Fret wear after two plus years?

[JACKSON JS1XM]

Most go with SS frets & softer metal strings instead of softer metal frets & SS strings.

 

[el murdoque]

If you practice seven days a week for at least four hours a day and gig often on top of that, you'd still need way longer than that for fret wear to become a problem.

 

[pcake]

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.

you don't need to get the frets leveled unless you have high frets . after cleaning the neck and around the frets, i suggest you try polishing with a piece of Eurotool Ultra Polishing Pads, which will remove oxidation without changing the height of the frets. we use these for jewelry making and a variety of other applications including bass and guitar frets.

 

[Levent]

With flatwounds mainly and narrow short evo frets I don't eve in have scratches on my frets for 10 years

 

[WestyBassBob]

This thread shows real fretwear. You don’t have real fretwear.

Agreed. That’s a long way off.

 

[mongo2]

I use nylon tapewound strings to get the tone I want (I admit it, I was influenced by Larry "The Mole" Taylor) and two of the side benefits are long lasting strings and zero fretwear.

 

[Yahboy]

I have opposite opinion , some "string wear " on 4+ years old Ti flat , but all fret wire has no wearing signs on my previous CIC Squier CV60P.

 

[bassmanbret]

I use Rotosound RS66LD on my 1961 Fender PBass, with the original frets. I play with a fairly light touch. I have not had issues with fret wear.

 

[chris_b]

The wear was so great I had to replace the frets on my new bought 1968 P bass in 1971! In a couple of places the frets were worn down to about half their height. I used roundwound strings.

I have no idea what material was used for the refret, but after a further 22 years of playing and gigging (again with roundwounds), the new frets are still perfect.

 

[WestyBassBob]

The wear was so great I had to replace the frets on my new bought 1968 P bass in 1971! In a couple of places the frets were worn down to about half their height. I used roundwound strings.

I have no idea what material was used for the refret, but after a further 22 years of playing and gigging (again with roundwounds), the new frets are still perfect.

That’s crazy. They must have used some super cheap metal in the originals.

 

[chris_b]

That’s crazy. They must have used some super cheap metal in the originals.

Also the bridge was mounted off centre and the pickup was pretty bland. It wasn't CBS Fender's finest day when that bass rolled off the production line, but, hey, we didn't know any better back then and it was the bass and sound that everyone wanted, and at 19 I owned a Fender Precision. We just accepted and lived with the basses we had.

I wouldn't accept that bass today.

IMO even the worse made basses in the last 20 years are better made than the average bass of 50 years ago.

 

[claudel]

Buy a sheet of crocus cloth and polish them if it really bothers...

 

[musicman556]

Like everyone else has said, that isn't fret wear. It's just under the strings where your fingers AREN'T naturally polishing the frets as you play.

Get you a set of these 2 Steel Guitar Fretboard Fret Protector Guard Luthier Tool for Guitar Bass | eBay and a piece of synthetic steel wool. 3M Synthetic Steel Wool Pads, Coarse, 6-Pads (amazon.com) 4 or 5 passes per fret and they'll be cleaned and shiny as new, and you will be surprised how glassy smooth things feel again. I do that with every string change on every guitar and bass I own.

On basses with flats or where the string have plenty of life left but the frets have lost their smoothness, I'll often just slack the strings and do this up and down the neck. You can rig up anything to hold the string out of the way, from pencils and rubber bands to zip ties. However, I got a set of these awhile back and they just work great. 2Pcs Guitar String Spreaders Luthier Care Tool Kit for Cleaning Fretboard | eBay