Anyone refret a let paul with ss jumbos?

I

itsgoodnow

Well-known member
Hey All,

My #1 Les Paul has a lot of hours on it and the frets are starting to get pretty worn down. Lately I have been playing SS jumbos on other guitars and really like them. I was wondering if anyone had redone a Les Paul in the past like this and what your experiences were? I'm not really worried about resale as they will bury me with this guitar. Just curious about any insights or recommended luthiers. Thanks!
 
Increased note clarity on the top end, kinda cold sounding and not as warm as nickel silver frets. However they play amazing and once polished will stay polished for a lot longer than silver nickel.

Ive used Jescar on both of my LP refrets; 0.110x0.057.

I recommend you find a luthier that has the tooling for SS fret dress and the time to properly fret dress. I emphasize the latter because I’m running into a problem of a luthier that has the skills and the tooling, but doesn’t commit the time it takes to properly dress them. the end results are gritty frets.

Plan to commit a month or more with whomever you find and ask about prior problems of gritty feeling frets from customers. I found out only after I had mine done that others had complained of it but it was not documented anywhere - dudes talented but a dick when he doesn’t want to do something and will turn the work away or rush it.
 
glpg80 said:
Increased note clarity on the top end, kinda cold sounding and not as warm as nickel silver frets. However they play amazing and once polished will stay polished for a lot longer than silver nickel.

Ive used Jescar on both of my LP refrets; 0.110x0.057.

I recommend you find a luthier that has the tooling for SS fret dress and the time to properly fret dress. I emphasize the latter because I’m running into a problem of a luthier that has the skills and the tooling, but doesn’t commit the time it takes to properly dress them. the end results are gritty frets.

Plan to commit a month or more with whomever you find and ask about prior problems of gritty feeling frets from customers. I found out only after I had mine done that others had complained of it but it was not documented anywhere - dudes talented but a dick when he doesn’t want to do something and will turn the work away or rush it.
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I appreciate that heads up. Really solid advice. I know some people don't have the tooling for it and shy away from it. I reached out to a local respected luthier who can hopefully help me out. If not, its always nice to have a back up just in case. Really interesting about the tone shift. I know people say the SS frets have more zing--I wonder if this is part of that sound imparting into the traditionally warm les paul?

Do you regret the refret in SS?
 
itsgoodnow said:
I appreciate that heads up. Really solid advice. I know some people don't have the tooling for it and shy away from it. I reached out to a local respected luthier who can hopefully help me out. If not, its always nice to have a back up just in case. Really interesting about the tone shift. I know people say the SS frets have more zing--I wonder if this is part of that sound imparting into the traditionally warm les paul?

Do you regret the refret in SS?
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It doesn’t change the big sound character of a Les Paul if it has it. I wouldn’t say it’s a negative trait for us metal players. I would say someone with a more simplistic tone like blues or clean tones might complain a lot more about it.

It’s really high frequencies it’s targeting though - I’ve tuned frequencies in that range with 10-18pF caps before in Marshalls. We are talking the tip of the top - but it is definitely there.

I like it personally, it’s more aggressive sounding with high output pickups. I would say each have their place. I have two LPs that are SS and two that are Silver Nickel. I would recommend SN for classic rock voiced LPs and SS for a more modern higher output pickup setup. You won’t be dissapointed.

I will be investing in some basic tools to fix what I can on my own - I have no choice really. There’s only one other dude I trust with my LPCs and he’s at a guitar center, I’d rather do it on my own.
 
glpg80 said:
It doesn’t change the big sound character of a Les Paul if it has it. I wouldn’t say it’s a negative trait for us metal players. I would say someone with a more simplistic tone like blues or clean tones might complain a lot more about it.

It’s really high frequencies it’s targeting though - I’ve tuned frequencies in that range with 10-18pF caps before in Marshalls. We are talking the tip of the top - but it is definitely there.

I like it personally, it’s more aggressive sounding with high output pickups. I would say each have their place. I have two LPs that are SS and two that are Silver Nickel. I would recommend SN for classic rock voiced LPs and SS for a more modern higher output pickup setup. You won’t be dissapointed.

I will be investing in some basic tools to fix what I can on my own - I have no choice really. There’s only one other dude I trust with my LPCs and he’s at a guitar center, I’d rather do it on my own.
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Really good advice. This one is loaded with a 16k in the bridge so you definitely can relate to the type of music I am putting it to use for haha. I did get an email back from my luthier locally who said he can do it and to bring it by to check out. Hopefully it works out. If so my other 2 in rotation will make their way over there too.
 
Yeah there’s really two things in play with a SS refret, the work with the fret and installation is a total PITA. The fret dressing of the SS frets is a skill in and of itself and steps cannot be skipped. You have to progress in order slowly and spend quality time on each fret. It’s hard on your hands and tedious as well. The special tools are expensive. I was told each total refret can eat through two diamond files alone.
 
I had my Gibson Appetite Amber refretted with s/s Jescar 55090 frets. All my other guitars use the same s/s frets too.

I can never go back to nickel frets after going s/s. Sound wise, I've never noticed enough of a difference to care about.
 
I recently got my guitar back from a SS refret job...I went with the largest jescars I could find, 58118-ss I think they're called....and omg, the playability is insane....that guitar is back to being my #1 so hard. Tonally I really didn't notice that much of a difference, its always sounded fantastic.. .shout-out to the ESP technical house, nobody does it better.
 
I do have a 2002 R8 Les Paul that had factory frets when I bought it, and did not noticed any tone difference at all when the guitar is plugged in, after I had the frets replaced with medium SS frets. It stayed pretty much the same on both clean and distorted tones. Matter of fact, this particular Les Paul had a very nice, smooth top end, with very punchy midrange and very focused and tight low end, compared to my other Les Pauls, both before and after the SS were installed.
I has a pair of Alnico Pro 2 humbuckers, which are low output, in it, and this combination it's just incredible in this guitar.
The fret job is just incredible, and was done by Eric's Guitar Shop, in SFV. My all time favorite guitar tech for fret job. No bad spots, ghost notes, half ass polished frets... his work is flawless.
That makes the guitar play perfect, and the tone and intonation to be at it's best.
I promised myself I'll only use SS frets from now on. Specially on my vintage guitars.
 
There shouldn't be a difference tonally 'cause it really only perceptibly affects very-high frequencies in the "fairy-dust" range.

Even then, one may not notice any difference, especially when an A/B comparison isn't possible, which is usually the case unless one makes before-and-after DI recordings.
 
absolutely do it. I had 2 lp's (81 custom with 6100's, 74 deluxe with 6105's) refretted with SS frets. Just made the guitar play amazing I didn't notice any brightening up of things, but its not like you can really A/B the same guitar with the 2 different fret materials in any realistic way, unless you have 2 of the same exact model, one with ss and one without. I was listening for it too because thats what people always say about ss frets, but i think its bullshit. maybe on a strat or something, but Lp's are so dark anyway, a hardware change probably isn't going to make or break that dynamic.
 
I've had 2 LPCs (my '94 and '87) and an '81 Flying V done by a guy about an hour and 40 minutes from me. It was worth both the drive and the expense. I've had multiple people offer to buy my '94 once I had it done. I personally didn't notice a sound difference either, though I tend to play with too much gain so who knows. I went with Jescar 57x110s on all 3. The refrets weren't cheap but I don't believe in trying to save a few bucks for something that will now last my lifetime.
 
I had Jescar SS jumbos installed on my 2010 LP a little over a year ago and it was the best decision I have ever made. Swapped to a bone nut at the time as well. I say do it! But do check for references if you don't have a trusted tech.
 
glpg80 said:
Increased note clarity on the top end, kinda cold sounding and not as warm as nickel silver frets. However they play amazing and once polished will stay polished for a lot longer than silver nickel.

Ive used Jescar on both of my LP refrets; 0.110x0.057.

I recommend you find a luthier that has the tooling for SS fret dress and the time to properly fret dress. I emphasize the latter because I’m running into a problem of a luthier that has the skills and the tooling, but doesn’t commit the time it takes to properly dress them. the end results are gritty frets.

Plan to commit a month or more with whomever you find and ask about prior problems of gritty feeling frets from customers. I found out only after I had mine done that others had complained of it but it was not documented anywhere - dudes talented but a dick when he doesn’t want to do something and will turn the work away or rush it.
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Over the years (15 to be exact) I've had several guitars re-refretted with Jescar 57110 (as you mention). I've into this exact issue with one guy who was too lazy to properly polish them up.

Long story short. Phil Jacoby was my number one choice. Still is, but is so buried in work it took me a year to get my last guitar back. As all previous 10 refrets, it was perfect.

I recently found a guy in Austin, TX that is marvelous. Pete Skermetta. He did my last 2, and I'm pleased with the work. But Phil is the most absolute, downright pickiest perfectionist I have ever known. And, there is some kind of magic that comes back with every guitar he's ever done for me. I swear, I cannot explain it. It's of course a personal and subjective opinion, and I'm sure a lot of this is simply "in my head", but it is there, and I feel it everytime I pick up one my guitars Phil has refretted.

For what it's worth, the only other guy I've run into at this level is Joe Glazer. These 2 guys are becoming inacessible to common folks like me these days.

You will hear many horror stories about Phil Jacoby. I feel like I've read them all. Particularly from one member here who is an extremely dogamtic and self proclaimed expert on everything gear related under the sun.

But for me, as far as stainless steel frets in general, it's like Franks Red Hot.......I put that shit on everything.
 
I really didn't need to see this. I want ss frets for my LP but since mine isn't even a year old I'm hesitant. I just put locking tuners and suhr aldrich pickups on it plus a setup and it's playing better than I expected. I preferred my mayones for a lot of stuff I'm playing when I'm practicing but now the lp is on part with it.


I love ss frets. To me they feel, I don't know, snappy? Immediate? I know it's not a huge difference but to me it feels like it.

I thought about sending it in to sweetwater for a ss refret/plek but I've never heard how their techs are good or bad.
 
ClintN667 said:
I really didn't need to see this. I want ss frets for my LP but since mine isn't even a year old I'm hesitant. I just put locking tuners and suhr aldrich pickups on it plus a setup and it's playing better than I expected. I preferred my mayones for a lot of stuff I'm playing when I'm practicing but now the lp is on part with it.


I love ss frets. To me they feel, I don't know, snappy? Immediate? I know it's not a huge difference but to me it feels like it.

I thought about sending it in to sweetwater for a ss refret/plek but I've never heard how their techs are good or bad.
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Relatable. I didn't want to touch this guitar since it was playing like butter but now its at the point where it clearly needs a refret. I have 2 others that don't need one yet but I may just do them all if the first one turns out right. Luckily I have a retired fender master builder who does luthier work in my town so he said no problem on the install. I am taking it to him this week. If you are thinking about sending it anyway to someone I can let you know what he says.
 
My custom came re-fretted with jumbos and it plays fantastic. Two things to watch out for though. 1, you may need to raise your nut height and 2, above the 17th fret it can get a little difficult to fret notes cleanly. I'd suggest narrower fret wire for everything past fret 15.
 
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