The sound of Stainless

[pdicristina]

There's a very opinionated guitar dealer on the web who has posted some pretty negative things about the value of stainless frets. The crux of his complaint is that stainless frets make the guitar sound "brassy" and "unnaturally bright"

I currently play a pre-stainless drop top (11-1-98A). I'm curious as to whether any of the forum members have noticed any negative (or positive) sonic effects from stainless frets.

[brian b]

As far as tone wise between my TAG'S with the ss frets and an friends older T without they are a thouch brighter. But what i like is the feel to me they just seem to let me do bends and fret easier. And the little dealer man woudn't be from the Vegas area would he. :D

[Stan Malinowski]

Personally I don't hear any difference between the new stainless steel frets and the older TA frets. Tom, himself, has stated here before that he hears no difference. I'd trust Tom's ears any day.

[BrownDog]

Like Stan, I can't perceive a difference in terms of tone due to the frets alone - feel perhaps, but ever so slight.

For myself alone and with tone and oneness, Mike

[tom]

the question i have to ask is, how many of you have heard the same guitar, not a similar guitar with both kinds of frets in it? i have heard many such guitars, as we have done lots of refrets. if there is a difference, the stainless is sweeteron the top, not harsher. that's all i have to say about that.

[jimmieb]

the question i have to ask is, how many of you have heard the same guitar, not a similar guitar with both kinds of frets in it? i have heard many such guitars, as we have done lots of refrets. if there is a difference, the stainless is sweeteron the top, not harsher. that's all i have to say about that.

Thanks Forest...
I love the SS frets... no tonal difference, play like butter, and show little or no wear after years of nearly daily playing... SS frets are not like a box of chocolates you always know what your gonna get.

Jimmie B

[John Price]

All I care about is what I'm hearing! And my HDT with the stainless steel frets sounds amazing! Plus I finally have a guitar that I can play for years without thinking about selling due to fret wear!

Tom!
You made a great decision in using the SS Frets! Soon everyone will follow!

[bruce]

I do lots of refrets on guitars that originally had nickel frets that are steping up to the stainless. There is NOT a significant difference in high end...maybe a tiny bit more with stainless, but really not that much at all. Ask Tom, I have a pretty critical ear since I have these guitars in my hands, new and old, all day.

[dannopelli]

I hear no difference either. I think there is a HUGE differnece between smaller vs larger or taller frets.

[bruce]

You have to remember that if you are comparing two different guitars, you really aren't giving "frets" an accurate test. Comparing an old vs. new Anderson is not a true test... for all you know, one guitar can have an old set of strings and that would throw everything off, and in your mind you are thinking "frets".... Not to mention differences in set up, pick up height, type of pick up, neck wood, fretboard wood, body wood, string brand/type/age, etc.

[Roy (maybe)]

To address the opinion of the guitar dealer that doesn’t like stainless steel frets, one only needs to read the rest of their site to see if you are in agreement with their philosophy in general, the rest of their options and their approach to how they deal with everything.

Of course, we are not required to use stainless steel frets but have chosen to do so for the great benefits they bring to the guitar. Although you have already heard Tom and Bruce’s opinions, I could not help but jump in and put in my two cents. It’s just too much fun not to.

The playing difference of Stainless Steel frets is astronomical with no-resistance silky string bends and liquid smooth vibrato. To play them is to feel like your technique and touch have improved. Sonically, my personal position is: no significant discernable change in tone. The only way to really detect a variation this small is to change only one parameter (the frets) on the exact same guitar observe if a difference is noted. On a few re-frets where I had played the guitar both before and after the changeover to stainless, I heard the Stainless Steel frets as being a little more stout sounding than the nickel frets they replaced—as if they transmitted a bit more sound deep into the wood.

So, you are safe to run Stainless Steel frets without fear of anything but improved playability and maybe even a tone benefit. It’s all good!

Happy Playing,
Roy (maybe)

[jimmieb]

Roy,

I would imagine it's a great deal more difficult to work with stainless than nickel, by nature of the greater hardness of metal, it must be more difficult to polish. All that to say if it wasn't a substantially better material
why go to the trouble, not to mention the cost. So I consider the source from where this criticism comes. Do I trust someone who shows dishonesty and questionable business practices up front or someone who spares no expense and effort to make a superior product? To quote a Diamond Rio lyric,"The proof is in the pickin". Hello, my name is Jimmie B and I'm a SS fret junkie. I attend AA, "Anderson Anonymous", so far no recovery in sight...

Jimmie B

[Dave K]

I've put many hours of play time on my Cobra with SS frets that I got earlier this year, and now I'm completely spoiled by them.
For me it's the single best advancement in electric guitar since I started playing 22+ years ago. The idea that SS frets impairs tone or is inferior to nickel silver is complete rubbish. With all the variables involved in guitar design and construction, going with SS wire is not going to make or break a great sounding and playing instrument.

[andersonguy]

I have sent an anderson for the SS retrofit so i can speak from some bit of experience. The difference is very minor in sound, very major in playability. Perhaps if sombody played SS frets that were not installed properly or of a different quality there may be a bigger difference, certainly not on an Anderson though. I dont think I could ever go back to nickel. ;)
Plus, I have not heard of one person that has actually worn down the frets.

Good luck.

AG

[Frank Drebin]

I think there is a slight difference in the tone of stainless and nickel. Stainless is bright in a different way than nickel sort of like a full maple neck is a slightly different frequency in the highs than maple with a rosewood board. Also as mentioned you would have to hear it from the same instrument, neck, body, strings, bridge, etc. to make a clear judgement. Do not forget that comparing worn down nickel to new stainless would definitely make the stainless seem brighter when in actuality worn nickel frets are duller than a brand new set of nickel frets.

[tom]

worn nickel frets are actually harder than new ones. the metal does not "wear" away, it gets compressed into denser nickel. if we're splitting hairs here i'd have to say that "worn nickel" would sound closer to stainless since it is denser. but more than all this , the benefits of stainless so far outway any perceived or rationalized sound difference, that this discusion seems rediculous to me as a player. as a builder, if i could justify nickel i'd be glad to. stainless is a lot more work.

[slowburn]

worn nickel frets are actually harder than new ones. the metal does not "wear" away, it gets compressed into denser nickel. if we're splitting hairs here i'd have to say that "worn nickel" would sound closer to stainless since it is denser. but more than all this , the benefits of stainless so far outway any perceived or rationalized sound difference, that this discusion seems rediculous to me as a player. as a builder, if i could justify nickel i'd be glad to. stainless is a lot more work.

you should build a stainless steel neck so that playing would be even more effortless.

[Frank Drebin]

Hey Tom,
Thanks for an interesting answer! I thought that the nickel wore away. Especially if you had divets under certain strings, etc. I also thought that the way newer frets that had the triangle shape would cause a "precise" sort of sound moreso than a large surface, more round fret. Any truth in that...? I have a guitar that had the triangle style frets and as they got rounder the guitar sound definitely mellowed out on the top end. I am not sure if that is the frets or maybe my fingertip is touching the wood more, or if it was something else altogether different, any ideas? Thanks!

[Roy (maybe)]

Okay then how’s this,

As nickel frets compress (get divots) the metal becomes denser and as they become denser the sound is perceived as slightly richer—more sound from denser material is transferred into the wood more easily. Stainless steel is denser and as Roy (maybe) said earlier, “I heard the Stainless Steel frets as being a little more stout sounding than the nickel frets they replaced—as if they transmitted a bit more sound deep into the wood.” To me this guy nailed it! (Of course I may be a touch biased where Mr. Maybe’s opinions are concerned.) That must be the secret of Stainless Frets. They are so good that if any one attribute of an Anderson Guitar could be called my favorite, this would have to be it.

Happy Playing,
Ted Junior

[pdicristina]

As I stated in another post, there's no Anderson dealer near me (I guess Boston isn't a big music town :) ) So it's difficult for me to find these things out first hand. I custom ordered and bought my first Anderson on faith about 6 years ago - I love it, but it WAS an adjustment. I had played my charvel-holdsworth for 14 years straight prior. Don't know if any of you are familiar with that model, but it features HUGE frets and a nearly flat fretboard radius. So even the Anderson heavy frets felt a bit small. I guess that's why I keep asking questions about the frets - for me fretboard and frets are the paramount factors in a good playing guitar.

[Roy (maybe)]

Hi pdicristina,

I know just how you feel. If it is helpful, Alpha Audio in Mystic Connecticut is the closest Anderson dealer to you and they do, finally, have some Anderson Guitars in stock. It may be worth the drive just to get your hand around some Stainless Steel frets.

Happy Playing,
Roy (maybe)

[Stan Malinowski]

I know just how you feel. If it is helpful, Alpha Audio in Mystic Connecticut is the closest Anderson dealer to you and they do, finally, have some Anderson Guitars in stock. It may be worth the drive just to get your hand around some Stainless Steel frets.

....And there are 2 LARGE Casinos within 15 minutes from Mystic! Stop by the casinos first and maybe you'll end up winning enough money for a new Anderson!!! :D

[Roy (maybe)]

Now that is helpful! Very good Stan.

Happy Playing & Happy Holidays,
Roy (maybe)

[Stan Malinowski]

Roy,

It's Friday, shouldn't you be writing up the upcoming weeks GOTW feature?

[Roy (maybe)]

Hi Stan,

First Son of Anderson and now me. What are you, the forum homework sheriff? And I think you have me confused with (the real) Roy.

Happy Playing & Happy Holidays,
Roy (maybe)

[jimmieb]

Hi Stan,

First Son of Anderson and now me. What are you, the forum homework sheriff? And I think you have me confused with (the real) Roy.

Happy Playing & Happy Holidays,
Roy (maybe)

Dear Mr Roy (Maybe),

It seems a little suspect that you and the alleged real Roy and are both located in Newbury Park. I'm refering to the city name in the upper right hand corner of your post. Not to suggest you and the real Roy are one in the same. Though I have my suspicions, I'm still not sure that Batman and Bruce Wayne are one in the same or even Clark Kent and Superman are one. Still I do understand why super heros must maintain their secret identity... and the true Roy is the super-hero of Tonalolgy. If everyone knew Roy's true identity life could be an absolute nightmare of phone calls and endless questions. Possibly? You and he are... oh that's ridiculous never mind, sorry to bother you. The true Roy is able to levitate guitars and wears George Harrison wizard costumes, You seem much too conservative for that zany behavior.
The true Roy is probably in the Himalayas or on some mad cap adventure with the Professor, or Erik den Roda, or even tearing Anderson guitars from the very hands of Big Foot. In fact I've heard they have become good friends and spend many weekends fishing and work together to preserve the delicate eco-system of the Pacific Northwest forest. Still I'm sure the calm sedate life of Roy (maybe) is mundane in comparison, it's still cool to at least know the true Roy and hear all the stories. ;)

Peace,

Jimmie B