Stainless Steel Frets and Fret Wear

[la szum]

I would argue with both of these points. I think and IME the exact same size fret in the same guitar is so close that you couldn’t reliably tell the difference. As for feel the thing you can detect is the way the strings slide over the surface and that varies depending on the quality of the fret dress. A newly well dressed nickel fret is almost the same. But even a few hours wear and the surface of the nickel is affected. Did you see the Warmoth video on fret tone?

This is very helpful because as close as possible you can hear the affect of this one aspect . A lot of people will play a Suhr strat along with a CS Fender and say the difference is the ss fret but it is actually a lot of other things too.

I knew you probably would. I am sticking with my own experience on this.

 

[nicolasrivera]

The SSF that I installed on my LP where from Warmoth.

I will eventually install SSF in all my guitars, even my squiers and epiphones.

 

[Sascha Franck]

reenactment guitarists

Quoteworthy!

 

[0XI0]

why is it not more common in mid range guitars

more labour cost to build, harder to work the material and harder on tools

 

[Fungi]

I'm gonna go with 'no.'

Right on.
I have some wear developing on SS frets so they are not immune.
However, they have held up pretty darn well, feel great and I have never noticed any tonal problems.

 

[KHAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!!!!]

Built a Strat partscaster in 2008 with a Warmoth neck with SS frets. It's was my #1 for eight years of gigs. I've played it at home since then quite a bit too. Just looked closely at the frets with a flashlight, and can't find any fret wear at all. Still look to be perfectly crowned. Also have a 2HB Tele with a Warmoth neck, and that's pristine too. But I haven't put in nearly the hours on that. I played the crap out of the Strat. Never had any issue with strings either. But I don't leave 'em on for 6 months either.

 

[Eagle]

It’s only an issue if you have a death grip and that’s not good anyway.

 

[krankenstein]

My 32 years old pal needs new frets, probably will go with the SS but still not sure. I have other cool guitars to play so in theory even with nickels it should go around minimum 10 years. The thing is I really love the feel and the sound of my fusion and doesn't matter how many guitars I have, I play with it only, when it's in good condition. My another guitar in the other hand is 15 years old and frets are in almost perfect condition. Also was in use a lot.