Fret Wear? What is it and what do I need to watch for?

[Raz]

OK its me and my silly Q's again...if I open up and spill some beans you guys will think I'm a real greener...well here goes...

I always wondered what Fret Wear was, especially when it came to used guitars...and for the longest time I thought the fret was the actual fret board area between the frets, D'oh...this of course led to confusion especially when I read some reports over at the action thread... people were talking about 1/16, how the heck do you get 1/16 when the fret separators (thats what I called them) were at least 1/16...needless to say I was discouraged when I couldn't get my SUB1 down to 1/16 action LOL! BUZZ CITY!

Anyhoo back to my question...Fret Wear, now I'm understanding atleast what gets worn, but how, why and what do I need to be aware of...also is it a problem that is solvable...thanks...please no jokes...alright but keep them clean!

 

[dwf1004]

Fret Wear is the new clothing line from Ernie Ball, available now at the Ernie Ball Store!

OK..fret wear is from the strings essentially rubbing up against the metal frets, based on the amount of use, as well as the heaviness of your playing, etc. Usually, what you will see in an instance of fret wear is little indentations where the strings will normally rest on the fret.

You'll notice it, it's not hard to miss; if you have an issue of fret wear, you can have a tech re-crown the frets, which is to basically have them sanded down and rounded off so that the fret is nice and smooth again, just as you would see on a new guitar.

That's about the best way that I can explain, but I'm sure that there is more to be added, so others feel free to add in.

 

[kbaim]

I've noticed the fretwire EB uses does seem softer than my fender, but I play em way more than my strat so they do show much more fretwear.

If they begin to show wear, but it's not affecting your playing, don't worry about it. If it is affecting your playing, a qualified techie can do a grind and polish (which basically files down the frets, I think).

If it's really bad, frets can be replaced. This is quite a bit more expensive.

KEITH

 

[Raz]

I guess the reason why I am asking is...there's a Silo for sale and the seller mention minor fret wear...so I just wanted to be educated...thanks a bunch!

 

[Jimi D]

Think of it this way Raz... right now you have nice, virgin frets; they're clean and flat, so that when you look down the neck at them at them they look like a simple line

-----------

After a while, some of your frets may become groved by the strings rubbing against them so that get little worn divits in them like

------v--v-

Okay, well the graphics suck, but you get the idea...

If you play a guitar enough to wear the frets out, you've got your money's worth out of it - whatever you payed!

 

[Raz]

Thanks Jimi...this will help when I look at previously enjoyed instruments...you wouldn't know where I could find any now would ya?

 

[lock-ny]

when you can get your strings 1/16 off the fretboard without any buzz thats fretware! -

 

[OrangeChannel]

I can do that on the DG.

 

[Lew]

Something that i have wondered is where to take a guitar to a get a GOOD fret job/refret,How much would EB charge,do they even do it on sold guitars?and what would be the turn over time.Not to mention shipping time,costs and tax blah blah

I don't want some local hack telling me he know's what he's doing,when he probably can't tell a fret apart from a fret Board

The best place in the UK is probably Guitar experience's Plek setup?
Any others I should know?

Sorry for the semi Hijack Raz.

 

[Raz]

Something that i have wondered is where to take a guitar to a get a GOOD fret job/refret,How much would EB charge,do they even do it on sold guitars?and what would be the turn over time.Not to mention shipping time,costs and tax blah blah

I don't want some local hack telling me he know's what he's doing,when he probably can't tell a fret apart from a fret Board

The best place in the UK is probably Guitar experience's Plek setup?
Any others I should know?

Sorry for the semi Hijack Raz.

No probs, but if I was doing the repair, I would be that hack...filing away the old fretboard...

 

[Jimi D]

No probs, but if I was doing the repair, I would be that hack...filing away the old fretboard...

It's important to delineate between the FRETS and the FRETBOARD Raz... The Frets are the steel part. Period. The metal. The Fretboard is the wood. The wear that we talk about when we talk about FRETWEAR is to the metal parts only. Fretboards wear, but you usually don't do anything to them except in the context of a REFRET, where they usually have to plain the fretboard slightly as part of the process.

At any rate, I'm blessed with a light touch (courtesy of a combination of encroaching arthritus and the ever-present spectre of RSI that haunts us software developers - they forced me to re-evaluate my "death grip" technique while on a forced 3 month vacation from playing guitar) and my frets don't show any wear to speak of, despite being well played...

 

[kbaim]

and my frets don't show any wear to speak of, despite being well played...

Hey Jimi,

Do you mean well played...or played often?

KEITH
(often play myself...though perhaps that isn't phrased the best )

 

[Raz]

It's important to delineate between the FRETS and the FRETBOARD Raz... The Frets are the steel part. Period. The metal. The Fretboard is the wood. The wear that we talk about when we talk about FRETWEAR is to the metal parts only. Fretboards wear, but you usually don't do anything to them except in the context of a REFRET, where they usually have to plain the fretboard slightly as part of the process.

At any rate, I'm blessed with a light touch (courtesy of a combination of encroaching arthritus and the ever-present spectre of RSI that haunts us software developers - they forced me to re-evaluate my "death grip" technique while on a forced 3 month vacation from playing guitar) and my frets don't show any wear to speak of, despite being well played...

Well I came to that light Jimi, thanks...I was kidding about being tha hack artist...but again I was just trying to become more aware because there was a Silo for sale with "minimal fretwear"...and I wanted to be sure I knew what I was talking about before inquiring...

 

[spkirby]

Something that i have wondered is where to take a guitar to a get a GOOD fret job/refret,How much would EB charge,do they even do it on sold guitars?and what would be the turn over time.Not to mention shipping time,costs and tax blah blah

I don't want some local hack telling me he know's what he's doing,when he probably can't tell a fret apart from a fret Board

The best place in the UK is probably Guitar experience's Plek setup?
Any others I should know?

Sorry for the semi Hijack Raz.

Lew, if you sent your guitars back to EB, who I'm sure would be willing to do a set-up and fret dress on a sold guitar, you'll run into international shipping and customs crap again! Not worth it! I'd talk to a few music shop owners for recommendations of luthiers in your area rather than take the EB route....I know a good one who's worked on loads of "stars" guitars but he's in Reading, UK...

 

[Dodgeball]

I'll second the call on Charlie Chandlers Guitar Experience, tho you don't have to have the plek setup if you just want a refret. I imagine the plek wouldn't exactly do any harm tho.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Guitar Experience run by Charlie Chandler in Hampton Wick is the best I have ever found. So I third that! He has plek'd and refretted all my guitars and they play superb!