2 Questions, if you please!

[guitarguy3]

Question 1
Graphtech is offering ferraglides in gold and other colors. Does anyone know when these will be available. I think Andys come with the brushed/chrome now, but I need gold for my 2 Andys.
Question 2
I am toying with the idea of sending one back for a stainless refret just to see how it feels. Any comments pro or con.
Cheers and Thanks

[mbrown3]

Can't comment on the ferraglides, but as for stainless, it is out of this world, WELL worth a refret. Bruce does retrofits on other (non TA) guitars too, and I would have had my Baker done already if it didn't have a bound neck (makes it a big pain in the neck). They are absolutely unbelievable. They make a huge difference in consistency and intonation, and they feel great to play on, no divets or wear in the frets over time. Great stuff.

[tom]

the gold saddles have just become available. they are made differently than the original stinless steel ones. we have only used one set so i can't comment yet if there is a difference in the way they sound. the string ramp is very different looking, but that may not be a factor.
as for how stainless wears, i just got a look at crowder's crowdsters, and after 3 years on the road doing 200 or so dates a year the frets look new.

[Rupe]

I have heard that SS frets adversely affect tone (much brighter, more shrill). I have never tested this out for myself. Can anyone comment? Thanks!

[GuitarNorton]

I have heard that SS frets adversely affect tone (much brighter, more shrill). I have never tested this out for myself. Can anyone comment? Thanks!

Yea some people say that but my ears don't hear it. I had a Les Paul refretted by Phil Jacoby in Baltimore over a year ago. The playability of the instrument was improved immensely. Bends and vibrato are like butter. Absolutely no wear showing on the frets at all. I was concerned with the hardness of the frets wearing out the strings sooner but they actually seem to last longer. Thinking because the frets don't wear they don't cut into the strings as much?
I will never own another guitar without them and hear no shrillness added to the tone.

[mbrown3]

I have heard that SS frets adversely affect tone (much brighter, more shrill). I have never tested this out for myself. Can anyone comment? Thanks!


No way. Perhaps by some other maker(s), but not on a TA. They are experts with the SS wire, and I would say it enhances the tone (for consistency of intonation/tune due to no fret wear, if for nothing else) rather than diminishes it. Other than the Baker that I already own, I'll never pay for another guitar without them...and I would have even had that retrofitted already if it didn't have a bound neck.

[tom]

the ghost of ed roman must have entered this thread.

[mbrown3]

:D

Ed Roman...has anyone shot that guy yet?

[tom]

i wouldn't wish that on anyone, but he does seem to have different opinions than me.

[GuitarNorton]

the ghost of ed roman must have entered this thread.
Yea think he did start that rumor.

[GuitarNorton]

:D

Ed Roman...has anyone shot that guy yet?
Think I read somewhere that he has body guards with him.

[mbrown3]

He needs bodyguards, the way he runs his mouth. Well, Jesus loves him. It's everyone else that he's offended!

[bud]

You know, I just realized why my HTC with SS frets sounds so incredible. It's the dull sounding coated/plated Elixir strings perfectly balancing out the shrill SS frets.
:D

I would have SS frets on all my guitars if I could, unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a way to install them on a fretboard with binding.

[Rupe]

Thanks for the input. Ed Roman has definitely been a big detractor of SS frets but I rarely heed anything he has to say...99% of it is self serving and has no basis in reality. I had actually heard this from other players (perhaps "brainwashed" by Ed?) so I thought it warrented a question.
Once again, thanks!