Stainless Frets with Rosewood Fingerboard

[robertkoa]

IF stainless frets are a little brighter and I prefer fat and warm and round tones(even in " Strats and Superstrats" ) on a custom build :

If I get Stainless Frets for the first time , will a Rosewood board instead of Ebony Balance off the brightness from the stainless ?

Think in terms of a Mahogany body "Superstrat" ( it will really be Koa but think Mahogany) to get the FATTER sides of Strat ( losing a bit of "chime " to be deeper /warmer)- done this already with Maple Neck / Ebony board /Koa body( nickel frets) and it worked BUT I'd like a back up instrument with Stainless Frets- so what do you guys think ?

Will substituting Rosewood offset the slight brightness of the Stainless ?

Thanks.

 

[Guitarzan1143]

You won't hear any tone difference in different frets, and if you do, you are hearing with your eyes. I've installed both on many guitars, refretted with stainless on many guitars now. they do feel a little bit smoother on top, but if you take care of your nickel/silver frets, they will feel the same. Stainless steel frets are also supposed to last longer, but I can not agree with this, on two occasions, i have seen people wear through it just the same as their standard frets, but they are very heavy handed.

that sums up my experience with them. nothing all that special about it, plus they suck ass to work with.

 

[SuperFlyinMonke]

You won't hear any tone difference in different frets, and if you do, you are hearing with your eyes. I've installed both on many guitars, refretted with stainless on many guitars now. they do feel a little bit smoother on top, but if you take care of your nickel/silver frets, they will feel the same. Stainless steel frets are also supposed to last longer, but I can not agree with this, on two occasions, i have seen people wear through it just the same as their standard frets, but they are very heavy handed.

that sums up my experience with them. nothing all that special about it, plus they suck ass to work with.

You should put up a link to a site of your axes. That one in your avatar looks killer.

OP, I've had the same guitars for years and they're all nickel. They don't look brand new, but there's not any significant wear that affects anything playability-wise.

Why are you set on SS frets?

 

[Devin]

There is no added brightness with stainless. My hamer californian is a mahogany super
strat with maple neck/braz rosewood board. I got it refretted with stainless
and it still sounds the same - but it stays super smooth and never needs polishing, which is a huge plus for me having really sweaty hands and living in humid LA. I love
em!!

 

[Qweklain]

My ESP MX-2 USA had nickel frets and I just had SS put in. It is a rosewood board too. There WAS a tad bit of brightness, or more snap, to the tone, but also more sustain especially when doing bends. The only REAL downside to them that SOME people might have (not I) is the smoothness and almost zero friction when bending. Some people like the friction as it helps them control their vibrato more. Also the fact that the frets will last indefinitely, will not need polishing, and will not need a leveling.

 

[robertkoa]

Well I have Nickel now on the Carvin Koa Bolt . I do a lot of sustained vibrato on phrase endings and since '06 when I got it there is noticeable wear.

These are the Medium Jumbo Jescar frets like Suhr and Anderson use so they don't wear too much BUT if I can get the same tones with the longer wear on another build I probably will, but I like VERY round Strattish tones, and don't want a bright "plink" at the front of every note- especially since I've spent many years developing a no noise pick attack (unless I pick hard on purpose). So I don't want to throw that away.

I haven't played a really good guitar with Stainless so I'm not sure of the effect-different nuts( the one on the guitar, not the one in the audience) affect tone somewhat so it makes sense that stainless frets would also.

Also I wonder if the lower friction with Stainless still allows you to get a note to sustain at full volume 'cause the string is rubbing on the frets ( John Suhr told me you are "shaving the frets" when you do this-) but it sounds good.

Can't rely on an amp to roll of harsh highs ( if any) 'cause I mostly record with tube guitar pres into cab impulses .

Devin- that Hamer Mahogany is probably a good test- if it's liker a real warm sustainy FAT Strat tone and the stainless didn't F it up - that's impressive.

 

[glpg80]

alot of amplifiers are voiced not to include that high of a frequency anyway - or not excentriate it. you may hear a difference unplugged, but its mostly a feeling thing where the stainless frets keep a rounded edge much longer, therefore intonation will improve and so will vibrato and bends.

theres really no reason not to go to SS unless you are the person installing them, then it becomes a labor intensive/investment in special tools (or just more of them) due to the steel being harder to work and just taking more time with the overall dressing and process.

FWIW i wouldnt go out of my way to install them either though, if an old player needs new frets anyway - i wouldnt second guess SS frets in a heartbeat just because of the benefits in playing.

 

[Strat+Marshall]

theres really no reason not to go to SS unless you are the person installing them

They sound different and feel different.

 

[LP Freak]

theres really no reason not to go to SS unless you are the person installing them

They sound different and feel different.

I totally agree. I've had them on two different guitars and they both had a buzz I couldn't get rid of. I'd never go back.