Question for the vintage gurus about frets

From a vintage collecting viewpoint. What do you think about refretting a 50's les paul with stainless steel frets? Are original size nickel frets a must or is it arbitrary?

You know I'm not a guru, and we've already spoken some of this, but I'll give my opinion and do with it what you will :laugh2: .

I refretted my 57 Jr with stainless steel frets this summer (larger than the original banjo frets). The main reason I chose SS was that I was hoping that I would never have to refret this guitar again. An addad bonus was the smooth feel that these frets give.

Granted, this guitar isn't as valueable and rare as your Goldtop, so the decision is probably harder in your case. I personally don't think I'll ever refret with anything other than SS on future guitars (based on my experience with the Jr). But who knows, maybe I'll feel different when the guitar in question is a 50's standard.

BTW, I wanted to get this opinion in here, as I'm sure a lot of people will feel the other way. A popular opinion is that SS alters (and according to some destroys) the tone of the guitar. This wasn't my personal experience, but lets hear from the gurus .

I have a '56 Custom that I had re-fretted with normal Dunlop jumbo frets, and within a year they started developing divots.

This was really disappointing to me, so I think for the next re-fret I will try SS frets. :jim

I just had a vintage LP Special refretted with Stainless Steel Jescar 47104.

I will never use anything else! I have two with this wire on now and it's just the best thing I have ever done to a guitar.

Just put the frets on it that suit you and your style. I don't think one refret would devalue a guitar more or less than another refret with different wire.

Rob.

Thanks for your input. To me steel frets are better when it comes to playing and they last forever.

But I haven't a clue how steel frets affects the "vintage factor". A puritan or collector might think it will destroy the guitar?

Highway Star said:

Thanks for your input. To me steel frets are better when it comes to playing and they last forever.

But I haven't a clue how steel frets affects the "vintage factor". A puritan or collector might think it will destroy the guitar?

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Not a guru by any means, but think of it this way: you have two guitars, same year, same condition, both play well and sound good, one has original frets in at least playable shape, one has been refretted. The one that's been refretted will be worth less than the one with original frets, all things being equal. Doesn't matter if the replacement frets are stainless steel or squished-together tin cans, although you might be able to lessen the impact if you can credibly demonstrate they're NOS Gibson frets from the correct year - but that's a tough thing to prove, and, as the saying goes, the simpler the story, the easier the sell.

At the low end of the price spectrum, the difference isn't so much. At the high end, it starts being significant - in absolute dollars or pounds, although not necessarily in terms of percentage of the value of the instrument.

As I said, not a guru, just my understanding of the situation.

tooold said:

Not a guru by any means, but think of it this way: you have two guitars, same year, same condition, both play well and sound good, one has original frets in at least playable shape, one has been refretted. The one that's been refretted will be worth less than the one with original frets, all things being equal. Doesn't matter if the replacement frets are stainless steel or squished-together tin cans, although you might be able to lessen the impact if you can credibly demonstrate they're NOS Gibson frets from the correct year - but that's a tough thing to prove, and, as the saying goes, the simpler the story, the easier the sell.

At the low end of the price spectrum, the difference isn't so much. At the high end, it starts being significant - in absolute dollars or pounds, although not necessarily in terms of percentage of the value of the instrument.

As I said, not a guru, just my understanding of the situation.

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As I understand it a re-fret does not affect the value if the job is done in a good way. Don't know if this includes stainless steal frets though.

Another question is if vintage collectors generally think that stainless steal frets alters the instrument to much? I don't know about the general opinion among collectors but in my opinion a refret is a refret and ss frets are way better