[r akers (wrick)]

Awhile back,I did a refret on my Gibson Les Paul with stainless steel frets and must say I am pleased with this choice.Unlike other guitars in my line up that get used alot,had to do a slight adjustment to the neck,that it,no leveling and crowning on this one.

Most that have played a guitar with stainless,say you loose something in the tone but where? Adds a little (I mean a little),brightness which is welcomed,sustain is endless and certain I will wear out everything else on the guitar,if not the guitar,before addressing the frets.

Its a little more work,but not in the way of labor,just prep work.Dont understand why most repair shops charge more,as they claim it is hard on the files, but if you prep the board properly,you will have very little crowning after leveling.

I think the pros out way cons on this guitar and have a 2002 F brand tele with maple neck that due for another refret and will use stainless.I will due that in a couple weeks and hope the results are the same.

[r akers (wrick)]

Finished my black Tele with maple neck this morning,and hmmm.After leveling the board,recutting slots for depth and width,fretting,nut,spraying and a fast level and crown,perfect.

Kind of speechless though when it comes to the sound,bright as hell and even with treble down and graghic eq.off on my Boogies with neck pick up.Drastic change compared to the Gibson.

Gonna try stacked HB in it and see if some low end will return,dont think the stainless frets did it any favors.Sad thing is,hope they come out as easy as standard frets do if I decide this wont do.Unlike the Les Paul,the change was to much as it sits.I hope the pickup and electronic change helps or out they go.

By the way,no more wear and tear on files, that other shops use as a excuse to raise the price because of stainless.Just dont know yet,but from the big change in tone,have to wonder about maple necks and stainless.The notes ring as if you had a brass slide on,maybe not as extreme.

[r akers (wrick)]

[K Bolas (lespaul1963)]

You could try and change the cap on the tone pot to one of a different value...maybe that will tame the highs...or you could install a Fender TBX tone control set-up on the guitar...I've had some luck with that on overly bright guitars.

[R Schell (Otaypanky)]

I put a Warmoth neck with SS frets on an old Strat of mine earlier this week and I like it a lot. The neck itself is unusual. It's a fatback profile, about as chunky as my R8. It's one piece and made from goncalo alves, a wood that does not require any finish or sealer. I couldn't say if it's the wood or the ss frets or both, but the sustain with this new neck is unreal. I didn't really notice a difference in tone ~

[r akers (wrick)]

Took the Duncan vintage 54 out,put in a Duncan JB.The JB for the bridge warmed it up a bit,left the 250 pot in it,will mess around with caps.

The neck is a 2002 American F brand,the guitar itself was always bright and snappy.Took great care not to add any compression when installing frets,not to give it more tension.

While the 2002 is nothing like my baseball bat size 62 & 68,I figured there would be added highs,but not this much.

This was my second refret with stainless,done at least 60 to 70 with nickel/silver.Have a Carvin TL60 I hate because of this choice I made 9yrs. ago for same reason.

Personally I think stainless works great on some guitars,not on others.The fact of not doing fret dressings and refrets makes it a great choice,but it made a change I dont care for on this neck.

Wonder how it sound on a strat with rosewood board,have one that will need one by end of the year,but will search around for someone that has this installed before I decide.The Gibson sounds awsome with these and could never be happier,but I will let the Tele settle a couple days and check it again.The end result of this refret was way below my expectations.

[I Stoddard (Low-B 5-String)]

+1 on the tone pot's capacitor change.

Rolling off unneeded brightness is a solved problem: as an intermediate fix, try something like Stellartone's ToneStyler or MicroPedal. If you like everything else about the guitar, and feel you've solved a wear-and-tear problem, now go ahead and complete the adjustment for the wear-and-tear. And if using soldering tools makes you quake in your boots, by all means get a competent friend to help.

These encouraging words are brought to you by the voice of my personal experiences. YMMV.

[r akers (wrick)]

Thanks for the advice on the cap change,but will note that I very seldom use the tone pot regardless of value of cap or tone pot and have tried for 30 yrs.Just cord into a Peterson strobo stomp and into a Boogie.

When I get A new guitar,I tear out the electronics for values better suited for the choice of pickups I find that best meet my requirements for that guitar,and use just the volume.Reguardless of the cap or tone pot value,never was happy with the roll off.

As for SS on this Tele,I am going back to the tradition frets as a personal preference as it took the guitars personality out of it.Cant explain it much more than that,but can say that the thought of keeping it off the bench for future dressings made for relief,but the lose of soul trumps it.

Very well could be this guitar as it never had the vibe of my vintage Teles,but for personal taste,SS on this does'nt cut it.Again great on the Gibson,not so great on another.Have to wonder if they are better for some and not others,but will try on a rosewood strat.Just my own opinion,as sound and tone are very subjective.

[I Stoddard (Low-B 5-String)]

Good luck! Rosewood, if it is the WHOLE neck, would be very deep-tone, and the SS would brighten it. What is most important, always, is that it is YOUR guitar for YOUR hands and YOUR ears, first. Sincerely, good luck.