Fret Wear, How bad is it? Options

[kaznie_NL]

Hey guys/girls!

I have a litle gear question. I play an Ibanez SA08 guitar, which was Ibanez' 2008 limited SA model on the Musik Messe in Germany. I believe it's somewhat like the SA260 withouth the maple top. Now my frets are becoming prety flat. It starts on the third fret, where you can just see a line of reflective iron, which is where the top layer has been scratched of. Then it goes up until the 22nd fret. The worst fret wear is somewhere near the 13th fret (12th until 15th). There the fret is really just flat on the top. I don't have the fret wear only beneath the exact strings, but all the way along the fret, although beneath the low E string, there's almost no fret wear. Especially beneath the D, G and B string, the fret wear is prety clear.

It looks like this:

Don't mind the text on the picture, it's not mine! It's hard to make a picture of it with a camera, to bad.

Now my question:

How bad is it to have fret wear?

I just want to know whether I should do anything against it. Bearing in mind the guitar was priced €270.-, reparation might not be beneficial? If so, would this be a proper excuse to go on the lookout for a new guitar? (I'm gazing on the Schecter C-1 Classic or C-1 Custom )


Thanks!!

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This post has been edited by kaznie_NL: Aug 12 2010, 04:25 PM

[ZakkWylde]

Ibanez frets get flat pretty soon but that is not a problem at all! The intonation isn't affected and the playability isn't much diffrent too...
I would say your frets are now *played in*!

You gotta have to refret the guitar if you get some dents in your frets or you grinded them down to the point where the sting isn't touching them anymore. For example: If your 12th fret is so worn down that if you fret the 12th fret the string is no longer touching the 12th fret but the next fret (13th), then you'll also have to refret the gutiar!

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[kaznie_NL]

Ibanez frets get flat pretty soon but that is not a problem at all! The intonation isn't affected and the playability isn't much diffrent too...
I would say your frets are now *played in*!

You gotta have to refret the guitar if you get some dents in your frets or you grinded them down to the point where the sting isn't touching them anymore. For example: If your 12th fret is so worn down that if you fret the 12th fret the string is no longer touching the 12th fret but the next fret (13th), then you'll also have to refret the gutiar!

Thanks man, that's a clear awnser

But, (always a but with me ) the action is a bit higher like this right? that's the reason people want Jumbo frets, to have a smaller distance between the frets and the string. But after wearing down the fret, isn't that distance a lot bigger?

tanks again

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[ZakkWylde]

We are talking about half a millimeter there bro^^
If someone really thinks he can't play as fast because of half a millimeter higher action theny they are just looking for excuses for not enough practicing...

People want jumbo frets because they make it easier to bend strings because the tone isn't getting a lot of wood contact. It's the same with a scaloped fretboard!

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[Azzaboi]

If you get buzz or a kink in the fret then you might want to get them re-rounded and polished (you can do this a few times before replacing), then lower the strings slightly. This should hardly be done though, but if its getting bad. Like Zakk says it makes very little or no difference if there is no actual damage just flatter frets.

As for the excuse of getting a new guitar, get up on stage, rock out and either get tackled and booed off stage (your guitar neck breaks) or rock out, thrash it and throw the guitar around bashing it against the amp (your guitar neck breaks). New guitar time! (note this work better if your covered by the guitar breakage insurance act of Woodstock '69)

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This post has been edited by Azzaboi: Aug 12 2010, 08:07 PM

[Dejan Farkas]

How bad is it to have fret wear?

I just want to know whether I should do anything against it. Bearing in mind the guitar was priced €270.-, reparation might not be beneficial? If so, would this be a proper excuse to go on the lookout for a new guitar? (I'm gazing on the Schecter C-1 Classic or C-1 Custom )


Thanks!!

Zakk already explained about worn frets, just to add that worn frets may damage the strings.

Now, the dilemma, it depends on your budget. I paid about 60 euros for frets replacement, I don't know how much it would cost you, but if you love your guitar a lot then it doesn't matter. On the other hand if you are looking for a reason to buy a new guitar, then you have one.

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[Daniel Realpe]

Ibanez frets get flat pretty soon but that is not a problem at all! The intonation isn't affected and the playability isn't much diffrent too...
I would say your frets are now *played in*!

You gotta have to refret the guitar if you get some dents in your frets or you grinded them down to the point where the sting isn't touching them anymore. For example: If your 12th fret is so worn down that if you fret the 12th fret the string is no longer touching the 12th fret but the next fret (13th), then you'll also have to refret the gutiar!

thanks for that answer,

I was concerned about this

Mine are a little worn out too....Ibanez RG Prestige

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[Ivan Milenkovic]

If it doesn't affect the tone, intonation or sustain (specially on higher frets, while bending), then you are OK. When it starts to affect, you can take your guitar for fret leveling. Guitar tech uses a small fret file tool to level up all the frets. This can be done several times before full refret job, and it's a lot cheaper.

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