Can you hear the difference? - stainless steel vs nickel silver frets

Do stainless steel frets sound different? A question I've been wondering myself for years... there seems to be a lot of conflicting opinions online so I decided to bite the bullet and get a refret done on my Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul. Prior to the refret I installed brand new strings and recorded various tones through my Suhr PT15IR. After the refret I had another new set of new strings installed and recorded myself playing the same things again.
Is there a difference tonally? Now you can decide for yourself!
Timestamps:
0:00 Let's Talk Stainless Steel Frets
1:15 The guitar
2:00 The setup details
2:58 Clean Neck pt.1
3:41 Clean Neck pt.2
4:29 Clean Middle
5:36 Driven Bridge
6:30 Driven Neck
7:45 Driven Bridge
8:23 Driven Bridge (chords)
9:34 What did you think?
9:53 Thoughts as the player
12:29 The feel difference?
13:11 Jescar frets
13:30 Hope you enjoyed the video!
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[@YeatzeeGuitar]

So what do you think? Did you hear a consistent difference? Were you surprised by the results? Comment below! And if you appreciate this video and feel super generous, I've got a link to buy me a coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/YeatzeeGuitar Cheers! ☕

[@johncunningham4820]

I heard no Notable difference . MAYBE and only maybe , the Stainless Fretting is slightly brighter in Tone . A Good thing on a Les Paul .

[@madamkirk]

Sounds great. No issues here IMO.

[@marc-andrenobert9565]

It's really hard to tell the difference, i dont know which i prefer. They both sound good. But i've always had a problem with ss frets, its breaking my strings real fast. Light strings are bumped over every frets and on wounded strings it breaks the winding, so after a couple of weeks theres a huge loss in tone. Am i the only one with that problem?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@@marc-andrenobert9565 Hmmm I've played this guitar a ton since the refret live and haven't had that issue 🤔

[@chocolatecookie8571]

@@marc-andrenobert9565I have the same. The strings lasts less long. The SS frets are too hard.

[@warmoth]

As someone who has done lots of these shootout videos, I just want to say: really well done test! Kudos.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Much appreciated! A few people sent me yours after I posted this, well done there as well. At this point I think people can safely come to their own more informed conclusion on the matter which was the whole goal on my end 😎

[@johnbeloe]

Very glad you took the time to do this! Thanks. I had my old 54 Les Paul fretted with 59 style nickel. The bigger frets are great, but after a year or so of practice and gigging I'm starting to wear them and when I get to the next refret in maybe 10-15 years or so of playing I will look in to the steel. Less refrets can only be good thing I guess! The tonal difference here appears to be so minimal to really be completely insignificant in practice. And a touch more brightness in a guitars accoustic tone is rarely a bit thing in my experience

[@ReWindElectricOld]

This is solid man. Having worked at a shop that did many stainless refrets, the differences in sound were always due to a guitar with new strings and a fresh setup going out the door, not the actual frets changing. I think that's why some say they are brighter. Any guitar with new strings is brighter, at first.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Thanks James! Yeah I had to find out for myself, still loving the results since making the swap on this guitar.

[@bobmarsh8145]

Absolutely false there is a huge difference in tone I can tell instantly. It’s an unnatural sustain like the old huge bridges and brass nut days. I’m a vintage guy if you want to RUIN a guitar use SS frets they are junk for tone Paul Reed Smith has great ears and he hears the rude strident nature of SS he has the best ears in the business.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Can you point out where in the video you hear a huge difference in tone? Interesting because I honestly expected to come away with that takeaway and ended up feeling the opposite

[@bar0756]

​@@YeatzeeGuitarAny difference is miniscule. People are so highly invested in their 'opinions'. How about a blindfolded test, with money down? Crickets...

[@turboeagle4600]

Nice video! The SS frets provided a more clear and bright tone to the guitar (positively) and IMHO they brought the guitar back to life, it rocks!!!

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Interesting! Thanks for watching and leaving your feedback, been lots of conflicting impressions which to be fair I expected lol

[@bryangarcia662]

1) Great video! I really enjoy your approach and methodology with a video/topic like this. Impressive production quality as well. Great video quality/color grading and audio (both spoken and recorded guitar) is crisp and clear. 2) Although I do think the difference was minimal overall, I did hear a smidge more presence which translated itself in the attack of the note on cleans, and as a tad more grind in the driven sounds. Something I did feel I could also hear was the harmonic overtones popping out a bit quicker on the tail/sustain end of the cleans. All in all, I feel the appeal of SS frets is in its longevity and durability, the tonal difference is minimal. If my tech refretted my guitar with SS without telling me, I'd probably think any change in tone would be from new strings or the amp's EQ...

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Thanks Bryan, I really appreciate it and thank you for commenting what you heard! I hope we get a good number of similar comments, I'm really curious if there's a clear consensus or not. Definitely agree on the appeal of SS frets, I personally can eat through frets pretty fast so that's a big bonus.

[@atbear]

Great job yet again!

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Thanks!

[@dickjonesify]

All this video tells me is that I need a Les Paul ASAP 😆🤓 Great job, T

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

That you do Dan! 😆😆

[@587583922]

Yeah, I’m surprised. When I thought I heard a difference, I preferred SS. But the difference I sometimes thought I heard could easily have been down to pick angle. Looks like I’ll be going for SS when I have to do refrets in the future.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Nice! Glad the video was helpful for ya

[@scottjua]

It's nearly the same... but I can hear a difference. The SS frets seemed to bring out more of everything... lows and highs. Almost like a very very very slight boost pedal. I mean SLIGHT... but I can hear it if I can't articulate it.

[@peterlostig]

Think about getting stainless steel frets on my Les Paul 57 for years but I am not sure if it's worth saving the fret nibs 🤔 But the fact not worrying about another refret, when the stainless steel frets are installed, is enough reason to give them a try

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Yeah honestly the fret nibs were so small on this guitar I didn't care at all about saving them. On my custom which has bigger fret nibs I still don't think i'd have them saved, they just reduce the size of space you can fret on making vibrato harder. They look nice, but for frets I lean function over form I think.

[@ilmisxx2]

Do the nibs serve any purpose besides being a pain to reftet an increasing the cost of a refret? In my eyes they are a design flaw and not a feature, might have been ok when people played jazz with a wound G and barely bent strings. If you are worried about resale value then leave it as is, if you want to keep it at have a better playing guitar, go for as big of a SS fret as you are comfortable with and give a luthier a little "extra" to treat fret end with more care than usual

[@pablokagioglu2546]

I did hear a difference, mainly with the clean tones, slightly brighter and louder. Some of the crunchier tones were louder and brighter but not as many as the clean ones. Overall, the tonality and character were the same and in a busy mix, nobody would be able to tell the difference. So, we know the frets were bigger, did that give the notes a steeper break angle improving volume and resonance. 🤔 Was the amp behaving “exactly” the same on both days? I have had guitars with soft(er) gritty frets and much rather have a smooth and polished feel. I think the wood of the fretboard (and neck) has more to do with tone and character of the guitar sound than the fret material. Nickel and Steel have similar hardness (4 to 5) is not like we are talking Aluminum frets with hardness less than 3. Some people are allergic to Nickel, even more reason to choose steel. If the slight brighter sound is due to the steel material and not the fret dimensions, then some people may favor the warmer tone. But as I always say, that’s why guitars, amps, effects and consoles have tone and EQ knobs… 😎 So do you go for function and longevity or do you want the tone to come from your frets? Happy Days.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

All good questions. The frets were wider, but they were exactly the same height. Crown probably slightly different due to the width difference though.

[@Hello_there_obi]

Nickel doesn’t give you better tone and the difference is nullified once you consider that the refret comes with fresh strings which will sound brighter at the start. It’s not even close. SS is more expensive but it’s clearly better.

[@joebruley4117]

Great comparison. The SS sound more balanced and the nickel sounded a like it rolled off some top and bottom frequencies giving a perceived mid boost. Its so subtle that it doesn't matter and could be compensated with any number of settings or techniques. I bet the SS frets feel better and will need less maintenance so I'm going to go stainless when mine needs a refret.

[@Hello_there_obi]

Do it! You won’t regret it. SS feels amazing.

[@torchlord11]

This is what I hear and experience with my one guitar that has Stainless as well. I think having the frets last longer is worth it in my opinion if you are sacrificing that small shift in bass and treble. I'm trying to finish off my other guitar by doing the SS refret myself as the prices for doing it are bonkers. I tried doing it without a neck jig but realized one was needed so I'm trying to build on of those also.

[@19581998]

I have several LPs and 339 with Jescar 57110 SS. Love ‘em.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Those are some big frets!

[@autodidacticprofessor869]

As a musican and a studio and live sound engineer, it drives me nuts when people attempt to evaluate "tone" and make decisions like this based on hearing a guitar by itself. If there is a difference in brightness, it's probably going to disappear once you add a drummer into the mix with cymbals. I get that people know their instrument but unless you only play by yourself, you have to consider that some things you hear out of your amp won't be audible to an audience in a full mix. Or, in the case of a pickup like the JB, it may sound "notched" or "too bright" by itself but there was a reason so many guys used them. They cut through and just worked for rock and metal. The other thing is that if there was a harsh or bright overtone, that's why you have tone pots. All of us have gone from a dark amp to a bright amp or played rooms that emphasize brightness and you have to use your tone knob... which is what it's for. Personally, I would prefer a slightly brighter tone that I can deal with vs. having to have an expensive refret done every few years. Honestly, I'll never go back NS frets for that reason.

[@bobbypm9871]

One thing I’d like to ask is if you kept the binding nibs or did away with them with the refret. Secondly, I have noticed that when refreting a guitar wether it is with nickel or SS wire, a well crowned fret will give a clearer sound vs the usual flat topped Gibson crowns. And it obviously feels very different on your left hand.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Nibs are gone, prefer without and this guitar had super small nibs to begin with

[@PeterGuitarSound]

Such a great video ! My guitar is at the luthier for SS Refret but.... can't find the right model. What reference did you chose ?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Thanks! By which model do you mean what size? Jescar is the brand

[@PeterGuitarSound]

Jescar 47104, I should have watch the full video before posting.

[@PeterGuitarSound]

It's a fun coincidence, because we measure my Suhr Classic S Asato, and the closest match was the 47104.

[@19581998]

A true test would be the exact same size/dimensions of frets. Since you went larger (I would too), you have more metal in the fret itself. That could be as much of a factor as the material they’re made of.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

That's an interesting thought! Height exactly the same between both frets, but new ones are wider yes. Boy that's getting into the weeds there, but there is of course a chance that makes up a difference. I guess the real question is, with both fret material and fret size changed here, did you notice a consistent difference from one to the next? If yes, then it gets interesting trying to determine what it boils down to. If no, then neither obviously play a significant role in tone 🙂

[@musikus7092]

@@YeatzeeGuitar Of course fret size makes a difference !

[@jorgequintero2189]

What pickups are you using. And the stainless steel frets give it more clarity…

[@therollband1290]

I think you made an improvement to that guitar, it sounds great. The playing was awesome!

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Thank you!

[@TCMx3]

I dunno maybe I'm imagining it, but it does sound to me like the ringing out of the notes is slightly different. The front/attack couldn't hear anything. I have some stainless fretted guitars and I love them. Wouldn't put them on a vintage guitar and I don't need to see them on the spec sheet to buy a guitar unless I plan to ride it hard, like my main player (a K-Line) or my backup (a Suhr). Thanks for taking your time to do the comparison.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Out of curiosity, why wouldn't you put them on a vintage guitar if you love them? Just to keep the guitar more vintage correct, or do you think they can change things for the worse?

[@TCMx3]

@@YeatzeeGuitaryeah bit of a combination of vintage correctness but also on my own instruments I have noticed the SS fretted guitars do have a bit of a similar thing going on that isn't my favorite. It's not enough to give up my preference for Stainless on modern guitars, but I'd probably give a vintage guitar NS frets. Now if I were trying to tour with it or something that'd be a totally different matter.

[@bryangarcia662]

Interesting... The attack of the note is where I felt I could hear the *most* difference! Just goes to show how the "tuning" of everyone's ears can be so different. Cheers friend!

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@@TCMx3 That's interesting! So you notice a similar characteristic that all of your SS fretted guitars have... I wonder if more people with several feel similarly. Helpful having more than a sample size of one for sure.

[@cpk313]

I had a job where I critically listened to minute differences in audio components and through a decent DAC and a good set of monitors there were no consistent differences. Not being a robot with playing tech. was what I felt lead to any slight variation.

[@michaelpiscitello6513]

The fact that people think that there is a difference in tone is crazy. It’s all about how they feel and would 100% have SS frets on all my guitars. I’m refretting my Les Paul with SS Jumbos because Gibsons frets tend to be narrow like toothpicks.

[@sG_Chimera]

There IS a difference in tone

[@joeschlicht]

@@sG_Chimera I definitely heard it. I think those that can't hear it are crazy.

[@carloslongordo8712]

Do you remember the dimensions of the original frets? I have a 2015 True Historic Goldtop with thin, low frets, and I've been wanting an alternative. But I'd like to know if the original frets on yours are the same as mine.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Narrow and tall, if you Google it you'll see what the specs were starting in 2018 on the r8

[@RickFoxx777]

Years ago, I myself was excited when I heard about stainless steel frets, as I have been playing guitar professionally for over forty years and was looking for a decent economic solution to fret wear. Having had to do two to three re-frets a year I was very sure this was going to be a great cost effective solution. I wrong...and I was so disappointed, the new frets on my guitar felt the same but there was now a dull tone coming from them as if the frets were dead. I tried various things to off set it, such as a new block ( brass then steel), new saddles, strings, tuners and a new bone nut. Nothing worked so I just used one of my other strats for gigs and gave up trying to change the tone. So yes, in my experience it will change the tone of your guitar just as it did on my rosewood finger board strat and that, not in a good way. I was once told that I should try them on a maple fretboard as it would sound a lot better. Uh...no thanks. One more thing...not only do stainless steel frets sound bad on the guitar but it's a very expensive upgrade. Just my 2 cents worth. Peace.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Do you hear the change in this video that you experienced personally?

[@dude_moode]

Funny how I hear the exact opposite - and the plus in brightness is so minute I vouch it 101% negligible!

[@johnnycondor]

This test has sold me on stainless because, well... I detect no real difference in sound! Thank you for your help!

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

🙌🙏

[@cristianmarinescu9832]

Very educational video for those who have doubts about ss frets vs ns frets. The differences in tone are not to be taken into account! It sounds a little more open with ss frets, a brighter sound. And this is a very good thing. Considering the fact that the resistance of ss frets is much higher, I for one prefer these! Congratulations ! A good quality video in which it can be seen that there is no striking difference between ss frets and ns frets. The difference is minimal and not to be taken into account!!

[@teuast]

I didn't notice a lot of difference, not the way I have on pickups comparisons. Stainless steel might have been marginally brighter, but only if I squinted my ears really hard at it. Cool. Now I just gotta wear out the frets on my main guitar enough to where replacing them makes sense. Fortunately, it lives at the music school where I work at the moment, so it gets played a. lot.

[@johanndaart7326]

What do I think? I definitely want SS frets ;D

[@jeffrobuck6338]

At the beginning of the video l thought l did notice a difference. But l found myself wondering if it was because the frets were a slightly different profile, whether bigger or taller, that might have made you play with a different feel. And, yes ... you mentioned the action. As the vid went on and you got into some crunch and power chords, l noticed less difference.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Good question! Fret height exactly the same between old and new frets, but the new ones are wider yes. The bridge was actually taped during the refret so it's the same height, but the action was a hair different because of the truss rod not being set exactly exactly the same ( a hair straighter with the SS frets). Minor difference, but because of the super low action enough to get a touch more fret buzz on the G string :)

[@electrofuzz7396]

There is a "chirp" right after the attack on the SS frets, this bothers me much more then the slight brightness.

[@travisclemens6071]

What pickups are in that gold top? Killer tone!

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Doyle Coils: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3nWmJaOpJJsj8ksi=rxh1qSH3JsFG41g6

[@paternuin]

best comparisons on the internet

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

High praise! Thank you

[@therileyobrien]

I love them. Much less maintenance and feel like(or better than) freshly polished nickel frets all the time.

[@thomastucker5686]

I heard an eq difference. I can speculate reasons that wouldn't include the new fret material, but I think it is most likely the new frets I am hearing. It is subtle. I prefer it honestly. Sounds just slightly more modern to my old spent ears. I have both and don't feel a difference. They are quit different guitars so, the sound is not comparable. I would go with stainless all day long for a refret. I am trying to decide if my chinese les paul is worth refretting. The neck feels better than any Gibson I have had my hands on, which is at least 30. I went out to purchase a Gibson twice with a pocket full of cash and came home empty handed because the necks were not as comfortable as my chinese Epiphone. Initially, I thought the Epiphone neck was built to the slim taper standard as the Gibsons. I was wrong. So I fell in love with the idea of one day getting the Gibson, thinking it would feel nearly identical. I ended up with 3 Fenders. I love the tone and look of Gibson, but I can't do the neck. My Schecter C-1 neck is outstanding. My Schecter Solo Blackjack I expected to have a neck profile like my others but it feels like the damn Gibson. Sounds fantastic though. The only reason I like Fender is the newer 'modern C' profile. Every Fender I ever played prior I hated the necks like Gibson. Most necks are too wide or too thick or both. Maybe some day Gibson will make a Les Paul with a tiny neck like I prefer, short fingers.

[@Guitar5986]

Excellent video as always!! Very interesting results.... Gonna be completely honest here...I noticed no difference. I kept trying to put my finger on tonal differences between the two. Sometimes I would think that one was brighter than the other, more or less midrange, differences in the timbre of the mids, etc. But every single time I thought I had narrowed down a difference there would be another comparison that completely flipped my assumptions around again. As you mentioned, the small variations in your pick attack, pick position, etc far outweighed any potential differences that may or may not exist between the two types of frets. Personally, I don't wear through frets very quickly so I'll just stick with nickel silver, but I would have no qualms owning a guitar with stainless. The only case where you should absolutely not use stainless would be a vintage example where you are looking to retain originality. But one could make the argument that an old worn out neck that has been refretted many times previously & is on its last possible refret job would be the perfect candidate for stainless.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Thanks man! Appreciate you writing out such detailed notes on what you heard. I really tried my best to play similarly, as I always do, but this one was a bit different because I typically shoot the comparison stuff immediately one after another on the same day vs there being a day or more gap which makes it a lot harder.

[@Guitar5986]

@@YeatzeeGuitar I think you did great honestly. But as you talked about, those very slight nuances were far more impactful than the frets themselves. Just goes to show that stainless is totally viable as a material for frets.

[@These_go_to_eleven_1959]

@YEATZEE GUITAR, Did you have to lose the binding nibs after the Refret? Many techs wont do a Refret if you insist on keeping the binding nibs? I actually like the nibs because the edge of the fingerboard feels as smooth as glass. you never feel the frets edge.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

I requested no nibs, easier cheaper and you get more space to work on the fretboard.

[@These_go_to_eleven_1959]

@@YeatzeeGuitar I am a Nib guy 🤣 I know many that hate them but for me i always loved that about a bound Gibson neck. I like that smooth as glass like feel when i slide up or down the fretboard. Techs hate it!😁

[@These_go_to_eleven_1959]

@@YeatzeeGuitar Btw on your "Real gear reviews" of your friends R-0 i asked you a question about checking. dont know if you've seen it?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@@These_go_to_eleven_1959 I don't hate it by any means, just if I'm getting a refret I'm OK with it gone vs going out of my way to keep it. I hear you about not feeling the frets on the edges of the board, that is a negative for sure.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@@These_go_to_eleven_1959 I get a lot of comments on that vid let me try and find it.

[@matthewf1979]

Any ES-345 updates? What have you been up to lately?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

What updates are you interested in? I've been moving, and also prepping for a kid on the way so this has taken a backseat. Nearly settled in the new place to be able to start thinking about videos again

[@carminelombardi9575]

Due to its longevity after hearing the comparison, I'm refretting a few of my favorite guitars to Stainless Steel.

[@patchesthejaybird8431]

Wow not as much difference in the sound as I imagined. I thought stainless would be snappier. They sound very similar, blind I doubt I could hear a difference. Now the guitar won't need s refret for a long long time. Do stainless frets wear? I wonder how they feel compared to nickel silver? Ok now that I reached the end you covered how you find that they feel. Sounds good!

[@torchlord11]

Yes, they do wear down. I have one guitar done back in 2012-13ish and finally noticed some slight wear marks on some frets last year. It was my primary playing guitar. Before putting stainless steel the new (at the time) Korean-made Rondo Reaper lasted about six months, which was irritating and one of the reasons I went stainless. I'm not sure what sort of nickel-silver frets my Ibanez Universe had but they lasted way longer, not sure how many years though.

[@kylezakk]

Stainless steel frets make playing bends feel so nice, I want stainless steel frets on all my guitars. I don't believe there is a perceivable tone difference between SS and nickel frets, especially with the amount of gain I use lol.

[@ilmisxx2]

Were the old frets perfectly crowned and polished? If not then there's one thing that impacts the tone. It's extremely difficult to do these comparison videos because in order to really compare them there has to be absolute exactness, same neck relief and truss rod not touched, same nut, same strings (extremely hard to do), same pickup heights, down to 1/10 of a milimeter and exact same strenght and picking angle applied with same exact pick (almost impossible to do). SS frets have benefits that outweigh any potential cons and it's up to a player if they prefer the feel of ss or not, the feeling is noticeably different but to a listener it does not matter, even if there is a minute difference in sound, no one would be able to tell ss from nickel silver 10 times out of 10 unless they guessed it based on luck

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

I think the jist of it is if it requires incredibly precise scientific level comparisons to really hear a difference, whatever difference there is is not anything anyone should ever worry about. And on the flip side if you hear a clear and consistent difference here in this comparison doing everything reasonably possible to make for a fair comparison, then you can project the difference might even be a tad more in a perfect 1:1 comparison. Stock frets were as they can from Gibson, exactly the same height and I did clean them for the before.

[@ilmisxx2]

@@YeatzeeGuitar the real jist of it is that someone who does not like ss frets will swear they hear a difference and they hate it, someone who like ss will say it feels better, lasts longer and sounds better. You won't be able to change either oppinion 🤣. As for me, I don't have a prefference, some guitars I like with ss and some with nickel silver, some guitars I like with thick necks and lacquered and some thin and satin, I like the idea of ss frets because they require less maintenance. As for someones elses guitar... They can install gummy worms instead of frets for all I care as long as it makes them happy

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

I listened to this video through my UA Apollo Twin X Quad through Yamaha HS-8 studio monitors. So if there was a difference, I would hear it. My take: there is a VERY slight difference on the clean tones. The stainless steel frets give just a HAIR more treble. But the difference is minor, at most. In a mix or with a band, no one would ever be able to tell the difference. With distortion, there is absolutely no perceptible difference. Now, I wasn't in the room so it's possible that in the room there was more difference; but on this recording its almost imperceptible even through studio monitors. Great video! Keep up the great work!

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Thanks Mike for taking the time to listen with a proper setup!

[@drixxv2435]

If stainless fret is brighter, you can adjust the tone cap 1 value higher. Let's say the cap is .022uf then use .027uf or .033uf

[@seanzinger]

I didn’t hear any difference either, man. You were really consistent.

[@floydburney6060]

.... No, D-France!!....Actually, I do hear the steel frets are a tad bit brighter but not enough to say it's a significant difference. Thanks for the demo, I've wondered about this myself.

[@bestregardsband6912]

Any experience with EVO gold frets ?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Unfortunately no

[@implotus_metal]

When the high-pitched transiant sound is highlighted, it sounds like the gain has decreased And in metal music, which has to be played strongly for a long time, the amount of shock in the left hand is more transmitted, and you get tired quickly. *translated

[@TheShrededward]

It's never about the sound, but rather the feel. How do they feel? It's the same for everything except the wiring stuff. Neck wood, fingerboard, and body are things that make a difference to the player. Nobody is going to notice anything that a minor amp setting change could make.

[@ParanormalResponse]

Hmm. In the video I can say I heard a brighter tonal difference. I recently purchased a guitar w/ Roasted maple and SS frets. I couldnt stand the brightness. I changed pick ups and it was still too much for me. I then changed the neck out and everything was tonaly better to my ears. There is a difference, for sure.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Do you hear that tonal difference consistently across all of the samples, or does it stand out a lot in some excerpts but gone in others? Just curious! No right or wrong answers here

[@ParanormalResponse]

@@YeatzeeGuitar I hear it most in the neck position clean channel and while in this video not as much as my guitar, I can hear the brightness in the full distortion body pick up. That is the one that really bothers me most. When I want full distortion, im not looking to hear any tingy sounds.

[@lorraineming4590]

what was the cost of the refret ?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

I think they range from 350-500

[@dude_moode]

Having both (and man, those n/s will have to go!), I can honestly say that the only ones I've yet heard complaining about ss frets are luthiers - who most probably either either shy from upgrading their tools, or from the extra work... just my 0.02😉 The only REAL argument against ss I ever heard is that new guitars will need adjustment after a while, and that of course is harder to do properly when ss are installed. But then again, none of my guitars are. younger than I am, thus I guess they don't count as being "new"...

[@nickaslanidis6156]

This video was one of a few that convinced me to take the plunge with Jescar 51100 stainless frets for my Les Paul Classic. I was agonizing over whether to go stainless or not and funnily enough I asked the Luthier about it (respected guy, by all reports does very high quality work, not cheap but you get what you pay for), and he said he pretty much refuses to do nickel frets these days unless someone is really adamant about it. I mentioned the various online communities who have religious debates about it and he was quite certain that a lot of the issues people have with stainless are because of the actual quality of work. Stainless is not as forgiving and any imperfections from the levelling and crowning of the frets themselves to any minute gaps between the frets and the fretboard in the slots, will present with some of the symptoms people describe. I played 3 or 4 of his guitars with stainless that he has as demo's, including an early 1990's LP, and it was just flawless. It sounded fantastic and certainly had no 'ping' or 'zing' quality to it. I haven't got mine back yet but I'm very confident it will be done to a high standard and that I'll like it as much as you have with yours. My Classic had really low frets which was the reason for looking at alternatives originally. The 51100 seem like the perfect size in between a true medium/jumbo of 0.046 and a true jumbo of 0.057.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Congrats, I'm sure you'll love it!

[@nickaslanidis6156]

@@YeatzeeGuitar Finally got my LP Classic back with Jescar 51100 stainless frets. The luthier did a freaking amazing job and it plays beautifully. I don't notice any tone difference really.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@nickaslanidis6156 🙌🙌🙌

[@KingGodson316]

It may be my bias with stainless steel frets, but I feel like the stainless steel frets have a more sparkly high-end. Not more treble response overall, maybe like turning up the presence control a bit more and getting some of that high-end sizzle. Sounds great to me in this context. On s-style guitars I've played with stainless steel frets, that sizzle was more overbearing.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Interesting! Did you pick that up in this comparison? Was it consistent or something that was there occasionally?

[@KingGodson316]

@@YeatzeeGuitar It definitely seemed more noticeable to me with clean sounds. The overdriven and distorted tones sounded identical. It's something I feel like I could hear beyond just the "crisp" sound from new strings. Again, very minimal and most likely my bias. In a room with a amp, I doubt it'd be noticeable at all.

[@garyeckel1656]

Saved me a weeks work and a months pay, your a good guy"

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Well shoot, doesn't get much better than that! I do accept virtual coffee's from those that really appreciate it if you feel so inclined 😆 www.buymeacoffee.com/yeatzeeguitar

[@dickjonesify]

I’d say about half the time I can hear a little LITTLE extra zing on the SS. Kind of like the strings are an hour newer 😆 but not more than that lol. That said, I may still prefer the NS

[@somethingbl]

I thought the nickel frets were brighter and had more sustain, I wonder if that was a result of the higher action. Funny how some people are hearing the stainless being brighter. Just shows how close they are, and seems like you should only do this if you prefer the feel or longevity.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

That's funny! Yeah those that seem to hear a difference are repeating the same thing I've read online, that SS is brighter. Haven't heard anyone say NS is brighter, but of course as evidence by the comments it's all pretty subjective. I should have clarified in the video more when I mentioned action, the bridge and nut were actually kept exactly the same before and after but the truss rod was just a hair straight with the SS frets causing a touch more buzz. The action on the guitar is quite low.

[@somethingbl]

@@YeatzeeGuitar I'm choosing to believe that people hear what they wanna hear instead of being objective :)

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@@somethingbl I think you're probably not far from the truth.

[@Darkvibration]

How come you're wearing the exact same cloths before and after the refrets?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

I was wondering how long it'd take for me to get that comment lol. I decided to do that because our brain plays tricks on us, when you see two visually different things compared side by side your mind likes to create patterns and in this case potentially hear something that's not actually there but rather just an association with whatever clothes I'm wearing in one or the other. Wearing the same clothes just kept everything visually the same, at least at the center of the screen where you're looking. I left the strings long on the before to give a simple que which is which, but wasn't super distracting being out on the edge of the video frame. Hope that makes sense!

[@Darkvibration]

Good point.

[@jwright8838]

Maybe I've got mud in my ears, but any difference was slight. I've had amps that would vary in sound more day to day than any difference I heard. If I had to make a statement of audible difference I would give the SS frets an edge on clarity. That's it. Of course, my ears are blocked with mud so YMMV...lol.

[@JGD56]

The nickel silver frets sounded a bit warmer to my ear...like a good Les Paul should sound!

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Interesting! Do you think the SS fret version of the guitar *doesn't* sound like a good les paul should? Is the difference a little or a lot for you?

[@JGD56]

@@YeatzeeGuitar It’s subtle, but it’s noticeably punchier in the higher frequencies. That guitar sounds really nice with either fret option. The slightly warmer tone with the nickel silver frets is what I like to hear from a great LP!

[@les7118]

stainless has some kind of ringing decay which hides actual chord tails. I always preffered ss for durability because refretting is not easiest manipulation with your guitar, but now really can hear a difference

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Do you hear that in this video anywhere?

[@les7118]

@@YeatzeeGuitar I wouldn't mind if each fragment was signed, because it's hard to follow how the videos change even if they are played one by one. after about 40 seconds I lost track. If I'm not mistaken, 3:29 NS and at 3:32 is SS - i can hear some ringing. 5:31 also rings more noticeble. But framgments from 5:00 all have ringing i can`t be shure where SS exactly some fragments are more ringy, some less.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@@les7118 The headstock is the tell which is which. NS have uncut string ends at the tuners, SS are cut.

[@les7118]

@@YeatzeeGuitar sorry missed that. well i was not mistaken in that case about sound

[@nicolasrivera5310]

There is a volume difference mismatch, not generated by the fret change.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

You hear a consistent volume difference every single time it's switched from NS to SS? Or are you saying there are cases where one sounds a tad louder or quieter than the version before? The guitar is a dynamic instrument, nature of the beast and did the best I could. If you don't think they're close enough in volume to come out with a takeaway, don't know what to tell ya 🤷‍♂

[@Tyler-qw8kn]

There's no reason guitars nowadays shouldn't have stainless steel frets. The sound difference, if any, is so minimal that it's negligent. With SS, you never have to worry about a refret ever again. You'll be saving hundreds..

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

I mostly agree

[@andtothewestamerica]

I always end up playing my electric guitars acoustically when I'm sitting at my desk and that's when I notice stainless frets most. They do have a touch of tinny-ness that I don't love but once your ear/brain gets used to it, it goes away.

[@iwillnevergetone5]

all of my guitars and basses get Stainless Jescar re-frets by my top luthier. they last forever

[@theodorthiele]

On clean I think the difference is somewhat clear but not huge - and not surprisingly similar to the difference I heard in videos comparing Callaham stainless steel bridges + tail-pieces to traditional Gibson ones. Gives it more of that piano type sound (more strat like and V-shaped) - which arguably sounds better, but less like a Les Paul ;) On crunch / OD I don't really notice any difference at all. Very nice to hear that the feel isn't negatively impacted - and the durability is supposed to be much better to my understanding. My friend is about to need a refret and as his unofficial guitar tech it's nice to know that recommended stainless is probably safe :)

[@mojo9291]

I agree with this.

[@Fudmottin]

I didn't hear a difference. It could be the speakers I was using or my ears.

[@maxpeck4154]

I couldn't hear a marked difference in this video. My own personal experience, however, is somewhat different. I'll never again get stainless frets. I truly believe that those that say there is "no difference" do so for various reasons. 1) Their style is highly distorted and it doesn't matter, 2) Their pickups/amplifier don't emphasize the frequencies that stainless imparts into the tone 3) Their hearing acuity just doesn't pick up those frequencies because of age or prolonged exposure to high volume, or 4) Bias - the idea that anyone that says stainless sounds different is a "vintage snob". I do a lot of clean/edge of breakup neck pickup stuff with reverb and delay through an amp with no negative feedback. I don't use overdrive pedals - amp has power scaling so all the distortion is happening naturally. You can hear EVERYTHING. There is a HUGE difference between nickel and stainless. Thin, sterile, brittle, hollow. It's not that the top end is "brighter", there is a whole chunk of higher frequencies that hit the front of the amp harder, overloading it in a non-musical way. Turn the gain down and I lose the harmonics and sustain. Turn the treble down on the amp or the tone knob on the guitar and it muffles the tone. I have found that lightening my touch a bit seems to help slightly. It's the guitar I've got so I'm trying to make the best of it but I'll never have stainless frets again.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Interesting... So of those 4 which one do I fall under?

[@maxpeck4154]

@@YeatzeeGuitar Well I'd say none of the above. I hear a huge difference (not in your video, which was excellent btw). Full disclosure, the guitar is a Novo Serus J with p90s. Previously sold an identical guitar with nickel frets that exhibited none of the characteristics of the stainless one.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

@@maxpeck4154 gotcha, and thanks! Yeah, idk you're not the first person that's said something similar but comparing two different guitars (even if all else is equal) and attributing any change to one thing is tough. That's why I wanted to do this and show the exact same guitar the same new set of strings from the same batch, before and after as back to back as humanly possible to get an honest and clear sense of the difference. In theory, if there's a difference you should hear it here to some consistent degree across the excerpts but who knows 🤷‍♂️

[@maxpeck4154]

@@YeatzeeGuitar Can't think of a more accurate way to illustrate a true comparison of just the frets than you did here. Very well done. Must've been pretty labor intensive!

[@maxpeck4154]

@@YeatzeeGuitar I went all in on a guitar with stainless for longevity and durability with a completely open mind fully expecting the frets to be a non-issue. I was wrong. I played some stainless guitars at my local shop on a showroom amp in a noisy guitar store and didn't notice any difference. On my amp with my specific sound in mind in my house was a different story. Gain it up on the bridge pickup, especially in a mix, and it's barely noticeable. I guess the best way I can describe it is the attack of the note on the low and high end of the frequency range overpowers the note itself. That said, I am getting somewhat used to them and lightening up my touch has helped slightly. And all the things I notice are subjective - some players might dig that sound. I'm just not one of them. I wouldn't get stainless again.

[@serhat.sevinc]

No diffecence imo. Great playing

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Thanks!

[@bobmarsh8145]

😂😂 HUGE difference

[@tooslimforford]

I would give it a try on every dark sounding humbucker style guitar. I think you might don't like it on a Strat or Tele.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Do you hear a significant brightness change in this video?

[@tooslimforford]

@@YeatzeeGuitar I noticed more clarity and a less boomy bass.....I listend over good quality headphones and there is defenetly a difference.

[@noel3422]

Hard to tell on a les Paul, im a strat guy ha ha so nothing here for me even though i get that you posted which was first and l followed along.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Fair enough

[@user-ql1pc7pi9x]

If there was a difference, it wasn't noticeable enough to be worse or better. Stainless is just better. I can't think why people wouldn't think a much harder fret wouldn't be a no-brainer. I'm definitely getting my R8 refretted with stainless jumbos. Those lower and thinner frets are awful for bending - unless you're precise with the pressure, every bend.

[@justinpaquette224]

I love ss frets, have them on a bunch of guitars. I think guitar techs talk shit about them because they are way more work to install and harder on tools. But that wouldn't stop people from wanting them... So they say they don't sound good

[@f.duranleau4416]

Stainless steel frets are OK for some players but not for me. To my ears there is an annoying un-equable zing in the attack when using overdriven tones. I prefer the tone of time proven regular nickel silver frets like in the '50s... PRS, Gibson, Ronin and many other guitar makers don't offer stainless steel frets and there is a reason for that. All the music we enjoyed for the last 60 years was played on guitars equipped with nickel silver frets. Even though stainless steel frets may last longer, tone is more important to me than the duration of frets.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Where, specifically, do you hear a consistent zing to the tone in this video?

[@f.duranleau4416]

@@YeatzeeGuitar Hi! I hear the stainless steel frets zing in the driven bridge portion that starts at 5:35. When it switches to SS frets at 5:45, I hear the zing on the attack of the notes, especially in the higher register. But in the end, it's just a matter of taste. And Eddie Van Halen was using stainless steel frets which sounded good to him. And thanks for this fun and interesting video!

[@marcusenocsson4198]

more resonance and brightness with stainless steel. I don't see any reason why Gibson,Fender and PRS shouldn't adapt stainless steel on all guitars now when they are the domestic brands on the market. Even budget guitars has better quality than some custom built Gibsons nowadays so they really should follow the evolution. Refreting a neck is not cheap.

[@PaulLGuitar007]

I chew up frets. Period. I have a left hand like Hellboy. I've had my 99 American Strat and My Gibson Les Paul Standard both re-fretted with Stainless and I'm extremely happy with the results. The only way you can get a Fender with Stainless frets stock is to buy an Ultra. And as far as I know Gibson doesn't even offer stainless. WHY? I 1st tried out a Harley Benton for 400$ to see if I really wanted to re-fret my 2 favorite guitars with stainless. Sweetwater did both of my guitars and did a fabulous job. Now remember there are different grades of Stainless so don't be fooled.

[@alfatihalfatih-hk4yl]

nickel tone good, steinless tone bright and more treble

[@J.C...]

They aren't guaranteed to last longer for everyone. A guy I know wore divots into his in 2.x years.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

You don't think if he had regular frets they would be toast much faster?

[@montyellingsworth4982]

actually a good sounding guitar sounds good either way.

[@joeballs5669]

good video ! i don't like stainless

[@creepinonthebabes]

ss frets play better, if a little tone difference i cant tell. if there is, well thats what the eq is for.

[@Tonefiend]

I do a lot of stainless and nickel silver. To me the attack of the note is brighter. The feel is a lot slicker it’s like you said playing on freshly polished and crowned NS or as I like to say it like playing with power steering. With a good amp it can enhance the immediacy of the response almost as if your fingers are connected directly to the speaker cone or even if the note is a few milliseconds early. The downside can be acoustically a bit of rattle. Another consideration beyond new strings is how they’re installed. Whether they’re put in tight or loose. I’ve fixed many fret jobs that “ruined” a guitar. Put em in tight with glue clamped down. Tightness of frets is one of the way manufacturers control the sound quality between their lower level guitars and the higher end. Squires and Epis always benefit from having the frets glued. Nice work from what i heard I could hear a tone with more sustain and presence.

[@hage528]

Stainless steel is not as bad as I thought.

[@swangonzalez4797]

In a band setting it won't matter unless you care that much, which shouldn't be the case. They sound almost identical. The feel is definitely smoother on SS. But your heroes played on Nickel, duh. I think it all boils down to price. I would go for the cheaper Nickel. Unless you tour like a pro musician they should last a lifetime. Now if you want your guitar to outlive you, now why would you want that? Cant play it when your dead. If you dig the brighter sound SS give then go for it. But I'm staying with Nickel.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

I actually am pretty hard on NS frets, just about all of my guitars have some divots in them, and I've got a lot of guitars to rotate through!

[@bobmarsh8145]

Big difference, SS are much more forward and strident, less nuanced. I feel they are more for shred/ metal players who rely on speed and not feel

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Is this based off your experience or the video? Which excerpts specifically do you hear that?

[@ItsaCatsLife]

Myth busted.. Good job.

[@GCKelloch]

As well as being a tad brighter, the attack is just a bit "harder" sounding. It's pretty subtle. The tonal difference has been described as more "zing". That sounds right to me.

[@chocolatecookie8571]

Hearing it from my television I hear no difference. But if you haven’t installed the same fretsize I am not sure how trustworthy of a comparison video this is. SS frets are too hard for me. Strings gets dings at the fret positions.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

If you hear no difference you can conclude changing fret size and material doesn't change the tone enough to care. If you do hear a distinct consistent difference, then you can complain about the fret size not being exactly the same

[@chocolatecookie8571]

@@YeatzeeGuitar hmm, I can conclude that I hear no difference with your video but I heard enough other sound comparison examples where the difference was clearly noticable.

[@LfunkeyA]

the nickel sounds better, but not by much; maybe more 'different' than 'better'. EVO would probably be the best compromise tone-wise.

[@EXMORr]

Get Stainless Steel Frets They Are So Much Better You Can Play All Day and Night and Never Worry About Your Frets Again

[@aldersmoke1]

The difference is beyond negligible, especially once any drive/gain at all is applied.

[@noelzhu1986]

no difference...just use ss frets it lasts forever.

[@BruceBurger]

Since you didn't cut the strings ends on the nickel frets the guitar sounds looser than the ones with cut ends with stainless steel frets. 😅😅😅

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

😂

[@Hello_there_obi]

There should be no debate on this. It’s just people being too traditional and never having tried ss and forgetting that a refret comes with fresh strings which can sound brighter. SS feel way better and last longer. End of story. Debate is just from idiots and luthiers who want that refret cashflow 😂

[@Dyl-ki7sm]

There is literally zero reason to not use stainless steel frets.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Here here

[@BlueberryStinkFinger62]

Who cares Nickel has been around for decades...

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

..? Can't things be improved?

[@mojo9291]

Nickel sounds fuller with this setup. Steel sounds glassy in comparison.

[@acegibson9533]

I did hear a difference between the two. Neither of them sounded 'better' than the other. I think SS is the way to go.

[@bobrathunde8559]

I've been a guitar tech/player for almost 50 as well s being a sound engineer and all of my guitars now have stainless frets. I wont go into the many reasons but for those who say they sound so different I say bullsh!t!