Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

Quencho092

Quencho092

New member
Ok, ive narrowed down my choices to 1 neck, pulling the trigger in a few minutes.

I need to select a fret size. I want to get stainless for it's permanent nature, as well as the slick feel.

I currently use whatever came on american deluxe strats in 2004 med jumbo nickel i believe.

My intuition says to get something similar. Should I go with SS6105 or SS6150? 6150 is true jumbo, but slightly wider than 6105, im thinking that would be better for ease of sliding into the frets because the slope won't be as steep on the wider fret with equal height.

Or should I go with vintage sized SS? I'm playing jazz with big flatwounds, looking for something that slides easily and intonates consistently (not interested in super tall frets for scalloped style pitch modulation) Or would a true jumbo be the ticket?

What fret sizes do you guys currently enjoy, and what do you like about your fret options?
 
I like wide and low frets. They intonate better than tall frets but still feel substantial. I can't remember the number, but they are wide and low.
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

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PULLED THE TRIGGER ON THIS WITH 6230SS FRETS! IM EXTREMELY PUMPED!!!!

Supposedly the Bocote necks make for a very silky, luxurious feel, combined with the vintage SS and black ebony board, I feel i have a winner here!
 
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Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

Wide and low as well. Best for sliding, which I do a lot more than bending, and don't "get in the way" like taller frets do. Tall frets grind my gears
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

warmoth 6230SS is vintage width but SLIGHTLY taller. I'm ok with the smaller fret vs what Im used to now on my am dlx strat, hopefully it will intonate even more consistently and mate well with the flatwounds, I will definitely post some videos jamming out to some tracks when it arrives!
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

If I can I get the wire tall. Like 6100 tall if possible. It does not have the be 6100 but I like that height.
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

Hmm...it's too late now but have you ever played SS frets before??

As for size 2 guitars ago I went with 6105 and they are alright but they are a bit tall for my liking, most recent guitar I went with 6150's and I like 'em but I think next guitar I'll go with the new hybrid of the 6105 and 6150...
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

I think i got the 6230 size when i got my neck many years ago, but now that i have tried a scalloped neck my next purchase might be a neck with 6100 frets.
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

I hate 6105's and 6150's.Too tall and thin.
I don't give a flip about intonation.
Solidsteel frets must be speced to the guitar by a Master Luthier.
I diggie 6000's on shred machines and a few Strats, but am recently realizing frets don't always need to be huge to get great playing action on Strats, although i still dont like Les Paul Standard low wide frets.
I'd say 6100's in general.
 
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Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

I like different frets for different guitars. I love the wide and low frets on my '68 SG, my '68 330, and my '83 Les Paul Custom. Their intonation and bending is much worse than any other fret wire, but they play fast as heck. They're like 6100's, but dressed really low. Feels like the next step above fretless.

I also love the skinny 6230 frets on all of my Fenders. Great frets on those particular guitars.

And the tall and boxy mediums on my newer Gibsons are decent too (though they feel better to me once they are re-crowned).

In short, I would decide this by going to a good guitar store and playing similar guitars with various types of wire. Bring some sort of measuring device that can measure mils, and measure the width of the ones that feel best.
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

I could never warm up to the brittle tone of stainless and if you are considering this because of fret life, well I wouldn't. I have a 1968 SG standard. I have owned it since it was new. About 3 or 4 months ago i finally had it refretted. It had been crowned and dressed several times, but there was nothing left to dress anymore. I had it refretted with whatever fretwire was in it originally. So after 44 years....... how much longer is stainless going to last & is it worth it for the loss of tone?
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

After years and years of playing smaller fretted guitars, I've grown to hate them. Medium jumbo frets just feel right to me, and really let you develop a lighter touch.
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

Bludave said:
I could never warm up to the brittle tone of stainless and if you are considering this because of fret life, well I wouldn't. I have a 1968 SG standard. I have owned it since it was new. About 3 or 4 months ago i finally had it refretted. It had been crowned and dressed several times, but there was nothing left to dress anymore. I had it refretted with whatever fretwire was in it originally. So after 44 years....... how much longer is stainless going to last & is it worth it for the loss of tone?
Click to expand...
Have you tried the same guitar twice, with the fretwire material being the only thing changed in between tries?
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

I chose 6230ss for my Warmoth. I absolutely love it.
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

I'm partial to Fenders jumbo like they put on the HWY1s, and my KWS. I also like 6105s. I.dont mind narrow, but nothing is worse for me than short frets like fender vintage, or the garbage epi and alot of other cheap imports use.
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

I think 6150 is my best fit. I don't like real tall, but I also don't like the short ones on my MIM Strat.
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

i feel that im gonna like it alot. I've been spending tons of time on my yamaha classical acoustic and it rips with vintage size frets (tiny compared to my strat). I move quicker and more accurrately with the tiny frets, SS would only help.

Video coming as soon as it arrives, BOCOTE NECK, 59 PROFILE, EBONY BOARD, VINTAGE SS FRETS SCHALLER LOCKING TUNERS, BONE NUT......
 
Re: Fret size, WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY?

Ive actually come to like vintage frets.I used to hate them.. They play extremely fast, trouble is, they are usually accompanied by the accursed 7.25" radius.
Whatever frets ya got, a fresh crown , level and polish will probably do more than a change in size..ya need a good crown I think to get that pull off action off the frets, and not necassarily a bigger size..Im not entirely certain.
 
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