153 posts
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Post by r3v3nt0n on Feb 11, 2019 19:50:32 GMT
How do you know when it's time to change frets? Is it when there are visual signs, worn, flat frets,...or can you also tell by the sound?
There are different type of frets on guitars, some last longer, some only a couple of years. What are you recommendations?
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Post by DerAlex on Feb 12, 2019 10:09:26 GMT
If they look like this I would think about a refret:
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Post by Vincent on Feb 12, 2019 10:43:14 GMT
A worn fret that is flat can sometimes give a sitar sound when fretted. Another audible symptom that signifies a problem and possibly more common is when a note sounds muffled or you hear a buzz because the following fret (or a fret further on) is higher. Unless a board has been very recently fret levelled to perfection not many would pass the fret-rocker test so if you have a guitar with frets that are a little uneven or showing signs of wear it is not something that you should be alarmed about, in my opinion. I only level mine when playability is affected. If the guitar is set up well and plays okay no problem. DerAlex The fret in that photo is strange. It looks like there was a strip of material welded on previously. Quite an accomplishment if it contains nickel. I would pull it too
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3,968 posts
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Post by salteedog on Feb 12, 2019 13:04:44 GMT
It doesn't get discussed much here but I've often wondered if some of the HBs suffer from having fret material which is 'softer' than what would would get on an American Fender of Gibson guitar. Is fret material quality something one should be worried about?
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Post by Vincent on Feb 12, 2019 13:27:50 GMT
For longevity at least, fret material can be something to consider. For the tone well everything that touches or supports the strings has an impact on performance and sound to some extent but I don't think that it is something worthy of fretting over (sorry). Gibson uses Richlite for their fretboards sometimes. I believe it is compressed paper and resin. I don't like the idea but in use it seems fine.
Some of those rosewood boards on old Fender guitars did not wear very well.
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Post by blindwilly3fingers on Feb 12, 2019 13:41:30 GMT
Doesn't the number ie 6130 have something to do with what it's hardness is or does that signify size? I would like to know more on how to tell when frets need replacing? I've read if you have strong grip it can increase wear. Also that the non adjustable capo's cause wear. The trouble I find, like a a lot of guitar info is the conflicting answers from different sources.
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3,968 posts
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Post by salteedog on Feb 12, 2019 14:05:40 GMT
I'd like to know more too. I'm not concerned with the fretboard material as much as the fret wire material. Every guitar I've played shows some level of fret 'denting'. I also play with capos a lot - perhaps 50% of the time.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2019 15:06:01 GMT
It doesn't get discussed much here but I've often wondered if some of the HBs suffer from having fret material which is 'softer' than what would would get on an American Fender of Gibson guitar. Is fret material quality something one should be worried about? My ex-band mate had a USA Fender and most frets looked like the one in pictures above! He had it new for 2 years. Yes he plays a lot but still I do too and my HB frets on TE-70BP and ST-62MN are nowhere near wasted and I play lots of finger vibrato! The new Dynamic and Fusion HB's use stainless steel frets! I hear people compainign to Fender to start using only stainless steel frets on all their models. I would not be surprized if Fender uses lesser quality frets than HB!
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3,457 posts
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Post by LeoThunder on Feb 12, 2019 15:24:05 GMT
If you experience a problem related to frets, there is one (fret buzz, as described above). If you don't, there is none. Frets don't fall off on stage so there is no rush or even risk. The world is full of people who are afraid of problems they think they could have. They like to take preventive measures just in case or before damage is done. It makes sense in many cases, especially in health matters but not when it comes to the slow wearing out of guitar parts.
Stainless steel frets do sound a little different, by the way. Here's a comparison:
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3,457 posts
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Post by LeoThunder on Feb 12, 2019 15:48:28 GMT
I hear more high end on the 2nd neck but the difference is minimal and barely worth mentioning. Durability and possibly smoothness for bends are the actual arguments for stainless steel.
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153 posts
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Post by r3v3nt0n on Feb 12, 2019 17:14:09 GMT
In a word, buzz. Buzz is something we have all experienced when the action or relief is insufficient on a guitar, but if we have an action that has sorted it and we start to get buzz it could well be a sign of a worn fret. If a fret is worn then buzz will happen as the string vibrates against the next fret up unless that one is also worn (do check that it's not just that the next fret up is high and needs knocking back or filing down - use a fret rocker or even a credit card to check this). You can't level that next fret to stop it because you just carry on chasing the buzz up the fretboard. You can fiddle with the the relief and action a little to temporarily solve the situation but it's not a long term solution. The next step is to see if there is plenty of fret depth left to do a complete fret leveling and re-crowning along the whole neck. If not then it is time to refret. Sorry if any of that was confusing. I re-read it a couple of times in the hope that I haven't misled you. Language can sometimes not quite convey what it's supposed to. Do point anything out if it seems wrong. Tnx, I understand what you mean.
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