Excessive fret wear with SS rounds

[Phaidrus]

Most importantly ProSteels. These are the worst strings for frets. Like ever. They destroy fingers, too. I don't know how people enjoy them, but hey! Glad they work.

Well, I've learned this much the hard way.

 

[Phaidrus]

I was not aware that nickel-plated frets are standard and SS an option. Why would “they” start out with a softer fret wire than the SS rounds that probably half the players like? PS — D’Addario nickel plated steel rounds are very bright and don’t eat frets...similar if not the same as the 7250’s you have changed to.

I suppose nickel frets contribute to a more agreeable tone.

 

[Sid Fang]

I suppose nickel frets contribute to a more agreeable tone.

Maybe. But maybe they're just easier to dress.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Stretching? You mean vibrato?

I guess, changing the pitch.

 

[micguy]

I was not aware that nickel-plated frets are standard and SS an option. Why would “they” start out with a softer fret wire than the SS rounds that probably half the players like? PS — D’Addario nickel plated steel rounds are very bright and don’t eat frets...similar if not the same as the 7250’s you have changed to.

Stainless strings are far less than 50% of the market - at least according to the string guys on here. Nickel frets are...traditional - they have a lot of history. The music business (guitars and basses in particular) is very resistant to change - look at Fender's designs (what sells ad what doesn't) for cues about how resistant folks are to change in their instruments.

 

[micguy]

Maybe. But maybe they're just easier to dress.

Nickel = An hour every couple of years (depends on use, obviously)

Stainless = a couple of hours every couple of decades. If even that often.

8 out of 10 necks Warmoth necks with stainless frets that I've used on my or other people's instruments were dead on without any dressing. The other 2 required about 30 minutes of work to tweak them (1 fret a thoudsandth and a half low in both cases). I've played a couple of the necks I have for 6 or 7 years now (with nickel rounds), and I see no real wear - I think it'll probably be welll over 20 years before they need any attention at this rate.

 

[bobalu]

Judging from your photos, your fret wear doesn't look too serious to me at all, certainly nothing that I would worry about. Notwithstanding, if it were me, I would not continue using the SS strings unless you are prepared to have some fret maintenance work done on a fairly regular basis (crowning/dressing). I don't use SS strings, but what about EB Cobalts?

 

[OptimalOptimus]

I guess, changing the pitch.

You talk about bending

 

[Sid Fang]

Nickel = An hour every couple of years (depends on use, obviously)

Stainless = a couple of hours every couple of decades. If even that often.

Right. So if you're building a bass you're going to keep for 10 years, stainless is the way to go. If you're a luthier building a bass to sell, though, nickel is the win. Less labor to get it just right and out-the-door.

 

[micguy]

Right. So if you're building a bass you're going to keep for 10 years, stainless is the way to go. If you're a luthier building a bass to sell, though, nickel is the win. Less labor to get it just right and out-the-door.

The labor can't be very much - Warmoth only charges $20 extra for stainless frets. Installing a nut is $27 or $32 (depends on the material)

 

[RocknRay]

By nickel fret wire, I am guessing is meant "German Silver" which contains no silver, being an alloy of 60% copper, 20% zinc and 20% nickel, so in the brass family?

 

[Aidil]

I was not aware that nickel-plated frets are standard and SS an option. Why would “they” start out with a softer fret wire than the SS rounds that probably half the players like? PS — D’Addario nickel plated steel rounds are very bright and don’t eat frets...similar if not the same as the 7250’s you have changed to.

Some manufacturers, such as Ibanez, have started giving stainless steel frets as standards in the last few years, although not in all models. The BTB Premium line comes with SS frets (the BTB standard models still have non-SS frets). And their latest headless EHB basses also come with SS frets.

 

[Phaidrus]

Nickel = An hour every couple of years (depends on use, obviously)

Stainless = a couple of hours every couple of decades. If even that often.

Is that for refretting or for leveling & crowning?

 

[Phaidrus]

Judging from your photos, your fret wear doesn't look too serious to me at all, certainly nothing that I would worry about. Notwithstanding, if it were me, I would not continue using the SS strings unless you are prepared to have some fret maintenance work done on a fairly regular basis (crowning/dressing). I don't use SS strings, but what about EB Cobalts?

I'm not really prepared to have fret maintenance work done regularly and although I like the Pro Steels, I can certainly do without. This Pbass has a V-Mod pickup and is played through a Markbass rig, so I can get a fairly modern tone (for funk, slap, jazz) with nickel plated rounds (7250s currently on), possibly also with pure nickel rounds (7150s later this week, when they arrive in the mail).

 

[Watchootognbout]

You shouldn't have a problem if you don't do sideways Blues bends.

 

[micguy]

Is that for refretting or for leveling & crowning?

levelling and crowning. With stainless, you should never have to refret.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

You talk about bending

Yes!! bend, stretch, change pitch !! push string up to the next !

 

[Phaidrus]

levelling and crowning. With stainless, you should never have to refret.

Any idea what is considered to be the average life, roughly, of non-ss frets, after which they need refretting? I suppose such a figure is almost impossible to determine, given so many individual variables, but perhaps there's some consensus about it.

 

[Tubehed]

I have found so much conflicting information about SS strings and fret life. Some people claim that strings such as the Prosteels and Roto 66 are "fret eaters" . Other people say that reputation comes mainly from use with vintage instruments that used softer fret wire (Eg: Rickenbacker) and doesn't apply so much to modern fret materials. Some people report they have used Prosteels or Rotos for years and have never noticed any excessive wear. Too many variables: fret material, size and shape, action, left hand technique, etc. Of course, nothing wrong with playing it safe and going with nickles, either. Lots of good choices out there.

 

[BBassBassington]

I have found so much conflicting information about SS strings and fret life. Some people claim that strings such as the Prosteels and Roto 66 are "fret eaters" . Other people say that reputation comes mainly from use with vintage instruments that used softer fret wire (Eg: Rickenbacker) and doesn't apply so much to modern fret materials. Some people report they have used Prosteels or Rotos for years and have never noticed any excessive wear. Too many variables: fret material, size and shape, action, left hand technique, etc. Of course, nothing wrong with playing it safe and going with nickles, either. Lots of good choices out there.

I don't know about vintage instruments but my '13 Squier VM P V, '18 MIM Fender PJ, and '20 Sterling Ray5 all have fret wear from ProSteels. It ranges from clear as day on the Squier to just starting on the Ray5.

You're right though that there's a ton of different factors. My Squier has worn ProSteels only slightly longer then my Fender but the wear is 10x more prominent. I used to play much harder back in those days, and I set up my basses for low action. It's not just us bassists though as I know a guitarist who hates nickel frets. He also only owns one guitar and plays a ton.

I think the best anyone could do is give an estimated range in hours of how long frets will last. But this is just going to be derived from equations or a machine working a string over a single fret, done maybe a few times over to create a range. Which means they'll be functionally useless numbers or will have a hilariously large range like 6000 - 16000 hours.