chrisanthony1211 Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 I'm having one of my pre CBS Precisions refreted, my question is which frets to put on? Do I go for some vintage style frets or some jumbo? Would like for like frets maintain more of the value or is a refret a refret when it comes to value? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 Are the current frets the original ones? So, if they aren't definitely the originals, then what would original ones look like? Fender frets are normally silver in colour. So, my gut feel would be to go for stainless steel frets with a profile that's as near to the original as possible, giving long life. I've just done a refret for another BCer and the cost of stainless steel was very reasonable and they give long life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted December 28, 2016 Author Share Posted December 28, 2016 Yeah it's the original frets and nut, but they are dressed very low indeed, my thoughts were to try to match the original as much as possible, is there a specific wire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 (edited) Yes, wires do vary in width and height. They won't make a lot of difference to the sound, if anything, but it would be good to get the look right. Fender tend to use a fairly wide wire. The stainless wires I've just fitted are narrower than the Fender wires; 2.04mm wide. Narrower can give a slightly more accurate intonation, but we are really talking minute differences. What I would use on a Fender would probably be 2.5mm. [url="http://www.tonetechluthiersupplies.co.uk/sintoms-18-nickel-silver-frets-2-5mm-1.html"]http://www.tonetechl...ts-2-5mm-1.html[/url] I'd look at the originals first though, before ordering. Edited December 28, 2016 by Grangur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted December 28, 2016 Author Share Posted December 28, 2016 Thanks for that, I'm guessing the new ones would want to be as least as wide to cover where the old ones were? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 When I remove frets I check for any splintering. This is generally minor, but it happens. Then clean out the slots, ready to take the tang of the new fret. I then clean up the fretboard, sand it to remove any scrapes and dents, as can come from a lot of severe digging in over the years, before fitting the frets. In the above, most marks from the sides of the frets will be cleaned off. What can be a small issue is with a maple neck, Fender lacquer the neck after it's fretted. This means, in this case, that the FB, under the frets isn't lacquered. When the frets are replaced it makes sense to have frets the same width. Yet there's still cleaning up to do as when the lacquer is scored with a blade before removing the frets it doesn't always do a perfectly smooth cut. So the edges need to be cleaned up so it doesn't look messy when the new frets are fitted and the neck re-lacquered. In the case of a maple neck I clean the FB and re-lacquer before the frets are fitted. This has a few advantages to the bass for the future. Applying the lacquer after the frets, makes sense for Fender in a mass-production factory. It's not such a big deal in a workshop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted December 28, 2016 Author Share Posted December 28, 2016 Rosewood neck so makes life a little easier, nice tall and thin stainless frets it is then. Thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealting Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 Do you sense much of a tonal difference with stainless frets? They sound different in my Strats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 [quote name='therealting' timestamp='1482927847' post='3203550'] Do you sense much of a tonal difference with stainless frets? They sound different in my Strats. [/quote] Have to confess I've only refretted my own in brass. Instruments I've done for others tend to arrive in a bad way with poor frets causing buzzing and other noises, so I'm not in the best position to say. What difference have you heard between them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manton Customs Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 (edited) I really wouldn't choose SS frets for a vintage Fender. Ordinary Nickel silver frets will last a very long time for the majority of players and it's what the instrument would have originally came with. And yes SS frets will sound slightly different. I also believe it would negatively effect the value. Edited December 28, 2016 by Manton Customs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted December 28, 2016 Author Share Posted December 28, 2016 Been looking on the web and it looks like 6230 fret wires would what would normally be on pre CBS precisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 [quote name='Manton Customs' timestamp='1482930357' post='3203574'] I really wouldn't choose SS frets for a vintage Fender. Ordinary Nickel silver frets will last a very long time for the majority of players and it's what the instrument would have originally came with. And yes SS frets will sound slightly different. I also believe it would negatively effect the value. [/quote] Thanks for your thoughts. They're always welcomed, by me at least. [quote name='chrisanthony1211' timestamp='1482932179' post='3203586'] Been looking on the web and it looks like 6230 fret wires would what would normally be on pre CBS precisions. [/quote] Or these where you can get them in the UK: http://www.tonetechluthiersupplies.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=fender+fret+wire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealting Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1482929567' post='3203567'] Have to confess I've only refretted my own in brass. Instruments I've done for others tend to arrive in a bad way with poor frets causing buzzing and other noises, so I'm not in the best position to say. What difference have you heard between them? [/quote] They have a slightly more metallic ring to the note attack. Not always a bad thing, but a more modern sound. String bending is a different level with stainless though - effortless. Edited December 28, 2016 by therealting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manton Customs Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1482934769' post='3203608'] Thanks for your thoughts. They're always welcomed, by me at least. Or these where you can get them in the UK: http://www.tonetechluthiersupplies.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=fender+fret+wire [/quote] Glad to hear it . Yep, Jescar wire as you linked is my preferred brand when it comes to fretwire also. Edited December 28, 2016 by Manton Customs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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