Hard wearing stainless steel for Jescars most popular fret wire gauges. by electric guitarists is attributed to Leo Fender, who also used the These include a TonePros locking bridge and string-thru-body design, stainless steel frets, as well as the active EMG 81 humbucker and TKO kill switch. Well I'm a fusiony/pub band player. Stainless Steel is both harder and smoother than nickel/silver fretwire, offering superior longevity and a quick, glassy feel with negligible effect on tone. I'm experimenting to see if I'm capable of installing SS frets after refretting a few guitars successfully with NS frets. Here is a succinct post about my observations of these two fret wire materials. It is as though we secretly polish your frets for you every night while you sleep—always slick, fast and easy, every time you take it out of the case. The Andromeda finish makes the guitar appear various shades of blue, violet and green as light is reflected from various angles. Registered Member. Need to get my metallurgy books out to understand what the Fe does but I expect there is some kind of precipitation or dispersion hardening going on. This leaves you having to get it done locally at extra expense! pickngrin99. I can understand techs not enjoying them and those who keep the same strings on for months at a time but otherwise I haven't experienced any negatives. Easier fret jobs Unlike traditional fretwire, you don't need to "overbend" stainless steel wire. It’s an assumption that they almost never wear, which is somewhat true. I've got gold evo and standard nickel at the minute and have owned several SS fretted guitars. I’ve been noticing a lot more requests lately to re-fret guitars with Stainless Steel fret wire. hide. ... Also after having stainless frets, I don’t know why anyone would ever want anything else. Frets: Every Aperio neck is hand fretted, and comes standard with glued and pressed stainless steel frets that are leveled and crowned. I honestly don't know if I can feel or hear a difference but like the idea that they will last longer than normal ones, I agree, but definitely harder to work than conventional  fret wire. The Bigsby was the first successful design of what is now called a For example where most/all of the manufacturers guitars come with stainless steel frets someone like Music Man, or where most of their lineup has them. ", Just got an EVH Wolfgang Special HT and it's got ss frets. So bright in fact, that they sterilize much of the dark to medium tonality gained from using quality tone-woods. Also new is the LTD Deluxe H-1001 in a Violet Andromeda Satin finish. The first person to put stainless steel frets on a guitar was Harry Partch in the early 1940s and I think the Chapman Stick was probably the first quasi-production stringed instrument with stainless frets. term for the musical effect it produces. pickngrin99. Both guitars boast an EverTune constant tension bridge, as well as Grover tuners and stainless steel frets. … Stan Stainless steel frets are a bugger to fit, compared to standard nickel steel, but they do last a lot longer, though you can wear them, I have seen a couple of old Parker Fly's with fret wear 0 LOL 0 Wow! Parker have gone crappy as of late haven't they? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. With the addition of the Stainless Steel frets it plays even faster. fluctuation in pitch. He does amazing work. Some Schecters come stock with stainless, also Kiesel and Warmoth have them as an "easy" option. Please abide by the following rules: a. Few higher end Jackson and Charvel guitars use them. Stainless Steel Fret Wire. rapid fluctuation of the volume of a note, while vibrato is a Standard fret wire is usually 18-20% nickel silver so 60% Cu 20% Zn 20% Ni roughly. We use standard nickel silver alloy frets, and offer stainless steel frets thanks to many customer requests. Post Apr 10, 2008 #1 2008-04-10T02:10. I'll do some more digging to see what I can find out. 100% Upvoted. Solar on the 1.6 line. The best place to start if you're new is right below in our "Rules" section. Stainless steel frets are well known for their corrosion resistance and extra long-lasting alloy. Oil-impregnated Bone nut /Stainless Steel Frets. They do actually wear, but they last a lot longer before fret dressing. SS is harder to work on than standard frets when doing the leveling and polishing, but they should last for many years without the need to redress them. Alternatively if anyone has samples of all three types I will get them analysed and hardness tested, http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/necks/fretsize.aspx#choose. SS frets are available in sizes similar to Dunlop 6230, 6105, 6150, and 6100. Nickel silver, you’ll know and it tends to be the middle-of-the-road between the brass/stainless extremes. Sorry to bring it down guys but going to get a bit technical. I like them for bending, I'm sure nicely polished nickel frets would feel similar. If although, you have your heart set on stainless steel frets, Ed Roman can and will build your guitar with stainless steel frets. For issues with shipping, repairs or complaints, use the CONTACT page. In standard usage, tremolo is a Tonally, stainless steel frets sound bright, very, very bright. Smooth as owt. Tone comparison between Nickel/Silver and Stainless Steel frets. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons! When paired with nickel strings, the stainless steel frets take very little damage and wear from the friction due to the alloy being much stronger than the string alloy. There is NO fret wear on either guitar, and I'm a ham-handed-heavy-playing flatpicker/bluegrass player. Massive stonking SS fretwire. But first a … The frets are all pretty dull, with what looks like some oxidation on some of them. as far as i know all EVH wolfgang models have them. When polished they are very slick thus a lot of players are saying that “ it’s like playing on ice.” I have done a lot of Stainless Steel Guitar Frets re-fretting jobs, and customers are happy with it. Stainless steel frets are a bugger to fit, compared to standard nickel steel, but they do last a lot longer, though you can wear them, I have seen a couple of old Parker Fly's with fret wear. - Homer Simpson. Page 2 of 2 < Prev 1 2. ruger9 New Member. When the Esquire needs it that's what it's getting. When paired with nickel strings, the stainless steel frets take very little damage and wear from the friction due to the alloy being much stronger than the string alloy. I think Kiesel’s gone all stainless steel. Minimum of 1.5 metres of coiled wire needed for 24 frets on a 6 string guitar The 25% additional fee is well worth it especially if you plan to keep the guitar. Also has the Parker Fly composite fretboard material so you don't have to worry about monochromaticity of yer ebony. Great believer in psychoacoustics though! I wouldn't use Parkers as a good example of the longevity of them either - they may not wear (or not much), but they're glued on and well-known for falling off. We are considering adding them on several other models, given their popularity. What guitars have steel frets apart from Carvins and Parkers? **To skip straight to the sound clips, jump to 2:49. Harley Benton has em on their "higher end" iirc. It looks like you're new here. All of my PRSs and all my other guitars have been set up and re-freted with 6150 stainless steel frets by Jim Crawford (Jim Crawford Guitars) and they play like butter… I've literally bought a PRS and walked out of the store and handed it to Jim to do a stainless steel re-fret before I even brought it home. Stainless will be 303 304 or 316, no real difference in the mechanical properties between the variants. Many makers just press the frets in and leave it at that, as it takes time to do the necessary fret work. The Oil-impregnated bone nut provides superior tuning stability and warm rich resonance. term “vibrato” to refer to what is really a tremolo effect. The Keith Merrow 7 and new Jeff Loomis 7 are the only guitars in our line with stainless steel frets. Being a metallurgist by trade it piqued my curiosity somewhat. Stainless Steel Fretwire from Jescar. "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Stainless steel frets boast excellent corrosion resistance. - Walt Kowalski, "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." EVO is a tin bronze with about 1% iron and a small amount of titanium. b. Anyone not like them? Image: ESP Guitars. Never heard of any other fret rust anyway. "You do all the 'widdly widdly' bits, and just leave the hard stuff to me. The playing difference of Stainless Steel frets is astronomically good. This neck plays like butter, it's so comfortable. Stainless Steel Frets Nearly all guitars come with nickel fret wire, which wears quickly under regular use as the strings, especially the steel plain strings, cut ruts into the nickel frets and flatten their crowns. 1,203 16. Would 100% nickel frets being hard product a much brighter sound with acoustic guitars? Official PRS Guitars Forum. The 304 Guitar A truly unique instrument.The 304 Guitar is a high quality, handmade electric guitar; crafted from only the finest hand selected woods, and our one of a kind stainless steel Noteboard™® (fretboard). Forums > General Topics > General Discussion > Stainless steel frets. Brass frets tend to have a solid, warmish tone while stainless steel frets can add a little brightness and, maybe, some slight sustain increase. Stainless steel frets are slow to wear or develop grooves, so you get smooth string bends for years longer. It’s an assumption that they almost never wear, which is somewhat true. Stainless (316, 316L and 304) all have the same hardness of 95 Rockwell B. Just get them retro-fitted to whatever you have. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." Note that im not considering a guitar based solely on what kind of frets are on it. They amplify any sort of buzz compared to nickel frets but will last longer. Stainless Steel Guitar Frets are much harder thus will not wear out for a long time even lasting longer than the guitars lifespan. I always thought SS frets would stay slick and shiny even if the guitar has been sitting around for awhile. report. Stainless Steel Refrets Celebrating our 11th year as the best in Stainless Steel Refrets, globally from Ireland, Australia, Canada, South America, and all points in between! Beautiful birds-eye maple neck. This is our premium fret wire. A .20 gauge alloy has a Rockwell B hardness of: Now I'm going to assume it is a spring grade, due to the fact that it is a wire, not a sheet so at worst it is 83 and at best it is 91. Joined: Jan 30, 2014 Messages: 59 Likes Received: 63. Add $25 for Gold EVO frets. I love the SS frets on my rep (it's the only aspect of the guitar that's not 'proper'). Bass models LTD M-4 Black Metal. Trouble is I have not found any definitive material details/specs on fret wire, just generic terms. So by all means, companies can sell “Hey SS frets on this guitar” but when it comes to warranty, it’s still stainless, not wearless. Would like to put in harder frets for long wear life, but I have an all solid wood acoustic with Cedar top, Mahogany back and sides. If you have guitar related questions, use the "Search" field or ask the community. Thanks for visiting. Leveling Stainless Steel Frets. I've got them on 2 guitars. Think about that before you purchase. I have 2 guitars from around 2005-2006 with huge railroad tracks on them of SS frets, and have yet to see any kind of coloring, blemish or hint of a dent anywhere. whammy bar or tremolo arm, although vibrato is the technically correct If anyone can correct my info, please do as I like to learn. I don't mind polishing the frets with some steel wool or something, but I was looking forward to trying out SS frets. In my case the frets eat my strings! i just had a guitar custom built with stainless steel frets. I've listened to stainless frets. The wide and tall fret-type offers a quick response, good articulation when playing chords and clear tone when playing single notes. This is a forum where guitarists, from novice to experienced, can explore the world of guitar through a variety of media and discussion. Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Huggy B, Mar 27, 2019. Therefore it is next to impossible to draw a comparative worth anything solid. [GEAR] What guitar manufacturers use stainless steel frets as "standard" For example where most/all of the manufacturers guitars come with stainless steel frets someone like Music Man, or where most of their lineup has them. I upgraded this guitar last year with the following: Professional re-fret with Stainless Steel Frets (Jescar Fret Wire 58118-S) + Full Plek Setup + Brand new bone nut : … Agile Semi-Custom guitars have an option for stainless-steel frets, Chapman Pro series guitars have them and so do the higher end EVH guitars. 3 3. comments. One was 2 years old last week, the other will be 3 years old in April... both have hundreds of playing hours on them. Press J to jump to the feed. 1,203 16. Stainless steel frets are GREAT! Some people claim SS frets are a no-brainer - great longevity, with no down-sides. This makes it a great choice for those who use round-wound strings - notoriously hard on frets. Thank you for … *Disclaimer - I don't know the exact composition of either type of fret wire, so I best guessed. share. Suhr, Vigier... Who else? No private sales, auctions or advertising services allowed. save. Very warm sound. Our stainless steel Noteboard™® increases the guitars tone, sustain and playability unlike any other guitar on the The M series of bass guitars gains a new member in the M-4 Black Metal, a straightforward rock rhythm machine. When you get a new guitar with stainless steels frets, the mirror shine and smooth-as-glass surface will remain for years, if not the life of the guitar. Some players hear a slightly brighter tone with stainless. The origin of this nonstandard usage of the term Add $30 for any Stainless Steel fret installation. I was under the impression that as the material was harder it wouldn't/couldn't wear. Stainless steel frets are well known for their corrosion resistance and extra long-lasting alloy. Therefore, is there really going to be that much difference? Nickel also oxidizes so that the frets actually rust and have to be polished repeatedly. Wouldn't know about tonal aspects as I haven't had the luxury to AB identical guitars. The 2.6 guitars are nickel. In round numbers you can expect the nickel silver to be 200 vickers the EVO to be 250 and the stainless to be 300. This is the first year we have made models with stainless steel frets, so that is why only those two have them available. Welcome to r/guitar, a community devoted to the exchange of guitar related information and entertainment. Few Ibanez RG series guitars use them too. Stainless Steel Pros: Impervious to oxidation and corrosion, stainless steel fret wire NEVER requires polishing! I also get asked a ton of questions about the differences between Nickel-Silver and Stainless Steel frets. Isn't traditional fretwire a brass/nickel alloy? ESP/LTD’s new guitars for 2021 so far all seem to come with SS frets as standard. I have EVO frets on my old '79 Ibanez Artist, they feel great and really match the gold hardware. Of course if you sub-zero draw the stainless you can get it much harder, No problem. 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