Maple necks and frets

[GASMAN]

Opinions please. Do any of you prefer heavy or medium frets on your maple necks? Or-----------do frets feel different on maple necks compared to rosewood? I'm torn between which size to have my Hollow T re-fretted in. It's a solid maple neck with heavy (non SS) frets now. I want to have SS installed. I wonder if SS would make the action alittle smoother even if I used heavy again? As you can tell-----I'm confused on what to do. Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[andersonguy]

Hi Gasman!
I did the same thing with my DTC (maple neck) when they first came out with the SS frets. I would go with the size you are used to. It does feel a bit different but in a good way.:) You wont be sorry, I guaronnteeee. :D

[GASMAN]

I have a Cobra with heavy frets that I've grown to like alot. It's got a rosewood neck and SS frets. My latest (the 97 Hollow T) has the heavy frets, but not SS. It seems to be alittle rougher to play. So I was just wondering if it had something to do with the fact that it's maple instead of rosewood, or maybe just that they are not SS. I've actually played smaller frets most of my years and my gut is telling me to go with the medium SS on the Hollow T. Just want to get it right since I'll be putting some $$$$ in to the guitar. I know it's all personal preference. I wish there was a dealer close so I could just go try both. My closest dealer is 3 hrs. away. Thanks for the input. I'm sure I will be happy with whatever I go with. The guitar sounds incredible.

[andersonguy]

Its probably a combination of things. The Cobra's smaller scale makes it feel a little easier to play. I just got a hollow T Classic and it felt a little tighter when I first got it, it has a trem that I adjusted and it feels much better. You just cant go wrong with the SS thats for sure. Im sure you will be happy either way. You should go with your gut, I havent played with medium frets so I cant tell you the difference. I know how you feel about not having a dealer nearby.:(

[tom]

i'm a medium fret guy. the last guitar i built, which may be up for sale soon, has heavy frets. they are virtually the same height, only the shape is different. to me the mediums feel a bit less in the way when sliding my hand up the neck. string bending is about the same since the height is the same. frets on maple necks can feel just a bit smaller because there is the thickness of the paint to hold your finger slightly off the wood. it's only a few thousandths, but it is amazing what we can feel.

[GASMAN]

Tom-----could you elaborate alittle on the "thickness of the paint". I'm not sure what you mean. I think I'm leaning towards the mediums. I agree with you as far as sliding up and down the neck.

[John Price]

I have a HDT with a maple neck / heavy frets and can't put it down! I've been a big rosewood fretboard fan but I'm really loving the maple! The stainless steel frets are fantastic! Every time I pick up my LP it reminds me of how great it is having the SS frets......
:D

[tom]

the finish is applied after fretting, so the fretboard surface is a few thousandths taller than a naked fingerboard. this would make the frets feel slightly lower.

[GASMAN]

Thanks Tom. I think the word "paint" threw me. I'm with you now. That's the kind of thing I was initially wondering, when comparing maple to rosewood. Sounds like that wouldn't make a noticable difference. I'm still leaning towards medium.

[Stan Malinowski]

I order all of my Andersons with Heavy frets. However I just picked up a Classic with a maple board and medium frets. To me I could not feel any major difference (shape or size) between the Medium and Heavy frets.

[GASMAN]

I played a Clapton sig. for years and got quite used to that size fret--------which is quite small compared to heavy's anyway. But I have had no trouble adjusting to the heavy frets on my Cobra. So now I'm thinking the mediums might be a nice "in between" size. I had a DT with mediums that I liked really well. Stan, do you still prefer heavy after playing the mediums?

[Stan Malinowski]

Stan, do you still prefer heavy after playing the mediums?

GASMAN,

I will be very honest with you, I feel no difference between the medium and heavy frets. I have always ordered heavy frets on my Andersons out of habit. The Clasic w/the medium frets was in stock at Magdons and it felt great so I bought it. I still think I would order heavys on a custom order but would have no objections to trying an Anderson w/mediums.