Fret wear

Rodgers · #1 08-23-2019, 08:50 AM

The four frets nearest the nut on my fifty-year-old guitar have small dints in them. You can deduce from this that I am mostly using open chords.
I don't think that the tone is affected, and I can bend strings with no problem.
Do you think I should be concerned about the frets?
Thank you in anticipation.

rick-slo · #2 08-23-2019, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodgers

The four frets nearest the nut on my fifty-year-old guitar have small dints in them. You can deduce from this that I am mostly using open chords.
I don't think that the tone is affected, and I can bend strings with no problem.
Do you think I should be concerned about the frets?
Thank you in anticipation.

Nope. If it gets to the point down the road where it bothers you intonation or buzzing wise then you can deal with a guitar refret.

Jaden · #3 08-23-2019, 09:14 AM

I’m finding out slowly that even though this forum is filled with good guitar players, having a tech available with equivalent skill isn’t a given.

You can prolong the life of frets 4 to 5 times over by having the frets dressed. I don’t know how to do it but my guitar tech does. Finding one in your area or beyond through word of mouth is a good way to approach it.

redir · #4 08-23-2019, 09:21 AM

If it's not bothering you then don't worry about it. In the future you might need a partial refret. If it has not been done before then you can have the frets dressed and breath several more years of life into it.

Some people are really hard on the "cowboy chord" frets. I had one customer come back for a partial refret after only one year.

rick-slo · #5 08-23-2019, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaden

I’m finding out slowly that even though this forum is filled with good guitar players, having a tech available with equivalent skill isn’t a given.

You can prolong the life of frets 4 to 5 times over by having the frets dressed. I don’t know how to do it but my guitar tech does. Finding one in your area or beyond through word of mouth is a good way to approach it.

Not likely 4 to 5 times over. When you dress (re-crown) a fret you are lowering it and likely needing to lower the nearby frets up the fretboard.
Pretty soon the frets are too low. One or perhaps two rounds of fret dressing is about it.

Silly Moustache · #6 08-23-2019, 11:13 AM

Hi, I'm an old heavy handed bluegrasser and have been very heavy on frets - It happens -and with bad technique like I've had - it happens more.
My 20 year old Collings dread has had three refrets.

I'm a bit gentler now but if you can get 50 years out of a set of frets - you are doing VERY well, and if they don't affect the sound or the feel -no need to worry .. but personally I regard fretwire as a consumable but as said -finding someone who does good refrets can be a challenge.

guitararmy · #7 08-23-2019, 11:37 AM

It's like wearing out the tires on your vehicle--it means you're getting out and playing!
I am embarrassed to say that I play so little that you can't tell by looking at the frets on my guitars....

redir · #8 08-23-2019, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Hi, I'm an old heavy handed bluegrasser and have been very heavy on frets - It happens -and with bad technique like I've had - it happens more.
My 20 year old Collings dread has had three refrets.

I'm a bit gentler now but if you can get 50 years out of a set of frets - you are doing VERY well, and if they don't affect the sound or the feel -no need to worry .. but personally I regard fretwire as a consumable but as said -finding someone who does good refrets can be a challenge.

You are a good candidate for Evo or even Stainless

Coop47 · #9 08-24-2019, 07:28 AM

The obvious solution for prolonging fret wear is to buy more guitars and spread the wear out between them!

A fret dressing helps if there's still meat on the fret, but I've had a few where I just should've bitten the bullet and gotten a refret. I'm not a fan of small frets (though I can see the benefits) and the guitar just stopped feeling "right" to me.

ManyMartinMan · #10 08-24-2019, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redir

If it's not bothering you then don't worry about it. In the future you might need a partial refret. If it has not been done before then you can have the frets dressed and breathe several more years of life into it.

Short and concise.

C-ville Brent · #11 08-24-2019, 08:07 AM

I'm in the if it isn't affecting play, let it be camp. However, when it reaches that point, I'd re-fret those that need it. I had the top 4 frets replaced 3 years ago on my lower priced USA Martin (12 years old) at GC. The tech added a bone saddle and did a proper set up. Very happy with the results all the way around.

Rosewood99 · #12 08-24-2019, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coop47

The obvious solution for prolonging fret wear is to buy more guitars and spread the wear out between them!

Brilliant plan! It's been my strategy.

Sonics · #13 08-24-2019, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaden

I’m finding out slowly that even though this forum is filled with good guitar players, having a tech available with equivalent skill isn’t a given.

You can prolong the life of frets 4 to 5 times over by having the frets dressed. I don’t know how to do it but my guitar tech does. Finding one in your area or beyond through word of mouth is a good way to approach it.

Seems easy enough if you're good with your hands, organized and you have the right tools. I'd practice first with a beater before I attempted these maneuvers with a pre-war Martin...alternatively you can give your guitar to someone who has practiced for years and who is called a 'luthier'.

Jaden · #14 08-24-2019, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonics

Seems easy enough if you're good with your hands, organized and you have the right tools. I'd practice first with a beater before I attempted these maneuvers with a pre-war Martin...alternatively you can give your guitar to someone who has practiced for years and who is called a 'luthier'.

Thanks. My (veteran) guitar tech says the key to prolonging the life of frets by dressing them is to catch the wear early, and not to wait until the development of severe divots. He also says refret work can be traumatic on the instrument in that there is often a time lapse/ temporary set back in tone and performance - but such work is inevitable for a prized instrument in any case.

ljguitar · #15 08-24-2019, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodgers

The four frets nearest the nut on my fifty-year-old guitar have small dints in them. You can deduce from this that I am mostly using open chords.
I don't think that the tone is affected, and I can bend strings with no problem.
Do you think I should be concerned about the frets?
Thank you in anticipation.

Hi Rodgers

I don’t worry about dents till they start to buzz when the action is set properly.

I played a lot over the past 55 years, and my 26 yr old Olson has had the first 5-6 fret wires replaced 3 times. Had it checked right before I retired (and gigs slowed substantially) and at that time the luthier thought if I kept playing at the same rate, it’d be a few years before they needed dressing again, and that the fretboard has one more partial re-fret at least.

I wouldn’t worry about yours at all.