Why I don't like wide frets

Wide frets... those wider than 0.080" and why I don't like them.
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[@NewPraetorianBlues]

Very good insight, thanks for sharing

[@stevepelham9010]

It is very pleasing to hear an pro:s statement that goes along with my own experience.

[@dwoodinnyc]

Hmm, another great tid bit of Info. Who woulda thought. Thanks for the knowledge Bryan!

[@kristopherk5454]

Really just comes down to crown. I do agree with why even have wide frets in the first place. Maybe there is some advantage to having the wide frets with a longer rolled rear contact surface to hold the string solid so the energy is kept in the vibrating length.

[@Bryankimsey]

That's a good point and maybe that's why I hear a less crisp sound...more low overtones are retained? I should throw fat and skinny frets against the frequency analyzer and see if there's a difference.

[@kristopherk5454]

Now this is getting scientific!

[@LucasHaneman]

I also prefer vintage style fretz as I feel there’s a lot less in the way between my hand and the string if that makes any sense. The only issue I have is because I play all over the neck and solo affair bit with vibrato, I get little grooves in my G strings on acoustic after about a month on a set of strings, and the same thing on electric with my D strings after about a month of playing on a set of strings. I don’t have a heavy left hand, but I just move around the neck a lot so I find with vintage style Frets this is more noticeable than with wider larger fret wire. I still prefer vintage style fret wire for intonation though. Stainless steel or evo are what I prefer now if I’m getting a guitar refretted, even if string wear happens just a little faster.

[@Bryankimsey]

You still get fret wear with SS or Evo? I've only ever had one customer- a pro banjo player- wear out SS frets. And, of course, there's always exceptions. I don't like wide frets but there's cases where they are okay. I'd just always keep them crowned and, me, I don't hesitate to replace JUST the worn frets and do a partial fret job.

[@LucasHaneman]

@@Bryankimsey sorry for the miscommunication. No fret wear just slightly earlier string wear. The Fretz remain perfect though. I had a telecaster style made with SS in March 2019 and it still has no fret wear at all. Love it! That one has medium sized SS but I had one of my Stratocaster style guitars refretted with jescar vintage sized, stainless about a year and a half ago and it’s great as well. On this guitar, because the crowns are tighter, I realize a little more of that string where, but it’s nothing major. Had my first EVOO gold experience on an acoustic, and I’ve been using them for about one year now. Also, liking them a lot.

[@Bryankimsey]

Ahhh... I can totally see STRING wear with SS. I have Evo on my #1 Telecaster but it's also a G/B Bender and so I'm doing slightly less actual bending on it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZeldpmvYt5_grs

[@LucasHaneman]

Oh cool!

[@12to3Guitars]

Legitimately never thought of this. I always thought 6100 was the way to go. Taller and wider. Well now I'm going to try a new neck with tall NARROW frets and see how it goes! Unfortunately, now I need to buy a new crowning file for that width. C'est la vie.

[@Bryankimsey]

You might try your current file first. I use the Stew Mac diamond "medium/wide" interchangeably.

[@12to3Guitars]

@@Bryankimsey oh that's great! I have the stewmac dual grit diamond files in both medium and wide.

[@flapjack413]

The Stewmac 0148 has long been my favorite fretwire. It's .084" wide with a .039" crown height. I mainly build/play electrics, so I haven't really noticed any difference in frequency when I've refretted with it. I'm sure the sonic characteristics are much more noticeable on acoustic instruments. I just prefer the feel and the more accurate intonation of narrower wire.

[@Bryankimsey]

StewMac 148 was my go-to for a long time until I got a Jescar dealer account and now I use their 043080 size most of the time. .043" t x .080" w. I still use 148 for partital refrets where I need to match wire. So you notice the intonation on electrics? Interesting because I think that's where the wide wire thing actually came from.

[@michaelmcinnis911]

Another great video - thanks. Your fret wire preference is very much based on physics and real world experience. Just checked one of my Martins - yep, fret wire measures 0.079. Which makes me wonder why Larrivee decided a few years ago to switch to wider fret wire on their acoustics - I just measured a 2021 Larrivee: 0.102 on one fret; 0.101 on another! Just doesn't make sense to me... unless they think it's a selling point that the frets won't wear out as fast - but they'll just go out of intonation!

[@Bryankimsey]

I really have no idea except that people just repeat the same information over and over. I'd really like to know if there was a reasoning behind the fatter frets or not. Huss/Dalton has them, too.

[@cugir321]

I like the gibson style frets. .055 high, .090 wide.

[@thepokerpilotapp]

Ugh! Now I’ve gotta go measure my frets. Adding another attribute to the BK model guitar. 1. Long Saddle 2. Large Sound Hole 3. Flat Neck 4. Thin Fret

[@Bryankimsey]

I'm sure all of yours are fine or I would've mentioned it.

[@gavendelrio9193]

I prefer the look of a wide fret although that really doesn’t matter haha. Personal preference.

[@Bryankimsey]

Looks are critical to good sound!! 🙂

[@guitarwonder7016]

Makes a lot of sense the direction of a fret crown impacting the intonation! Good tip!! Its almost obvious once you point it out lol

[@HayesTech]

Great video and I completely agree. I'm one that likes thinner frets too. I also like the feel of the thinner fret. My 65 Texan has some wide frets...lol

[@Bryankimsey]

A Texan I did a long time ago: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6WoXoSja919gJo