Stainless Steel Frets vs Nickel Frets

[VonBonfire]

Not really. But I prefer the stainless on guitars that have them. Goal is to pretty much convert them all.

Not totally but anything that still has NS is definitely in line for conversion the first time it needs fretwork.

I'm with this^. I'll have a couple dressings done just to maximize the mileage outta what I got but as soon as they need frets replaced I plan on doing this for my #1.

 

[PBGas]

All of my guitars are fairly new. I have stainless ready to install on all of them but at this point, I am just playing them for a good while before I change them up.

 

[vultures]

From a tech/luthier perspective.. I occasionally get clients who have had guitars with multiple refrets in them, they just blow through frets. The fret slots in these guitars are little more than wood dust and glue. It makes it way more difficult to refret if I have to rebuild fret slots. I've also seen refrets where nickel frets will pop out of a slot because the slot is so worn out. It happens, no big deal. You just clamp the fret in and flood with CA Glue.

On a side note, if you guys get your guitars refretted make sure your guy knows how to handle stainless steel. I've seen a lot of old timers go at it like nickel and you simply just can't. Frets have to be the exact radius of the board, can't hammer or clamp them into shape. I usually reprofile fretboards (to the stock or desired radius) and buy pre-redius, pre-cut stainless frets.

 

[SonVolt]

and buy pre-redius, pre-cut stainless frets.

Is this not how all frets are done? I just assumed they all came ready to install.

 

[vultures]

Is this not how all frets are done? I just assumed they all came ready to install.

Old school method is to buy big spools of it or a bunch of straight pieces and you use a fret radius jig to get the right radius. It works good for Nickel since it's malleable and you can press or hammer it into radius pretty easily. Trying to radius stainless sucks ass, it's so springy and you have to overcompensate and repeatedly fiddle with it. That eats into my time, buying pre-radius, pre-cut is the way to go.


I've worked in shops that have these big tubes laying around or huge spools of fretwire like on the right:

 

[CrystalSky]

May I suggest the Ultex Sharp 0.90mm for rhythm AND lead playing?

Although I see they have the Sharp in 1.0mm, 1.14mm, 1.40mm and 2.0mm as well:
https://www.jimdunlop.com/products/guitar-picks/ultex/

I also have the Ultex Jazz III 1.38mm and I agree they're quite small. The Sharp is significantly larger.

I prefer picks with some give like the Dava Control ones.
Here you can see the sizes:

View attachment 457921

Ultex Sharp are great picks. But I’m not crazy about chirp they have. Probably doesn’t go through amp, but I dislike the feel of it too. This is where Tortex Standart and TIII 0.88 or 1.0mm come into play. Just can’t be beat, despite them not being super durable.

 

[CrystalSky]

Also sad af that Evo Gold frets are gone.

 

[Speeddemon]

ltex Sharp are great picks. But I’m not crazy about chirp they have. Probably doesn’t go through amp,

Oh it does, but I'm using them whenever there's a different part of the guitar equation that could benefit from some extra chirp.

Take for instance my Kramer SM-1 RI; a JB in the bridge, mahogany body, ebony FB. Floyd Rose; but I replaced the FR block with a 32 or 37mm (I forgot) wider brass block. More sustain, thicker tone (made my Engl Savage almost sound like a Soldano), but I lost some high-end zing by doing so.
At least with the Ultex picks I can add some 1-2% of snappiness and attack back.

 

[CrystalSky]

Oh it does, but I'm using them whenever there's a different part of the guitar equation that could benefit from some extra chirp.

Take for instance my Kramer SM-1 RI; a JB in the bridge, mahogany body, ebony FB. Floyd Rose; but I replaced the FR block with a 32 or 37mm (I forgot) wider brass block. More sustain, thicker tone (made my Engl Savage almost sound like a Soldano), but I lost some high-end zing by doing so.
At least with the Ultex picks I can add some 1-2% of snappiness and attack back.

I see. You live you learn.

What’s your other pick then? I have tried a lot of them, a forum memeber even sent me like 15 different ones once, god bless him, even have a fancy Winspear small variety pack, and for nice metal rhythms and good bouncy feel nothing seems to beat Green Tortex, be it TIII or Standart. Or Blue. More stiffness or width and you start getting boomy bass additition and chirp. Or on the contrary, loosing crispness, when it comes to more beveled/rounded stuff like Jazz 3. Tortex Jazz XL is fine though.

Leads is a whole different story, but I am straight, can’t comment on that

 

[Rackman]

Is this not how all frets are done? I just assumed they all came ready to install.

Stainless is hard to radius, but the guy who did two good stainless refrets for me just has a roll of Jescar 57110SS and cut them off the roll. It's doable that way. Of course my preferred guitars have compound radius so pre-radiused frets aren't an easy option.

 

[Rackman]

Also sad af that Evo Gold frets are gone.

Yeah I think this was the best acoustic refret option.

 

[CrystalSky]

Yeah I think this was the best acoustic refret option.

Works great on my electric too