Don't fret it...

[daveinspain]

I recently had a look at the frets on my guitars... The guitars I play the most has some pretty deep divots on the specially up close to the head stock. I'm not having any problems, no buzzing or anything like that as of yet. I guess eventually I'll need to have some work done on the heavier affected guitars but it makes me wonder how many time you see adds on ebay with guitars from the 60s, 70s...etc with hardly any fret ware... Are they using softer fret wire now?

[Searcy]

They have a lighter touch.

[Ryan H]

I recently had a look at the frets on my guitars... The guitars I play the most has some pretty deep divots on the specially up close to the head stock. I'm not having any problems, no buzzing or anything like that as of yet. I guess eventually I'll need to have some work done on the heavier affected guitars but it makes me wonder how many time you see adds on ebay with guitars from the 60s, 70s...etc with hardly any fret ware... Are they using softer fret wire now?

 

My guitar tech (who I hold in a high regard) told me that frets made back then have a higher nickel content. My '64 MM has definitely seen it's fair share of play (grooves in the fretboard from a frequent bender) but the frets are still practically pristine.

 

Probably the fretwire manufacturers realizing that their wire was lasting too long so they changed their formula to make it softer so they could sell more.

 

-Ryan

[lazarusvt84]

my son and I have the same guitar but he plays his LP 3x as often (and got it about a year earlier) ..yet my frets show wear...his barely. He always says I press too hard.