What size frets do you guys like in your Fenders? I have been using 6105s for a long time but I am thinking of going up to 6100s. Any opinions on 6100s? I don't currently have access to a fender with 6100s so I am waiting to make my decision. I have a Strat that I need to refret soon.
6100 and 6000. I like 'em tall.
6105 is my favorite.
Click here for a good reference chart for all the dunlop sizes:
http://www.jimdunlop.com/fret/
I like the StewMac 141.
But Rawhide or Catgut is best.
Are the Stewmac 141s just a little smaller than 6105s? I would like to know what they measure?
Last edited by 60burst; 07-25-2002 at 07:35 PM.
The 141 is .095 wide and .045 tall. The 148 is .085 wide and .041 tall. I haven't tried those. They sell a banjo fret that's .078 wide and .041 tall, I haven't tried those either. I might just do it soon though.
For comparison, the 6105 is .90 wide and .055 tall.
I am pretty sure the original '50 s frets were around .075 wide.
Oh, the frets they put on the Y2K reissues were .50 tall and .95 wide.
I think. Mine measure out to .048 tall and .92 wide and they've been burnished a couple times now.
Last edited by Ed Rafalko; 07-25-2002 at 07:43 PM.
Yeah yank them out, and tie on some rawhide. Yeehaw! :whipOriginally posted by Ed Rafalko
I like the StewMac 141.
But Rawhide or Catgut is best.
:lol2
Last edited by Tonefiend; 07-25-2002 at 07:44 PM.
good information, guys. I appreciate it.
Ed, are you sure a 6105 is that tall? I was thinking they were shorter.
I'm certain, but if you don't believe me, follow the link Tonefiend posted and then click the Reference chart link. That's where I got those measurements.
I believe you. I was just thinking they were shorter. Thanks for the information, Ed. Always a pleasure to talk with you.:)
From my experience 6105 is shorter than 6100. Not by much, but I can feel the difference.
Describe the difference in feel, Dave. I haven't had 6100s in my hands since your stratocaster.
They are just a hair taller than 6105, but there is more mass to them, too. They are noticeable wider. I seem to be able to grab the string better for bending with my sausage fingers on 6100's. I guess it is all personal preference.
Maybe I am dreaming, but I could swear that 6105 fretwire from 10 years ago was taller than the stuff they make now. I remember fretting my shredder guitars back in the '80's with 6105 and it just felt taller than nowdays.
With a vintage radius neck (7 1/4"), I like 6100 frets. They allow the frets to be dressed flatter in the upper register, so they don't fret out as easily when bending up. The extra height allows for an almost compound radius neck feel, without the fretboard actually being radiused that way.
I have a couple of Warmoth strats that are all vintage construction with 6100 frets. I think they leave more meat to be dressed later on if you're playing on the guitar a lot.
-Imposter Nick-
. . . I keep coming back to Stew-Mac's #3396. It is a wire available only in bulk rolls. It measures .093" x .048". My only complaint with 6105 is the shape. It is mushroom-shaped, not as round as the #3396. Also, the 6105 (if you look with a 10X or 20X scope) does not have a right angle where the crown meets the tang. It is rounded. Most fretwire exhibits this inner "radius" to some degree, but I feel that 6105 does more than others.
The result is that the fret crown never truly seats against the board unless you put a fair chamfer on the fret slot. You end up seeing a "shadow" of air which might appear as "bad fretting" to a customer.
The 3396 wire, is quite new which means it is made on new dies. It is much crisper, clean, and well-shaped than others. A great rounded dome for the crown.
PS: I tried ONE fretjob - a 70s Tele with stainless steel wire. It is nice wire, but very hard to work and hard on tools. I am not too anxious to mess with it at this time, but would love to hear from some of you that may have used it (or plan to).
dan
I like the Stew-Mac #0149, which is .103" x .046" and the equivelent of 6150's. That wire can work well on most any electric or acoustic guitar.
Dan, that #3396 sounds nice and has enuf "meat" to allow for an initial level and crown ... don't see Stew-Mac offering it yet (?).
As for stainless fretwire - NO THANX.
Rob.
Assembled Axes
http://www.rfd.cc/aa/
OOPS! I think I meant #3391 wire, not #3396. I am not sure. If you ask the phone people at SMAC for that wire (or talk to Tom or Gene - tech-specilasts at Stew-Mac) and refer to it by size (.093" wide X .048" tall) they could find it. Again, it is not listed in the cataglogue since, being in fairly large coils, would be considered a wire to be bought by professionals that already know we have it and intend to go through alot.
I will check into it today. There is a "sister" wire with a different number that is wider and taller (Dave Paetow would like it). It, took, is NEW, extremely-clean, and accurate.
dan
WHat's the price on a roll of the 3391, Dan?
I like original frets if there in good shape but most vintage Fenders need a refret so, I like to go as close to the original as possible maybe a little larger is ok. The big train rail (6100) too huge and look kinda werid on an old one, and play like a scalloped board IMHO , you can't feel the wood without going way sharp.
I put 6105's on my '62 MIJ RI neck and it's been my favorite neck since.
My '62 AVRI has the original frets, which feel rather small after having owned an Yngwie sig. strat and an Am. Std. strat that I refretted with jumbo frets. Too bad I can't afford a refret right now.
"Insurance is like marriage, you pay and pay but you never get anything back" - Al bundy.
Hey 60Burst -
G&L Legacy's have 6100 fretwire. If you can get your hands on one, you'll get an idea of what it feels like. I actually own a legacy but prefer the 6105 fretwire......I bought my legacy after I found out about the different wire that is put on guitars.....Oh Well.
:)
I use 6100's on my Fenders. I love that stuff! Years ago I had Phil Petillo refret a Tele with his triangular wire and I liked it alot. The Broadcaster I'm building has a Warmoth fat vintage Tele neck with the stainless frets, and I have it on another Tele right now, it is great stuff.
The Sun don't shine, the Moon don't move the tides to wash me clean..
I am not familiar with the different sizes but I like mine tall and skinny.
Hey MIKE! Great to hear that! You are steppin' out on this frettin' stuff, right?Originally posted by Mike Hansen
I just refretted my strat with Stewmac #154 wire, which is .100" x .050" and I like it a lot. Plenty meaty to get a hold of and considering some of the old frets were .025" high, it's a totally different animal now!
dan
This has been a damn fine thread. Many players whose opinions I respect have told me their preferences, and it is a big help. I have gigs for the next two days but then I plan to go over this thread, carefully. I always need something refretted and I have 3 or 4 that I would like to get refretted soon, so I want to make a good decision. If anybody has anything to add it will be appreciated. Great information guys......thanks. :) :60burst
I bought a '60 Time Machine Closet Classic Strat because it has a big, fat Yamano Mastergrade neck. Most that I've seen had skinny necks.
Had it refretted with 6105 fret wire and had the radius flattened out to 12". Perfect for me now (I just can't handle the vintage size fret wire).
I've got 6000's on my Tele Custom and its my best guitar as far as overall feel, bending notes, tone, etc. The 6000's improved tone and feel. The problem is, I recently got a Strat with stock medium jumbos and although its a great guitar, I'm thinking about putting 6000's on it because I hope to have it feel as good as the Tele. The 6000's have spoiled me. :)
I blame Warmoth for the confusion of fret sizes. REAL Dunlop 6105s are every bit as tall as the 6100 (.055") Warmoth uses Dunlop's numbers as a reference, but their wire isn't the same.
Hope this clears it up.
By the way, I'm more of a vintage guy when it comes to frets. Dunlop 6230, Stew-Mac's #147 "banjo" frets, or Stew-Mac's #148 size make me happy.
Give me tall.
I have the StewMac154 on a korina ML I made. THe leads just jump right off that fretboard- they are piercing. That happens a lot with big frets.;)
I like the 141 frets , I have them on a goldtop and on on a couple V's and am planning on putting them on a couple other guitars really soon. They seem to be the closest to the Historic frets, and if you burnish them they can be squished really low.
I probably should have put the banjo frets on the V's, though- more historically correct. I wonder how they differ in feel and tone from teh 141? Guess there's only one way to find out.....
Jumbos, FAT!! ON either maple or rosewood. I have the skinny ones on the '60 & '62 reissue and they just don't get it going for me. I like 'em wide.
Med. Jumbo/Am. Std. frets. Properly dressed they're great.
6100's are probably the best frets 'cause they're able to withstand the abuse any fender ought to have.....
I read somewhere that the 6100's warmoth uses are really the same size as the dunlop 6000's.
The very first time I played this wire was at Stevens shop in austin he was putting it on Srvs number one and then leveling it down quite a bit then recrowning them. I think he started this craze since id not seen it anywhere on any strat prior to that in Texas. Srv liked it cause it was wide and flat and tall enough to bend those giant strings. He told me then it felt like a gibson to him and he liked that. Stevens was also the first one doing composite radius here as well..The whole reason those guys were taking thier instruments there..
I think that might have been true a few years ago. I have two warmoth necks with supposed 6100 frets, they aren't as wide as a neck I got from them earlier this year. I ordered it with 6100's and they're way too wide!! I don't like them at all. I did have someone else dress them, so that might have been the problem.Originally posted by Tonebender
6100's are probably the best frets 'cause they're able to withstand the abuse any fender ought to have.....
I read somewhere that the 6100's warmoth uses are really the same size as the dunlop 6000's.
Where did you read that?
-Imposter Nick-
I personally prefer 6105. But StewMac 149 is great for Gibsony things and I also really like SM 155 (.080 x .050) for when 6230 is too small and 6105 too big. I wouldn't mind trying the 3391. I try to offer many choices in the shop. I have a dummey neck with most of my stock in it for folks to get some comparison.
I stock 6000 and 6100 for the folks that want it, but most do not want something quite that tall. Using a neck jig, I usually do not have to level much off and the frets come out very tall.
I got some SS wire from Warmoth and tried a few pieces in a scrap neck and didn't notice a major difference in workability, but I haven't done a full neck yet.
No matter what is used on a neck, I give 'em defined crowns. Theres even been cases of intonation problems solved with a proper recrowning.
Oh yeah, I also stock Martin's wire in all tang sizes. Its come in handy for more than just Martins.
Hey Phil, what are the dimensions on Martin fretwire? I know Danny Gatton liked it on his Fenders, and I've even heard of some LP players using it.
Thanks.
i have a question! i have two mia 62 ri fender strats. 1 with 6100's and the other with the stock ri frets. really like the one with the small frets ,its tone is really good.but i dont like the small frets. here's my question, does fret size change the tone of a guitar?? its tone is woodier sounding to me!i was thinking of putting 6100's on it but i dont want to change the tone!!
chris
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