Stainless steel frets

[jco5055]

They seem to be all the rage now with more "modern" players, yet for TGP enthusiasts and members, they are anathema. I'm curious what this forum thinks of them.

For me personally, I love them. I love the durability, and the feel, and I also have not noticed any tonal differences compared to nickel. I know a lot of people seem to think there is a tonal difference (and this disagreement is even between well known builders/luthiers) so I'm curious what everyone hear thinks...though honestly the "slinkiest/glassiest/fastest" frets I've ever played were on some ESP Japan models, and they were nickel silver.

[Jakeboy]

When I had my Artist Korina refretted I went with stainless and LOVE them. If Mike offers that option these days, I’ll be all over it. 

[jco5055]

i actually have no idea if Mike offers them or not (I be a lowly lurker and non-owner...yet)🤪

[Jakeboy]

When 0006 needs a refret I will get SS for sure. I like the feel, easy bending and the durability. They don’t seem to wear. At all.

[tweed]

I never actually heard them live, but seen an old Warmoth video that  used the same body, different necks, stainless  and nickel, and I did hear a difference. SS was a tad brighter to me. I wonder if the local music store would have anything with SS to try out.  

[ArnieZ]

I have them on my Suhr Strat. Feel great to me, but I am not hard on frets. Don’t know about tone differences, every guitar is different.

arniez

[tbonesullivan]

I have had them, and have one (soon to be two) guitars with them. I haven't noticed any major differences, except that they ALWAYS have that "just polished" feel on the frets.

Sound wise, there is of course going to be some difference. People go ON AND ON about the sound differences that guitar nuts and bridges make, and even the fretboard material sometimes. But for some reason, frets won't make a difference if you use a harder alloy? Nope that makes no sense.

[Jakeboy]

I hope they are indeed a tad brighter. I like brightness on an electric.

[tbonesullivan]

On 10/14/2021 at 9:46 PM, Jakeboy said:

I hope they are indeed a tad brighter. I like brightness on an electric.

You will hear it unplugged more than you will through the amp, but it definitely also helps keep that "fresh" sound longer.

[crunchee]

I've got a second-hand Cabronita-style Partscaster with a MJT ash body and P-90s that the first owner also spec'd out with stainless steel frets.  I like 'em, they might be slightly brighter but not enough to obsess over, and overall it's not a 'ice-picky' guitar at all.  The durability of these frets are definitely a plus, especially for string bending. This same guitar came to me with some Glendale hardware on it, including steel 'barrel' saddles which I thought were a little bright and 'ping-y' on the string attack; so I replaced those with Fender vintage-style un-compensated brass 'barrel' saddles (which aren't 'ping-y', IMO), and I've been happy with the guitar ever since.

[Jakeboy]

Every refret I do for now on will be SS. I just love the way they feel and play.

[DaveH]

I heard they drive Eric Johnson crazy.

[hamersandstrats]

I have a Warmoth Telecaster with their "boat neck"-maple and ebony fingerboard, with stainless steel frets. Put it together over 20 years ago. The frets look like new. No pitting, no discoloration of any kind. 

 

I used to post recordings with it on the Les Paul forum, and everyone assumed it was a Les Paul. It's not a bright guitar, even with the maple neck, the thick ebony fingerboard and the stainless steel frets. It does have a semi-hollow mahogany body and PAF style humbuckers.