EVO Gold Frets are totally worn out, how should I proceed?

[jjang1993]

Deleted

[Woody Sound]

Man, I know you said you don't want to, but I would try SS. Any chance you could try a ss fretted guitar to see if you like the sound?

[Longways to Go]

I like your idea of going back to the tried and true. Old School.

That there is a mess.

[Klatu]

I've got EVO frets on one of my Epiphone Triumphs and haven't seen any noticeable fret wear on going on 4 years. I don't play the guitar daily, but it does see at least a few hours of use per week.

If I was in your spot, I wouldn't hesitate to try SS frets as Woody has suggested because whatever (if any) tonal changes you may experience will be so marginal as to be insignificant and the tonal improvement of having optimal frets will last a very long time (if not a lifetime).

I'm sticking with EVO frets for any guitar I have refretted in the future because they seem to be indestructible in my hands and sound identical to nickel IMO.

By the way, $700 for a refret . . . OUCH!

[Klatu]

Forgot to ask, what guitar is that?

[whiskey02]

$700 for a re fret......OMG you need to find another tech, that is insane. Also really any good tech can do exactly what PLEK does. If your sweat is really doing that much damage, I suggest you stop drinking battery acid lol. I've never seen anything like that before; do you typical corrode metal bridges and tuning gears very quickly?
I read someone say they put new strings on their guitar before a gig and after letting someone play 2 or 3 songs with his guitar at that gig, the strings were rusty looking and feeling when he handed it back.
If EVO frets are the only ones that have ever reacted like that, I would not spend a dime to get them dressed. $300 or so should get you a high quality workmanship re fret with standard fret.

[Gitfiddler]

Are you certain those are EVO frets? I've never seen wear like that on them...or most any other frets for that matter.

Your photos do not show the specific guitar type, but the inlays appear to be from an Epi with flatwounds.

How long ago was the Evo re-fret done?

As others have suggested, you should consider other fret wire metals.

[sgosnell]

Stainless steel doesn't corrode, that's why it's called stainless. And it's very hard, thus the reluctance of techs to use it, because it's so hard it destroys their tools. I personally don't believe that the fret alloy has any effect on tone, other than in the minds of those who want to believe. I have never, ever, seen anything like the wear on your frets. I have absolutely no idea how your fingers can wear down frets like that, without affecting the area under the strings at all. Something strange is going on with that guitar. Is there any chance the frets aren't really EVO, but something cheaper substituted without your being told? How much do you trust the guy who did the refret?

[Klatu]

Thanks for posting that video, it was very informative. You're correct in saying that Mike Lull has an excellent reputation. Considering the experience you've had with EVO fretwire, I'm sure that you were quite shocked to hear Lull's description of the EVOs as being just as long wearing as the supposedly immortal SS frets.

[Brian B]

Idle thinking...

Have you used the same brand of strings exclusively on this guitar since it was refretted? Thought crossed my mind reading this that maybe its a reaction with the strings causing the fret issue and not sweat/frets itself.

What I mean is sweat + strings = fret issue, not sweat + frets = fret issue.

Again, just hypothesizing...



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[skiboyny]

I'd take the opportunity to learn to do a fret dress yourself. It's really not that hard, and you don't have much to loose. Just need a couple of hours time to do it slowly by hand. I know most others here will cringe at the thought, but nobody can make your guitar fit you like you!

[ptchristopher3]

I'd take the opportunity to learn to do a fret dress yourself. It's really not that hard, and you don't have much to loose. Just need a couple of hours time to do it slowly by hand. I know most others here will cringe at the thought, but nobody can make your guitar fit you like you!

Well everyone who has done 500 fret jobs, did a first fret dressing.

On the other hand...

Ask then how that first one came out.

It is a great skill to learn, but maybe best started on a burner guitar, not just burner frets. That file can head for parts unknown very quickly.

[skiboyny]

Don't use a file use sand paper and do it slowly. Always an improvement. At this point the frets are kind of in the "burner" category.

Well everyone who has done 500 fret jobs, did a first fret dressing.

On the other hand...

Ask then how that first one came out.

It is a great skill to learn, but maybe best started on a burner guitar, not just burner frets. That file can head for parts unknown very quickly.

[Stringswinger]

Go back to nickel-silver frets. I did a SS fret job on a guitar that I had for many years and was not pleased. My strings wore out faster and there was a "ping" on the plain strings. I sold the guitar.

[ptchristopher3]

Don't use a file use sand paper and do it slowly. Always an improvement. At this point the frets are kind of in the "burner" category.

Hi Ski’,

After decades of filing to level the frets, I also switched to wet-or-dry paper glued onto dead-flat maple blocks. It never chatters and works superbly.

But for crowning (shaping the fret crown, not doing a final polish) it still works best to use crowning files, or the good old fashioned triangle file with polished edges.

************

EDIT: For a super low-profile crown fast fret (which nobody seems to like anymore), I suppose you could crown with sandpaper if the leveling left VERY consistent flats on the tops of the frets. But even that would leave some possibility of uneven end-net height on some frets.

***********

My concern would be that even with burner frets (definitely so in this case), you can still do a bit of nasty to the guitar when crowning if you are not pretty used to it.

I definitely support your idea of a player jumping in and getting that skill under their belt if they are good at that sort of thing.

I would, suggest grabbing a flea market Teisco and having at it.

[skiboyny]

Desperation led me to learning as much as I could about my own set up. I guess if I was the original poster I'd maybe invest in a 300g diamond crowning file in the correct size. My thinking would be if I didn't make an improvement change the frets out. (He's almost to that point anyway) I understand your caution,but if there is a shred of "hands on" in the OP, seems like a good time. Not trying to negate your experience in any way.

Hi Ski’,

After decades of filing to level the frets, I also switched to wet-or-dry paper glued onto dead-flat maple blocks. It never chatters and works superbly.

But for crowning (shaping the fret crown, not doing a final polish) it still works best to use crowning files, or the good old fashioned triangle file with polished edges.

My concern would be that even with burner frets (definitely so in this case), you can still do a bit of nasty to the guitar when crowning if you are not pretty used to it.

I definitely support your idea of a player jumping in and getting that skill under their belt if they are good at that sort of thing.

I would, suggest grabbing a flea market Teisco and having at it.

[ptchristopher3]

Desperation led me to learning as much as I could about my own set up. I guess if I was the original poster I'd maybe invest in a 300g diamond crowning file in the correct size. My thinking would be if I didn't make an improvement change the frets out. (He's almost to that point anyway) I understand your caution,but if there is a shred of "hands on" in the OP, seems like a good time. Not trying to negate your experience in any way.

Not at all Ski’.

I am 100% for diving in. Negate away.

It is only wood and metal. And if someone is patient and sort of inclined to that sort of thing, everyone starts somewhere.

It is not like that “Home Apendectomy” kit I got for Christmas one year, which did not go so well.

[JaxJaxon]

that is some serious fret wear. The finger board dosent seem to have much wear. you must have to change string every time or every other time you play it. Either way it needs new frets

[Woody Sound]

I knew someone with a similar problem back in music school. She would kill a set of classical strings (only the lower 3, of course) in one playing. It got to be a running joke in the dept, nobody would let her touch their guitar. I think the metal in classical strings probably oxidized/corroded more quickly than electric guitar strings. But I don't think her frets went bad.

[339 in june]

I'm well aware that the following will not give you a solution, but I find the wear pattern a little bit weird :
it looks like you were playing a 5 string guitar :


Was there something wrong with the wire batch ?

[ptchristopher3]

Wait a minute...

These are the new Scallopped Frets that Yingewinggywie uses!!!!

Shred-on.

**************

But wow, I have never ever seen anything like that with corrosion (apparently not mechanical wear at all) between the strings.

For what it is worth, the fret ends look very well finished - not too rounded toward the E stings, but smooth for playing north and south on the FB.

Please can you let us know how this all works out?

[whiskey02]

I knew someone with a similar problem back in music school. She would kill a set of classical strings (only the lower 3, of course) in one playing. It got to be a running joke in the dept, nobody would let her touch their guitar. I think the metal in classical strings probably oxidized/corroded more quickly than electric guitar strings. But I don't think her frets went bad.

That is brutal; I would assume she must own more than one guitar because I remember changing strings on a classical and doing nothing but tuning it several times a day for 3 days before you could think of actually playing anything on it.
I have evidently very low acidity in my sweat because even nickel hardware tarnishes very slowly for me, strings last many months.

[Robertkoa]

Go back to nickel-silver frets. I did a SS fret job on a guitar that I had for many years and was not pleased. My strings wore out faster and there was a "ping" on the plain strings. I sold the guitar.

I would call Jeff Silver from Jescar and see what he says. [ manufacturer ]
Don't complain -ask for his opinion and help.

Option B - The nickel silver frets Jescar Makes are still about 10 % harder than other's Nickel Silver wire - you might go with those -

IF - you are fairly certain you will not corrode Nickel Silver.

3) I wonder if there is an odd Metallurgical reaction from your strings and sweat AND the EVO - maybe Elixir Coated Strings ....next time.

[Jimmy Mack]

Isn't gold a SOFT metal? Why would they make frets of gold?

[sgosnell]

They just have a somewhat gold color. I don't think there is any actual gold in the alloy. But with gold in the name, they must be really good, right?