asm Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 hmm. i dont know how you would do this, but does anyone sell colored frets? not anything crazy like rainbow colored or neon green, just like black. ive never seen anything like that before. t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morben Guitars Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 Have you tried using Food Coloring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 Hmm....I guess they would have to be from some other kind of material than usual frets. Simply finishing the usual nickel frets won't help because the finish will very soon be destroyed by fretwear....And frets out of other materials may sound bad....there are many people not liking the sound of stainless steel frets for example.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 The only other colors I've seen are greenish brown and rusty orange. Both can be buffed off! Warwick uses some bell brass alloy mixture so while they are clean and polished they look goldish but soon tarnish out. There aren't that many alloys that are strong enough to take the abuse that aren't naturally silver in color. I wonder if you could make them out of ceramic with a nice glaze over them. That would probably work for a classical at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainDownMyBlues Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 Can't the fret wire be anodized to a blackish color? I think that is more chemical than anything right? Using electralisis along with an oxide to color the metal. I think it can be done with regular wire, just google to see if you can get it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 except if you scratch it it will be the usuall silver color underneath, same as if you scratch your bridge or your tuneres that are colored black or gold and because of the regular wear of the strings and additional wear with sliding, bends, hammer ons and other techniques the fretwire should be discolored along the strings pretty quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 When hit with a blowtorch, titanium turns shades of blue and purplt. I don't know how it'd do as frets, though.... aluminum isn't strong enough, and I can't think of a way to color nickel.... Sounds like a bell brass alloy is a good option if you want gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainDownMyBlues Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 Titanium might be to hard. Besides steel turns bluish with a low heat flame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 do you know what would really be pimpin. Platinum frets , titanium would probably be to hard, they would last forever, but be a pain in the ass to level, round, and cut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainDownMyBlues Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 I'm not sure why, but I wouldn't want something to last forever. For some reason I would like to own it in 20 years and tell it's been used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 well it wouldnt last forever, just a good 5-10 times longer then regular frets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainDownMyBlues Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 Which is still a long ass time if you dont abuse your guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 well my point was that he shouldnt use them, since he will dull all his fret files (unless their expensive diamond ones) very quickly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainDownMyBlues Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 Agreed but can you even buy titanium fret wire?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 no but you probably could probably order it specially casted from a factory or whatever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 seems like i have heard of using ceramic somewhere?it is certainly wear resistant enough...but how you would get it shaped is out of my realm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainDownMyBlues Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 Molds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Page_Master Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 in autralia we have this anti-oxidizing paint called rust kill. anyway's, it holds up very well, <better than anodizing - not as pretty looking though> colour is very bland looking. i'm sure their is an equivalent in your country, you should try this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 i would be all for black fretwire too that'd look killer.... there's got to be some way to make black metal that will still look black even after cutting and filing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainDownMyBlues Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 Did anyone even care to google it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 i did i found this site http://www.fredsmusic.com/parker.html they claim to sell a parker fly hardtail (near the bottom) with black fretwire no picture so dont know if its real Parker Fly Hardtail - non-vibrato bridge, piezo and magnetic pickups, basswood body, basswood neck, custom Sperzel D-tuner, black jumbo fretwire, heavy duty gig bag included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Page_Master Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 i read somewhere that parker fly guitar have stainless steel frets. i don't know if the black ones are stainless though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 http://www.gibson.com/products/gibson/lespaul/lpsu.html has gold fretwire but it says Gold-tinted alloy/22 , so i think when they mixed the metals they added some gold coloring in some parkers have stainless steel frets (most do) some have nickel frets at least ive seen them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 i was able to find this info page on black steel, although i'm still not sure if this is write.... but if it is... L and MR might be suitable to the guitar http://www.steel-n.com/esales/general/us/c...plate/type.html on side note, typing black metal into google just doesn't work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 Back in the 80's one of my heros came with this guitar. I thought it was kinda over the edge, but colored frets, other than silver or gold is too much, I realy don't think it will be good, it will wear and probably change the tone of the color, it will be glossy and shinny on the edges and dull where the strings meet the fret. But it's your call . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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