Stainless vs Evo

djspecialist

I'm about to have an electric guitar re-fretted, but I can't decide whether to go for stainless steel or Jescar Evo.

It currently has nickel silver frets, but I'd like something a bit more slippery / less gritty.  Should I go all the way for SS, or Evo which I understand is more of a middle ground?

I know the colour of Evo is a bit divisive.  I'm not really a fan of gold in general, but this guitar happens to have gold hardware - so I think Evo would actually fit in pretty well aesthetically.

DefaultM

I've not tried evo. Whats the price difference for each fitted?

Corvus

I like Evo Gold. Honestly don't notice the colour hardly, get used to it quickly. 3 of mine currently here have it, one I've played loads in the last 18 months with no fret wear showing at all.

djspecialist

DefaultM said:

I've not tried evo. Whats the price difference for each fitted?

My luthier said he would do NS or Evo for the same price.

Corvus said:

I like Evo Gold. Honestly don't notice the colour hardly, get used to it quickly. 3 of mine currently here have it, one I've played loads in the last 18 months with no fret wear showing at all.

Does Evo still tarnish and need periodic polishing?

Corvus

It looks about the same to me bar slight shine on fret tops from polishing action. I'd say it dulls less than nickel silver. Haven't had to polish them. I do use string cleaner pad, maybe that helps, but haven't thought of tarnishing as a thing till you mention it.

Corvus

PS if you want pop over and have a nose, I'm in Impington, yer welcome.

DefaultM

If there's a big difference to jump up to stainless then id try the evo gold.
I love stainless but it is pretty expensive compared to a regular refret.

crunchman

My main Strat will need refretting soon.  I have a tendency to be quite heavy on frets as I grew up playing an acoustic with a nasty set up, so I press too hard.  I've been toying with the idea of stainless, but the Jescar may be an option as it seems to be harder than conventional fretwire.

I would also be interested to hear people's experience.

vincechu89

I’m currently loving the SS on my Suhr, I play everyday and the frets look as new still, compared to guitars with nickel or other materials, I’m not convinced that they nake guitars sound more hi-fi or trebly as others may have reported. I’d say go for SS as they will last for ever and feel great, but perhaps try a guitar with SS first? Perhaps a Suhr or Music Man in a store close to you?

djspecialist

Corvus said:

PS if you want pop over and have a nose, I'm in Impington, yer welcome.

That's a very kind offer!  Which gauge(s) of Evo wire did you use?

Fez

I've been looking at fretwire this week and this Jescar EVO stuff does sound interesting.

Corvus

djspecialist said:

Corvus said:

PS if you want pop over and have a nose, I'm in Impington, yer welcome.

That's a very kind offer!  Which gauge(s) of Evo wire did you use?

No worries! Actually slight miscount, 5 here in Evo Gold but 2 going elsewhere not finished yet.
Two jumbo, two medium jumbo equivalents, and one in a wee skinny vintage size.

Boromedic

I've had normal NS, stainless, and currently have normal Jescar on my main guitar. The NS is softest, normal Jescar slightly harder wearing than that, and the stainless harder still obvs. I've been impressed with how hard wearing normal Jescar is though.

If I was going to refret a guitar now I'd go stainless personally even with the extra cost. They do have more zing and are brighter acoustically when you're playing unplugged in a room, but naff all difference plugged into an amp. They are great for bends, nice and slippy, and showed hardly any wear after 18 months playing. They will tarnish very slightly if left unplayed for a while but polish up easily enough.

Roland

Personally I’d go for jescar. My experience is that stainless does have more zing, but that can be irritating if you play a lot of legato.

I believe @GSPBASSES uses jescar

DefaultM

Perhaps does the zinginess come from how its installed? I've got 4 guitars with SS. The ones I had it installed on I don't notice any change in tone with how they used to be. My Parker Nitefly on the other hand has a definite 'ping' sound unplugged.

Roland

There are different grades of stainless steel. The Parker ping is particularly noticeable. I guess that’s a combination of the frets and the resonance of the fibre/resin neck.