avoiding fretwear?

nbabakitis · #1 05-01-2011, 04:21 PM

I have rotosound 66's on my warwick thumb and I love the tone but am noticing obvious signs of fretwear that stainless steel strings are notorious for. I want to retain the aggressiveness of my tone but I just cant keep these strings on. Any help would be much appreciated!

hermanmunster · #2 05-01-2011, 04:25 PM

Rotosound makes a pure nickel series. I use them and love them. Dont know if that helps you but it will be easier on the frets.

low2groove · #3 05-01-2011, 04:31 PM

I use DR high beams for the last 17 years and have no problem. Rotosound on the other hand use to EAT the frets right off my Ric and are notorius for doing that.

DR's have longer string life, better string to string consistency in their volume and tone and are just plain tops in my book. in 45 years of playing many styles I have found no better.

Sadowsky also makes great strings that are close to DR's and I would certainly use their blue label in a pinch.

FunkMetalBass · #4 05-01-2011, 05:17 PM

Frets are made to break down and be replaced over time. You might try some nickel-plated steel strings and EQ adjustments to keep the zing, or even just find some other steels that are less rough.

Otherwise, try to play less aggressively, and when it's time for a fretjob, get stainless steel frets that will hold up longer to the steel string interaction.

StereoPlayer · #5 05-01-2011, 05:26 PM

you gonna play it or look at it?

I use rounds on my fretless ebony neck.....play it till it wears out.

tylerwylie · #6 05-01-2011, 05:55 PM

If you want Stainless Steel strings without massive fret wear go with DR.

**251** · #7 05-01-2011, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nbabakitis

I have rotosound 66's on my warwick thumb and I love the tone but am noticing obvious signs of fretwear that stainless steel strings are notorious for. I want to retain the aggressiveness of my tone but I just cant keep these strings on. Any help would be much appreciated!

I use Dean Markley FretMaster strings. The burnished strings are easier on frets, fretless graphite necks & fingers. The sound is a lot like Blue Steel.

When you bend the string, the fret wears. I doubt it can be eliminated by changing strings. If you are seeing wear & you don't bend strings, you can probably develop a lighter touch for your playing. Do your finger tips have hard thick callous'? Mine don't & I can easily play a 3 hour gig with no pain. Perhaps a lighter touch with will reduce the wear & let you keep the strings you use?

old-fashioned · #8 05-01-2011, 06:40 PM

Maybe the GHS Pressurewounds would help. I love them on my Stingray.

testing1two · #9 05-01-2011, 07:16 PM

Rotosounds are definitely aggresive on frets because of their rough texture. But you're also playing a Warwick which has the softest frets of any bass on the market today. They intentionally use a bell brass alloy instead of nickel-silver or stainless steel. But as others have stated, it's a part of owning a high-performance instrument just like high-performance cars need expensive tires and premium fuel.

darkstorm · #10 05-02-2011, 04:14 PM

Warwicks have good frets on them best I know. Had a corvette with active eq and the bubinga, ovankol, wenge woods, yrs ago and it had good frets. Dunno about the rockbasses & current warwicks though. So Id say it had more to do with overly digging in and grinding strings on the frets with fretting hand. Stop that. You can have as aggressive a tone as you could want withouth being heavy handed. Only strings I like as well as rotosound swing66 are the new DR neons.

GM60466 · #11 05-02-2011, 04:21 PM

Fretware is part of life. I wouldn't worry about it.

G

John Wentzien · #12 05-02-2011, 04:29 PM

IF YOU ARE PLAYING ENOUGH TO WEAR THEM OUT...GOOD FOR YOU!

Take it like a man!

Ric5 · #13 05-02-2011, 04:31 PM

avoiding fretwear?

Get several bases and play them all. Then it will take longer to get damaging fret ware.

Also most newer basses have wider frets that take longer to wear down.

FunkMetalBass · #14 05-02-2011, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkstorm

Warwicks have good frets on them best I know. Had a corvette with active eq and the bubinga, ovankol, wenge woods, yrs ago and it had good frets. Dunno about the rockbasses & current warwicks though. So Id say it had more to do with overly digging in and grinding strings on the frets with fretting hand. Stop that. You can have as aggressive a tone as you could want withouth being heavy handed. Only strings I like as well as rotosound swing66 are the new DR neons.

I thought the same, but I've read too many testimonies about steels + Warwick frets to believe that the fretwire allow they use is quite as tough as the typical nickel/silver.

Interestingly enough, for anyone who wants gold frets with durability, I did find that LMII claims that their gold evo fretwire is actually harder than the usual nickel/silver combination.

draftsmann · #15 05-02-2011, 05:41 PM

Both strings and frets are, in the scheme of things, consumables. Accept that and carry on playing!

John Wentzien · #16 05-02-2011, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

I thought the same, but I've read too many testimonies about steels + Warwick frets to believe that the fretwire allow they use is quite as tough as the typical nickel/silver.

Interestingly enough, for anyone who wants gold frets with durability, I did find that LMII claims that their gold evo fretwire is actually harder than the usual nickel/silver combination.

interesting!