Can unpolished frets affect recorded tone?

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Personally if the frets were smooth at the time the fret job was done (new frets installed or releveling old frets) I would not be periodically "polishing" them later on.
I do think stainless steel or EVO gold frets are great to use when replacing frets.

Most of my guitars and basses have stainless frets. Great overall, but once in a while when I'm recording something I'll release a note (usually on a heavier string) and get a tiny "sproink" that I'll then have to go in and edit out. Nothing you'd ever notice live. This never happened with nickel-silver, and it doesn't happen with my one guitar and one bass that have EVO.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

Most of my guitars and basses have stainless frets. Great overall, but once in a while when I'm recording something I'll release a note (usually on a heavier string) and get a tiny "sproink" that I'll then have to go in and edit out. Nothing you'd ever notice live. This never happened with nickel-silver, and it doesn't happen with my one guitar and one bass that have EVO.

Perhaps related to my fret crown buzz thread:
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=390071

Three of my guitars have stainless steel and one has EVO gold. There is more tendency for on the fret buzz with the harder
fretwire but usually not really much noticeable as a separate sound when playing.