[HELP!] IMPORTANT QUESTION ABOUT FRETS !!!

[Tritono]

Hey!

Hello every one. I really need your experience and knowledge!

I have a big problem with my frets. I have only one guitar, a ESP M2.

When the guitar arrived, it sounded good (except for the emgs). The frets wear very quickly. I contacted a luthier and changed it for Stewmac frets. The luthier was a bad luthier (like all luthiers here in chile.. ¬¬) and he dont do a good fretwork. They wear the frets excessively when he leveled it. The frets were very scratchy and uncomfortable. The frets wear very quickly too (I play much guitar). I searched for another luthier and I had bad luck again. They put in the guitar bad quality frets (I have this frets actually) and the frets wear very very quickly. They dont sound good. When I do bendings or vibrato, the E and B strings sound bad. I dont know why, maybe the bad fretwork. And when I do legatos in that strings, it sound bad too!!

I need your help because I think I need to refret my guitar again for the problems that I mentioned to you, but with good quality frets this time. I need to know what frets are the best in your subjetive opinion. I have my guitar full scalloped.

Searching here, I discovered good impressiones about Stainless Steel frets. Im very curious about stainless steel frets. In the past, I readed that the steel frets sound bad, very trebble and without life and that they kill the strings very quickly (broke strings). BUT that information I readed in a forum of my country, and excuse me, but chilean people sucks (Im not chilean, Im Cosmopolitan).

I readed that Dunlop Stainless Steel are very good. I never used Dunlop. What do you think? plus, What fret size is good for an ESP M2? I like big frets. I readed that some people recommend Dunlop 6000 for scalloped fretboards. There are Dunlop 6000 Stainless Steel version? What you recommend to me?

Very important!, I need to mention another VERY serious problem I had with all the nickel fretwire I've used (the stock, the stewmac and current). When they wear with the daily playing, they put all the fretboard very dirty!, they soiled much everything!. I clean the guitar repeatedly every time I use it to fight with the dirty, but it is a losing battle. Is uncomfortable, and uninspiring. I understand that with bendings and vibratos the nickel frets go wear and the residue of the frets make my fretboard very dirty. But is a serious problem because my guitar is always dirty and also my strings. Im very clean, I know is not my own dirty or PH that wear the frets.

Because of this, Im thinking of the stainless steel frets. What do you think? or maybe is good option to go for nickel again and keep fighting every moment with the dirty?

Very thank you for your time, experience and patience.

Greetings!



Sorry for my english!

 

[lateralus819]

I have Stainless on my carvin and they're AWESOME! They dont feel or sound any different to me, at least nothing i can hear..The reason i went with them was cause apparently they last a lot longer then nickel frets...So with that said, if theirs a luthier who can do it, try them.

 

[Tritono]

I have Stainless on my carvin and they're AWESOME! They dont feel or sound any different to me, at least nothing i can hear..The reason i went with them was cause apparently they last a lot longer then nickel frets...So with that said, if theirs a luthier who can do it, try them.

Hey!, thank you for the information.

What stainless frets do you have specifically? what brand and model? is very hard to install them?

Im very interested. I need some good frets for the playability and the longer life. Nickel frets go down very quickly!

thank you!

 

[lateralus819]

To be honest i have no clue, it's whatever carvin uses. From what i've read they're very hard on tools so a lot of luthiers don't bother with them.

 

[MJS]

Sounds like your first step should be finding someone that can actually do a decent job... then discuss your options with them. I'd imagine some won't do stainless, some won't let you supply the wire, etc... so I'd make the connection first, then go from there.

Someone botching a regular fret job would probably botch a stainless one even worse, so getting stainless frets won't fix incompetence.

Having said that... your wear doesn't sound normal, unless you're playing 24 hours a day in the middle of a windy desert, facing into the wind, doing mostly bends & hammer-ons.

Even cheap guitars with crappy stock frets don't do what you're describing. If your guitar is scalloped, I'd guess you'd be playing with a light touch, so something isn't adding up.

 

[Solstafir]

Nickel frets, if they are of good quality, last for many many years.

Before undergoing a torturing procedure for the guitar's neck (and especially the wood under the frets), you should probably see what kind of strings u are using. If they are harder than your fret wire, they will wear your frets.

Secondly, could it be that you are pressing too hard on your frets? I had my Ibanez refretted last year, (Indo fret wire sucked ass), with Dunlop extra jumbos and despite me getting pretty brutal on the frets, they are shining as new and don't show any signs of wear, nor do they feel uncomfortable at any point.

Last, no matter what frets u put on that thing, if they are not polished and leveled appropriately, the SS wire will be even worse for you, so contacting a skilled luthier should be your first priority, before any further vandalism on such a nice axe