ESP 2021 New Models

[MaxOfMetal]

One google away:

Regarding SS frets, with the Arctic/Black Metal and 1000 series LTDs getting them it's odd they didn't extend that to this line. I don't see it as a big deal, and it seems to be a more prominent point of contention when it comes to import lines than higher-end models, for whatever reason. Nobody cares when their PRS Private Stock, J Custom or ESP Exhibition has Jescar instead of SS frets, but on an LTD or Iron Label? Suddenly they're trash and not worth the money

Because the majority of people who are so overwhelmingly vocal about SS frets are internet spec-queens who buy import stuff with stacked spec sheets vs. high quality guitars that might not sound as up-market on paper and act like it means they're more "in the know" about these things...while complaining they can't setup their Floyds.

 

[mbardu]

One google away:

Regarding SS frets, with the Arctic/Black Metal and 1000 series LTDs getting them it's odd they didn't extend that to this line. I don't see it as a big deal, and it seems to be a more prominent point of contention when it comes to import lines than higher-end models, for whatever reason. Nobody cares when their PRS Private Stock, J Custom or ESP Exhibition has Jescar instead of SS frets, but on an LTD or Iron Label? Suddenly they're trash and not worth the money

Well I'll be damned...you're better at googling than I am then, and I tip my hat to you.
Didn't show up at all when I looked for ESP Rainbow crackle. Only the recent ones showed up and funny enough, a bunch of Charvels and CJackson

 

[Crash Dandicoot]

@mbardu That finish is entirely more common and associated with Jackson/Charvel, so that's unsurprising. Though like everything those brands did in that era, ESP copied that too

 

[mbardu]

Because the majority of people who are so overwhelmingly vocal about SS frets are internet spec-queens who buy import stuff with stacked spec sheets vs. high quality guitars that might not sound as up-market on paper and act like it means they're more "in the know" about these things...while complaining they can't setup their Floyds.

Everyone can make 2-cents worth of generalizations, but nobody cares whether an ESP exhibition or a Private Stock has stainless steel frets or not because nobody plays those guitars and instead they are kept under glass by collectors with too much money. Oh Whoops, did I also generalize .

Ibanez, it's already changing on Prestige, and it won't be long until it makes its way to J-Customs. ESP it's already on LTD 1000s and USAs, and touted as the upgrade that it is. PRS, it won't ever get there because nobody can convince PRS of anything.

At the end of the day, there's nothing wrong with guitars without stainless steel frets. But when the brand is already offering it on the rest of the lineup, and it is measurably better for a majority of use cases, I don't see what the resistance is about.

It's not about imports or about being "in the know" or something being particularly new either. Suhr or Anderson have been doing it for a long time, and are far from import junk. Or maybe they don't fall in the category of "high quality guitars" I guess...

 

[LostTheTone]

Everyone can make 2-cents worth of generalizations, but nobody cares whether an ESP exhibition or a Private Stock has stainless steel frets or not because nobody plays those guitars and instead they are kept under glass by collectors with too much money. Oh Whoops, did I also generalize

There's nothing wrong with guitars without stainless steel frets. But when the brand is offering it on the rest of the lineup, and it is measurably better for a majority of use cases, I don't see what the resistance is about.

It's not about imports or about being "in the know" or something being particularly new either. Suhr or Anderson have been doing it for a long time, and are far from import junk. Or maybe they don't fall in the category of "high quality guitars"..

I bet you that the decision was made because the place that stores the stainless frets is juuuuust far enough away from wherever they are being assembled that it added 0.7cents to the total cost of materials, and that was deemed unacceptable by management.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Everyone can make 2-cents worth of generalizations, but nobody cares whether an ESP exhibition or a Private Stock has stainless steel frets or not because nobody plays those guitars and instead they are kept under glass by collectors with too much money. Oh Whoops, did I also generalize

There's nothing wrong with guitars without stainless steel frets. But when the brand is offering it on the rest of the lineup, and it is measurably better for a majority of use cases, I don't see what the resistance is about.

Man, I spent decades working directly with these folks, so sure, it's a generalization, but also one that I've seen literally hundreds (maybe thousands?) of times IRL.

Stainless steel frets can be great, and if everything is the same I'd go that route, but it's not important enough to be a make or break thing.

Lolz at the edits.

I bet you that the decision was made because the place that stores the stainless frets is juuuuust far enough away from wherever they are being assembled that it added 0.7cents to the total cost of materials, and that was deemed unacceptable by management.

More likely, it was just cheaper and easier to just request a different finish from Cortek vs. changing more specs. This decision was definitely made with cost and speed in mind.

 

[LostTheTone]

More likely, it was just cheaper and easier to just request a different finish from Cortek vs. changing more specs. This decision was definitely made with cost and speed in mind.

My theory was explained in a funnier way though, which makes it more truer.

 

[JSanta]

Everyone can make 2-cents worth of generalizations, but nobody cares whether an ESP exhibition or a Private Stock has stainless steel frets or not because nobody plays those guitars and instead they are kept under glass by collectors with too much money. Oh Whoops, did I also generalize .

Ibanez, it's already changing on Prestige, and it won't be long until it makes its way to J-Customs. ESP it's already on LTD 1000s and USAs, and touted as the upgrade that it is. PRS, it won't ever get there because nobody can convince PRS of anything.

At the end of the day, there's nothing wrong with guitars without stainless steel frets. But when the brand is already offering it on the rest of the lineup, and it is measurably better for a majority of use cases, I don't see what the resistance is about.

It's not about imports or about being "in the know" or something being particularly new either. Suhr or Anderson have been doing it for a long time, and are far from import junk. Or maybe they don't fall in the category of "high quality guitars" I guess...

Except Joe Walsh did get PRS to include SS frets on their recent limited release of Joe Walsh 594s.

SS is not a deal breaker, and I think people that harp on that one point of a guitar should probably spend more time playing than complaining on message boards (just a generalization, not directed at any one person here). I've got two luthier-built Gypsy guitars sitting next to me, one with SS and one without, and they are equally fantastic. The only limiting factor is my lack of skill, not nickel versus SS frets.

 

[mbardu]

Man, I spent decades working directly with these folks, so sure, it's a generalization, but also one that I've seen literally hundreds (maybe thousands?) of times IRL.

Stainless steel frets can be great, and if everything is the same I'd go that route, but it's not important enough to be a make or break thing.

Lolz at the edits.

At least we agree that everything else equal, we'd go stainless steel and wouldn't lose much while gaining a bunch.
It might not be a dealbreaker for some, but I don't get the resistance in acknowledging that it can be an issue, or at least a strong preference to others.

I have a bunch of guitars so there are some that I play only every few months. The Suhr I pick up plays just as smooth three months later than if I played it the day before. The core PRS is nowhere near as smooth, and if I want that glassy smooth feeling, I have to spend 10 minutes of maintenance on the guitar before playing it for 30 minutes. Hassle city when you don't have infinite time. Getting a stainless steel equivalent of the PRS is way more "high quality" worth it to me than paying 10k for a PRS Private stock that would supposedly be more of a "high quality guitar" in your terms (which we know is way past diminishing returns in terms of anything objective). If your goal is to actually play the guitars and enjoy them, not just be proud to have a fancy 10k$ instrument, then I'd argue that's what "high quality" means to a majority of people.

Plus, yeah I edited my posts 1 minute later because I thought of something else. Ban me I guess

More likely, it was just cheaper and easier to just request a different finish from Cortek vs. changing more specs. This decision was definitely made with cost and speed in mind.

That's the piece that's weirder. It's likely the same OEM, same shop, and they have already upgraded all the 1000s series (and black/arctic metal) to stainless steel. At no extra cost on "older" 1000 models either. Making something different usually would be what costs more now, not less. Or else they are not done with the same specs as the black metal/1000s and are not meant to be the same tier?

 

[mbardu]

Except Joe Walsh did get PRS to include SS frets on their recent limited release of Joe Walsh 594s.

SS is not a deal breaker, and I think people that harp on that one point of a guitar should probably spend more time playing than complaining on message boards (just a generalization, not directed at any one person here). I've got two luthier-built Gypsy guitars sitting next to me, one with SS and one without, and they are equally fantastic. The only limiting factor is my lack of skill, not nickel versus SS frets.

I'll rephrase that. PRS may do it on special artist runs or PS orders, with the excuse that it's not his request. But he won't do a base Core model with it. That is of course, unless he can convince himself and others that stainless steel was his idea all along.

Re: people should spend more time playing vs complaining, I guess we're all guilty of complaining online aren't we. Plus sometimes your fingertips need a break from strings when the last hour of practice just finished destroying even the calluses
I'm more concerned about guitar maintenance time vs guitar enjoyment time. If I had a single guitar or two, I guess I wouldn't mind nickel frets at all. Just change strings every 2/3 weeks and polish the frets at that point. But with a bunch of guitars, stainless steel fret ones that you don't play that much can keep the same strings for sometimes months, and still remain just as playable without any time on maintenance. This is a game changer. Nickel ones (that I still have because they're still great guitars), I do need to change strings and polish the frets more frequently than I'd like, and I sure would prefer that time to be spent playing vs maintenance. So getting a stainless steel equivalent is directly an impact on being able to spend more time playing.

 

[yan12]

So many great points. I agree with complaining vs. playing. Since 99% of the world's greatest recordings were done on nickel frets, hard to say they are bad in any way. As technology advances, some embrace and some do not. I am a living, breathing contradiction as I choose to deny and embrace.

I love stainless frets but refuse to use amp modelers. I think the Les Paul has more engineering design faults and problems than any electric guitar in history, but I love the look and tone. I hate solid state amps (except for quick practice and portability), and yet I love Dime's tone. So I contradict myself all the time.

I can only say this; spend your $$ on what YOU want. I paid up on a Schecter Masterworks and it is making me sell all my other guitars as it is built exactly to my specs which were based on years of playing and wanting tweaks. Now I have it...and it has SS Jescar 58-118 fretwire. Love it and no regrets. I will not build another guitar without SS frets. It has a massive neck and massive frets, but it is just what I wanted. I play the hell out of it and with the satin finish, it barely needs a wipe down. No maintenance per se, but I made it that way after doing years of maintenance on my guitars. Now that I have it, I wonder why I never went down this road before...but I wouldn't have had all the experience to draw this conclusion either. Being a real musician is a never ending journey whether it is skill, tone, maintenance, or just the joy of doing it.

And I like the rainbow crackle!

 

[Zhysick]

Thing is that some people find SS frets as a bad spec... Yes, new 1000 series and Black/Arctic Metal are using SS frets and it should have been easy to use in these new models but the thing is that if all 1000 series uses SS frets there is no choice for "nickel-silver fans" so... well... you get the mayor part of the models and let the "old dudes" enjoy the "old fret material" models

 

[I play music]

As said...SS ar good for some and bad for others. I prefer nickel frets despite starting to like it in my Solar (but hated them in my previous guitars specially the Carvin I had, horrid sounding... Maybe there are some differences in INOX alloy along the fret makers...)

Maybe the horrid sound was not from the frets

 

[Zhysick]

Maybe the horrid sound was not from the frets

Yeah... No, it was the frets

 

[Emperoff]

Because the majority of people who are so overwhelmingly vocal about SS frets are internet spec-queens who buy import stuff with stacked spec sheets vs. high quality guitars that might not sound as up-market on paper and act like it means they're more "in the know" about these things...while complaining they can't setup their Floyds.

 

[I play music]

Because the majority of people who are so overwhelmingly vocal about SS frets are internet spec-queens who buy import stuff with stacked spec sheets vs. high quality guitars that might not sound as up-market on paper and act like it means they're more "in the know" about these things...while complaining they can't setup their Floyds.

If I can't even setup my Floyd, how am I supposed to refret my guitar when I play them frets down? lol

 

[MaxOfMetal]

If I can't even setup my Floyd, how am I supposed to refret my guitar when I play them frets down? lol

You'll pay someone who knows what they're doing to do both.

 

[Zado]

No idea fret wire was such a deal breaker for many here, damn, not even Jeff Hanneman was so obsessed with SS frets

 

[Spicypickles]

I’d wager no one here would even be able to tell the difference between them if they didn’t know beforehand, provided they were both polished.

 

[gunshow86de]

No idea fret wire was such a deal breaker for many here, damn, not even Jeff Hanneman was so obsessed with SS frets

Pictured: Non-stainless frets are a deal breaker folks.