Stainless Steel Frets

[thesoloist]

I'm considering ordering my CS with stainless steel frets, i know they last longer and stay shiny but how do they effect the tone of the guitar? Around here there arn't any to try out so i need your opinions.

[sully]

nothing that you'd notice, imo. they feel great.

[Bengal65]

I have them on a couple of my Warmoth necks and they are very smooth and string bending friendly. I don't notice any change in tone.

[straycat]

I hear no difference at all.

[toejam]

Some people say they're too bright. I'd get them basically because they just about last forever.

[Firebird V]

I hear no difference at all either. I have 2 warmoth necks with them. They are IMO the best. Always silky smooth. I have noticed my strings last longer too. You will notice you dont have to polish them out. They always stay shiny. To me it is a no brainer.

[Robotechnology]

No cons to the stainless steel frets what so ever. They are the best! I wish manufacturers started using them 20 years ago or so, 'cause then all my guitars would have came with them as standard issue instead of just 2 of my guitars

[Twisteramps]

Some builders (Ed Roman) bitch about them - I don't think they affect the tone at all. What they DO affect is the tools used for fretwork, but if you do a good job in the first place the neck shouldn't have to have a whole lot of dressing anyways.

Pete

[mm2002]

I have an old (1989) CS Jackson with them. They look as good as they did brand new, and this axe HAS been played a bunch. I can't tell anything different about the tone compared to other guitars.

[missionguitars1]

Some builders (Ed Roman) bitch about them

If Ed Roman doesn't like them, then, by definition, they must be good...

[Postal]

I've heard from many builders- GOOD ONE'S- not zed.... That they are a huge PITA compared to normal frets, and anyone that does a refret for you with stainless should charge a bit more than normal because it will wear out their tools much faster than normal, as well as take more time to do.

[Zerberus]

Refrets and dressings cost twice as much, but other than that no notable drawbacks that I´ve experienced.

That said, dressing will be necessary much less often, so that offsets the higher cost

[Firebird V]

My local luthier won't touch them do to the wear on his tools.

[mm2002]

Refrets and dressings cost twice as much, but other than that no notable drawbacks that I´ve experienced.

That said, dressing will be necessary much less often, so that offsets the higher cost

Much less often? OK, my axe is 17 years old and doesn't need any fret work, so about how often are we talking here? Like every 25 years or so?

[Jester700]

I LOVE mine! With 2 identical guitars except for the frets - Ibanez Radius bodies, Carvin necks, there is no sound difference I can tell. Nor was there a difference I could tell when I replaced the OLD nickel fretted Carvin neck on one of them with a new SS fretted one. I'm not saying there's NO difference, just that IF there is, it's very small and those people saying they're "way too bright" are...mistaken. ;-)

They wear VERY slowly and play like butter. After a couple years on my oldest SS neck, NO sign of any wear. I will never get another neck without them.