003 I have them on a boltneck guitar. They are pretty nice to play on, but they chew through strings in a hurry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 The conspiracy continues. Anyone come up with any new leads on where to get SS fret-wire ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goat Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 WARMOTH now sells Stainless steel fretwire. Sorry,I guess only if they install it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Im currently negotiating with the manufacturer to get SS fret wire in bulk. I only found it after a freak chance meeting with a guy on holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 B. Hefner Company sells them. Found out through a custom request for a tutorial of all things There even one of the vendors that has linked back to Project Guitar so tell them you found them from the site (that'll make them happy). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGM Guitars Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Personally, I doubt I'll ever go to it. It sucks to work with, but more-so, it was the one thing about my Parker I never liked. They feel so hard and I didn't like the tone from them. Give me standard fretwire anyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Yeah if it makes playing harder, i wouldn't care if the regular fretwire wore out faster.. my motto is playability first.. everything else just icing on the cake... You can have the best looking guitar in the world but if it is hard to play then it doesn't matter much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 I have them on a boltneck guitar. They are pretty nice to play on, but they chew through strings in a hurry. i figured they would, my regular frets already eat thru strings like u guys wouldn't beleive!!!!! So i can't decide weather i should try the SS out on a neck or not thanks for pointing out somewhere to get them Brian!! but that's quite a bit more then regular frets cost!!! Does that 50% off thing apply to fretwire? if so ur better off buying them 2 sets at a time... rhoads56 ..... what kind of price range do u think u'll have if u can close that deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Im actually under a no diclosure contract at this stage, but i havent been given firm prices yet. The price will be a lot less than $90 per set of frets as per the link above. SS frets will wear out your strings quicker, BUT who has their strings for so long that they actually wear out?? The SS fret keep a polish for longer, dont wear as quick, and have more mass. The initial cost is more, but they last twice as long... if not, more. And, its a great selling tool if your building instruments for sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 ok i'm confused about herners prices, cause it says 24 Fret Stainless Steel fret wire sets $55.00 There is a $35.00 upcharge for the wire alone. If we do the fret work complete (Level, Dress, Crown and Polish) please add an additional $95.00 to the fretwork price listed below. so it's 55$ just to press them into a neck, no level dress crown or polish? If u send them a neck and want the whole 9 yards for a bolt on it's 205 + 95 = 300$? And If we wana just buy the wire it's 55 + 35 = 90$? .... and these are US prices? (the following is intended as a helarious rant) While i'm at it why don't i just get all the hardware triple plated with real gold! and hey, what about some 24 carrot dimond inlays on a carbon fiber fingerboard, with of course a titanium truss rod behind it and the neck(thru) would have to be made entirely of Ebony Mascascar.... Then send my little neck over to these guys for a 300$ stainless steel fretjob...all told that's a meer 675$ JUST FOR A NECK!!! WOOOHOO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 55 bucks for enough wire for one neck is nuts . I figure this stuff should cost maybe 3 times regular wire max, so it should be under 30 for one neck's worth. So, that's what I'm looking for, and I'll keep looking . I'm pretty sure Stewmac will have it soon, and it shouldn't be outrageously expensive . I want to try it on my own guitar. The pedal-steel like bending I'm doing on the first couple frets it wearing the hell out of them . And I have some customers very interested in having SS put on some necks . I don't feel like looking at warmop's site, but don't they just charge something like 20 bucks extra for SS frets ? I remember seeing that, but I could be wrong . Let 'em wear out my strings. I'm too busy fretting other people's gits to be messing with my own that much. I can change my strings during a break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 I don't feel like looking at warmop's site, but don't they just charge something like 20 bucks extra for SS frets ? I remember seeing that, but I could be wrong i tried going the warmouth rout... first trying to buy the wire and i got "we only install SS wire on our necks". i replied with.. what about if i sent u the neck and u did it? once again i got "we only install SS wire on our necks" finaly i explained it was for a custom neck that was being painted and made to fit a special guitar and they couldn't make it, so telling them the special circomstances i thought they'd understand and guess what my reply was? "i don't think you understand sir, we are only able to install the stainless steel fret wire on necks that are made in our factory due to our contract with the supplier of the stainless steel" couldn't they just tell me that in the first place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Maybe not too smart of Warmoth, because they probably buy enough that they could sell it for what Stewmac will sell if for (when they finally sell it), so , they could get a couple hundred bucks out of me by selling me bulk SS fret-wire, because I'm never going to buy a new guitar neck from them, when I'd have to pull the frets and reshape the fret-board under simulated string tension. I only buy freakin' used necks and do that (a hell of a lot cheaper). It's just like regular fret-wire when I was starting out. Went to one local repair guy and he wouldn't sell me any, not only that, but I think he thought he had a real clever idea to try to discourage me from getting into guitar repair. When I called him and said I'm looking for Dunlop 6105 fretwire, he said, "wait, let me ask Jim Dunlop if it's ok for you to buy some, and I'll call you back". He calls back 10 minutes later and says Jim Dunlop told him I can't buy Dunlop fretwire. But he screwed himself out of about 30 bucks, cuz I then called another local guy who was glad to sell me a enough Dunlop 6105 to refret several guitars. I actually would have been better off to buy a bulk amount direct from Dunlop, but didn't realize I would be refretting one guitar after another and didn't think I needed so much. So, you just watch. As soon as Stewmac starts selling SS, warmoth will sell it again too ( I say AGAIN, because I know guys who have bought SS wire from them, then suddenly they wouldn't let anymore of it go), but it wil be too late, cuz, if stewmac is selling it at around the same price, more people will choose stewmac, cuz, since they're paying all that shipping, they'll buy some other stuff that stewmac sells and warmoth doesn't. Doesn't warmoth sell nut files ? If so, HOW FREAKIN' NICE OF THEM ! Gee, I wonder if they let their nut files go, only cuz other places sell them. I guess they wish no one else sold nut files, then they would make you buy one of their necks to be able to buy the file. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 "we only install SS wire on our necks". couldn't they just tell me that in the first place? Derek, they did tell you that, twice in fact. Ive found Warmoth's supplier, and im not even allowed to say which country they are in. They are that strict! The supplier is not interested in dealing with many companies, only a few. By selling it to a smaller client base, they can keep the cost up, the paperwork down, and the work effort down (no pesky kids asking for 2 foot of ss wire). The advantage of having a limited installer base is: exclusivity, higher prices, and a more knowledgable installer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 well they coulda said they weren't allowed instead of leaving me woudnering "well why the hell not ya bastards?" lol... rhoads56 - don't suppose u could give us an estimate on when u'll have the stuff available? or are u not allowed to talk about it to much yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 I have no idea on time, as the guy im dealing with is "eccentric" to say the least. Im trying to be as nice as possible, whilst also giving him a kick up the backside for being so slow. Im hopefully seeing him again this week, but when a deal will be struck for sure, i dont know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 rhoads56, you're in Australia, right ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 Yep, im an Aussie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 ouch.... cross pacific shipping..... i'm sure that'll be "cheap" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 Nah, we just have to move to Australia, that's all. If the SS wire is being made in Germany, someone might want to let me know, since I'm still in Germany for another month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 germany eh? mind picking me up a floyd rose pro? but seriously.. can u actually get them cheaper over there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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