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Thread: Fret wire type, affect on tone/durability:(Stainless,gold,nickel)

  1. #1

    Default Fret wire type, affect on tone/durability:(Stainless,gold,nickel)

    Hi everyone,

    I'm looking for people who have experience with refreting their mando with stainless.

    Does it make it more bright, perhaps even shrill?

    If so, could string type selection compensate?

    2nd question - anyone have experience with EVO Gold as an alternative? I understand it wears less than nickel but not as durable as stainless? Same question on tone affect please.

    Thank you!
    Patrick

  2. #2
    Registered User
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    Default Re: Fret wire type, affect on tone/durability:(Stainless,gold,nic

    This has been discussed many times here, I'm sure you can find some in depth discussions relating to this. In short, there is a small tonal effect, some think it is significant while others can't hear it. Both stainless and EVO are good, but significantly more difficult to dress and polish than nickel frets.

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    Registered User Tavy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fret wire type, affect on tone/durability:(Stainless,gold,nic

    Based on previous discussions, I don't believe there's much (any?) difference in tone between them. BTW the rational for EVO seems to be this: frets don't wear (as in metal getting shaved off), they slowly deform by being pressed on by the strings in the same spot. So you don't so much want hard (SS) as resistant to deformation - which apparently is what a shape-memory-alloy like EVO gives you.

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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fret wire type, affect on tone/durability:(Stainless,gold,nic

    I read a lot about the EVO Gold fretwire & it's use on guitars before i bought some for my 2 mandolins (when they come up for a re-fret). EVO Gold comes out very well regarding it's wearing properties.Some builders have even said that it's as good or better than Stainless Steel but easier to install. One fellow Cafe member 'Blueron'' on here,had his mandolin re-fretted with EVO gold last year & he's very pleased indeed with it. My own local luthier likes EVO very much for it's properties,but he admits that it blunts his
    snips pretty easily,
    Ivan
    Weber F-5 'Fern'.
    Lebeda F-5 "Special".
    Stelling Bellflower BANJO
    Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
    Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.

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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fret wire type, affect on tone/durability:(Stainless,gold,nic

    Double post - Soreeeeeee !!!
    Ivan
    Weber F-5 'Fern'.
    Lebeda F-5 "Special".
    Stelling Bellflower BANJO
    Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
    Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.

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