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Fret wear after two plus years?

WestyBassBob

WestyBassBob

Mar 2, 2020
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#1
I’ve owned my short scale stingray for just over 3 years. I play almost everyday and it is the only bass I own. I was surprised to see fret wear already. tHow long do frets typically last before wear becomes and issue?
I believe these are nickle frets. Of course I use stainless strings (DR high beams) which I know will wear faster.
thabks.
 

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#2
WestyBassBob said:
I’ve owned my short scale stingray for about 2 years. I play almost everyday and it is the only bass I own. I was surprised to see fret wear already. tHow long do frets typically last before wear becomes and issue?
I believe these are nickle frets. Of course I use stainless strings (DR high beams) which I know will wear faster.
thabks.
Click to expand...
Wow!
SBMM, not EBMM, correct?
 
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#7
WestyBassBob said:
How long do frets typically last before wear becomes and issue?
Click to expand...
strings leave marks on frets and fingerboards, some more or sooner than others, but none of them are a concern until the marks become more than blemishes (or as @scuzzy said, a "tactile divot").

too often we're judging our EBs by the way they look to us instead of how they feel and sound to us. wearing out fingerboards and frets from gigging and practicing is the objective! play on! :laugh: :thumbsup:
 
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#8
WestyBassBob said:
I’m glad you aren’t concerned. So you don’t think I need to switch to nickles to save my frets?
Click to expand...
No.

Rounds leave a mark
Wear is a divot below the top level.
Frets are a serviceable item. If you do eventually wear divots after years if use, you just get a level job...you can do this usually 2-3 times.
 
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#11
Thanks guys. I agree. These aren't worn yet but it does appear that the outer layer of nickle has corroded. I will definitely get the frets leveled when the time is right. Like I said I was suprised to see this as the frets still looked brand new as recently as a month or so ago.

I have definitely developed a lot of gunk on this bass in the 3 years I’ve had it. I found a nice little piece of crud stuck to the pup a couple weeks ago. I consider it a badge of honor. As Bootsy says “the funk is in the gunk”

But maybe it’s time for a new set of strings a wipe down.
 
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#13
WestyBassBob said:
I’ve owned my short scale stingray for just over 3 years. I play almost everyday and it is the only bass I own. I was surprised to see fret wear already. tHow long do frets typically last before wear becomes and issue?
I believe these are nickle frets. Of course I use stainless strings (DR high beams) which I know will wear faster.
thabks.
Click to expand...

‘I’ve used DR Round wounds on my basses for over 20 years. If you have fret wear after two years I suggest don’t bend your string if you do. I’ll also suggest “that must be quite a grip you have there”, and you may want to lighten up a bit with your fretting hand.

Basses owned: Rick 4001 34 years, Fender MIA PB, i8 years, and MIM JB 25 years , as well as a MIG Warwick Corvette I’ve had for 9 years. Other than the Rick that had flat wounds on them for the 1st year I owned, none of them had flat wounds on them.

I will say back in my salad days (early 70s) I had an EB3 and when I played it, since it was a short scale, my plucking technique looked more like I was drawing back a bow than playing bass. That and bending notes more than most guitar players, after 3 years or so, I was ready for a fret job. You may want to lighten up on your plucking as well. give it a try.
 
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#14
WestyBassBob said:
I’m glad you aren’t concerned. So you don’t think I need to switch to nickles to save my frets?
Click to expand...
I used nickels DR Low Riders on my '10 Precision V for over 11 years and the frets are doing well. Of course there's wear but there's also over 400 gigs under them, as well as practices and rehearsals. I recommend nickel coated strings. Easier on frets and fingers.

Recently switched to EB Cobalt Flats which are thumpy as all get out. Not a physical grind to play over rehearsals, gigs and practices either. A very remarkable string FWIW.
 
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#15
After 28 years I had marks like that on my frets. I was worried I needed re-fretting or some sort of fretwork. Turns out it was just grime and discoloration. The tech cleaned the neck and I could barely even tell where the “wear” used to be. Could be just a mix of normal wear, grime, and corrosive sweat and skin oils.
 
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#18
WestyBassBob said:
I’ve owned my short scale stingray for just over 3 years. I play almost everyday and it is the only bass I own. I was surprised to see fret wear already. tHow long do frets typically last before wear becomes and issue?
I believe these are nickle frets. Of course I use stainless strings (DR high beams) which I know will wear faster.
thabks.
Click to expand...

That ain't anything, just a little wear from normal playing. Unless you're using SS Rotosound Swing Bass cheese graters, your frets will be fine. Steel DR are known to be kinder to frets, anyway.
 
#20
That is filth, not wear. I see zero wear from that pic.

The fact that you have practically zero fret wear after three years of daily playing with stainless rounds means that you have an EXTREMELY light fretting hand. Most basses with rounds on them have winding marks on the frets within a year IME...and I don't even play that often on any one bass, nor do I fret particularly hard.
 
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