Flight959 Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I was playing to my hearts content this morning in a rare quite moment at home (No kids) and suddely noticed that certain frets have deep scratches and are even changing shape.... Here are the pictures... They look like deep scores in the frets and if you closely at one of the pictures it even looks like the fret (along with others) has changed shape... This has only happended on certain frets.. The strings are about 3hrs of solid playing.... I dont think its the strings but what else could it be? Its only happend today... ANY help would be great... Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Normal.... When I take my guitars in for there yearly string change, my Luthier cleans up the frets and treats the fretboard. You should see the frets on my 72 SG[blink] ..... Those poor things are on its last leg[biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Hey, flight. Are you using pure nickel strings? Gibson fretwire is quite soft so they strongly advise you to avoid using anything else. Beer soon? Pippy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepblue Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Hey' date=' flight. Are you using pure nickel strings? Gibson fretwire is quite soft so they strongly advise you to avoid using anything else. Beer soon? Pippy.[/quote'] +1 and never, EVER, use Stainless Steel strings on a Les Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 +1 and never' date=' EVER, use Stainless Steel strings on a Les Paul.[/quote'] what brand do you suggest? I've been using either Ernie Ball or D'Adderio since the stone age, until recently I took the plunge and shelled out $25 some flatwound Pyramids for the Casino (which I'll never do again). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 How old is the guitar/frets (assuming you have never changed them)? To the owners of multiple Gibsons: Is this soft fret wire on ALL models? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 I had an issue with the neck recently. After she was sorted I had a set of vintage 10's put on...I dont know what brand they were are though... The guitar is 4yrs old.... This is a RECENT like today problem.. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 After she was sorted I had a set of vintage 10's put on...I dont know what brand they were are though...Regards Flight; I'd strongly advise you to take them off right away. Stainless steel strings are made from a much harder compound than pure nickel-wound strings. Sure' date=' the frets on my '64 Strat were worn right down but only because it was so old! Your frets should not be wearing that fast. To the owners of multiple Gibsons: Is this soft fret wire on ALL models? As far as I'm aware, Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 If you bend notes, i.e. fret the string then bend it sideways, you grate the string across the fret. When two metals rub together, the softer of the two will be scratched by the harder of the two. Even if you use strings made of softer material than the frets, the frets will wear over time. How much time? Don't know, it more depends on how much it's played. Want your strings to last longer? Use harder strings.... but, the frets will wear faster. Want frets to last longer? use softer strings, but they will wear faster... How cost strings? What cost frets? I'd go with harder frets and softer strings every day. I can't see what you mean by 'changing shape'. Are you talking about the crowns being somewhat different on different frets? Do you mean the champer on the end of the frets being a bit different between frets? This could just be from the original fret installation and subsequent fret dressing. If after all the frets are installed, the are all at the exact same height, then dressing would not be necessary. Since it is, the higher frets will have more material taken off the top than their neighbors. Therefore, all frets will appear slightly different from the rest, but.. properly done, their tops will be all the same height. Also, How old are the youngsters? Old enough to sneak a few riffs and bends on Dad's guit tar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepblue Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 what brand do you suggest? I've been using either Ernie Ball or D'Adderio since the stone age' date=' until recently I took the plunge and shelled out $25 some flatwound Pyramids for the Casino (which I'll never do again).[/quote'] I use nothing but Gibson Vintage Reissue 10-46. Pure Nickle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 What those guys said, especially about avoiding all steel strings if you do a lot of note bending. The frets on my Strat, which is only around five years old or so, have really taken a beating, even with using nickel wound strings. However, the frets on that guitar are taller, more narrow vintage style frets; the frets on my LP Custom, which I bought new back in '92 and has lower, wider frets, has been holding up pretty well. I do play my Strat much more often with my band and I think I tend to beat on it harder than the LP though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I use nothing but Gibson Vintage Reissue 10-46. Pure Nickle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPhillips Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Just got my Firebird back from Gibson's repair shop. They restrung it with D'Addario EXL 110's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Also, I'll wager that daylight revealed what had been hitherto concealed... m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S t e v e Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Normal.... When I take my guitars in for there yearly string change' date=' my Luthier cleans up the frets and treats the fretboard. You should see the frets on my 72 SG[blink'] ..... Those poor things are on its last leg[biggrin] duane, you only change your strings once a year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 duane' date=' you only change your strings once a year? [biggrin] [/quote'] Yep!!! If you wash your hands before playing your guitar, and wipe down the fretboard after playing, strings should easily last that long. Naturally if you have a tremelo system (floyd rose / kahler), then I can see changing the strings before a live or studio gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I am SO glad I read this. Writes down: No steel strings. I just busted out my LP after a LONG time of letting her sit in her case and WOW, I forgot how she sang! Never bothered to change her strings before...but the guy used D'Adario and I'd normaly buy Ernie, so I'm sure they're cool. Good to be in the know, though. Washing hands before playing and wiping after....that's SO my grandpa!!!! I should do the same, really I should. Gotta be nice to the Betties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Washing hands before playing and wiping after....that's SO my grandpa!!!! I should do the same' date=' really I should. Gotta be nice to the Betties.[/quote'] LOL!!! .... boys and those dirty hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Bloody 'Ell! I wash and wipe, and I HAVE to change strings at least every three weeks on my regular players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I use nothing but Gibson Vintage Reissue 10-46. Pure Nickle. Ever try Fender pure nickel strings? I still prefer Gibson VR bud I like 'em...and they're around $2 less than Gibson strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 When i went to grecce the guitar players never changed their strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 If you wash your hands before playing your guitar' date=' and wipe down the fretboard after playing, strings should easily last that long. [/quote'] Unless you have the kind of Acid Sweat that eats away at metals the instant you touch it. I can't even own a Blued Pistol cause of the acidic nature of my fingers, and I wash with Borax before I play. Borax keeps the oils from your skin down longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Bloody 'Ell! I wash and wipe' date=' and I HAVE to change strings at least every three weeks on my regular players.[/quote'] Ditto. ("Ditto, you provincial putz?" - Harvey Korman) I don't actually change them as much as I *should* but that's about the life span for strings on my main guitars. It's even shorter on my Strat which I've been beating on nearly exclusively in rehearsal for the past few months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnate McDuanus Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I like the way a worn-in set of strings sounds. I'm weird that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPhillips Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 My electric strings don't get changed as often as they should, and probably my acoustic doesn't either. However, I'll go through 3 sets of acoustic strings for every set of electric. There's a much more pronounced tonal difference in the acoustic guitars than the electrics, I guess. The J-200 absolutely growls and moans with fresh strings. Easy to hear when that sound gets flat... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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