Topic: How often do y'all need fret work?

[Mike Brosnan]

Got a couple replies on IGS, but still fishin' for more feedback...

I bought a new Blueridge BR-163 about two years ago and have been playing it almost everyday since then.
This is my primary standard tuning guitar. I tend to play very aggressively with bare fingers. I keep it tuned down one whole step and capo a lot.
After this relatively short period of time, I've "toasted" a few of the first five frets (to quote the dude that checked it out last week).
It's scheduled for a fret dress or re-fret if necessary, but I'm just wonderin'...
How often do y'all "toast" yer frets? Is two years a normal period of time for serious fret wear?
I've only been playin' guitar for about 6 years and I played a shitty washburn dread for the first 4. Its frets are purty worn as well, but my attack has gotten more aggressive in the past two years...
Blah, blah... Anyway... Any thoughts appreciated...
Here's a couple clips of me an' the Blueridge (sometimes I pick a lot harder than this):

[waxwing]

Couple things will accelerate fret wear, but hard picking isn't one of them. Tuning with the capo on is one that will. Of course bending a lot will work a wide groove under the string. But judging from how much I think you play I don't think that two years is a ridiculously short time. When I bought my little Stella I had it refretted (DiMarzio wide ovals) and I guess it was around three years later that I needed to refret the top 5, which is probably all you'll need to do if a simple dressing isn't enough. Now, 3 years later, it looks like I might need to do the whole neck.

You might want to try to be aware of how hard you grip the chords, but aside from bending strings, merely fretting doesn't usually wear too much. It's movement that grinds them down.

I think it just means you are spending a lot of time with your guitar, and that's a good thing.

All for now.
John C.

[Mike Brosnan]

Thanks, Wax!  That's the kind o' support I needed.  I was afraid I'd have to stop picking so hard...

[Pan]

I'd like to add, since you are using a capo, the strength of the capo might be a consideration too.
Some people claim that using a too powerfull capo might chew your frets and make you go out of tune. For this, I like my new adjustable capo very much.

Nevertheless, it looks like your frets were made of a poor quality material. I have been playing a Taiwanese-made Yamaha LL6-series guitar almost daily ever since 1995, using a strong kyser spring capo, and have not yet had to refret).

Nice playing on the videos, as always

Pan

[uncle bud]

I wouldn't lighten up. I agree with Pan, seems like the fret material could be at least partly to blame. Perhaps a luthier will chime in.

Personally, I have only had to replace a couple frets on one guitar, once. Maybe I need to play more!  Or go check my frets...

[Richard]

Carry on pickin' and stuff the fret wear... it's like car a you need new tyres every once in a while.

[Rivers]

Are the worn frets actually causing a problem though? If not I'd leave them be. I have grooves all the way up to the 11th on my 1995 Martin. I was 'fretting' about it then realized it had absolutely no effect that I can feel, and a luthier buddy suggested that if it don't feel broke, don't fix it.

[Mike Brosnan]

There's been some buzzing going on for a while now and it's getting worse.  I had the truss rod adjusted last week and that helped a lil' bit, but we're thinkin' the frets are the main culprit here.  I hope a fret dress takes care of it...  I gotta save bucks for a Fraulini!!
Thanks y'all!

[Stuart]

There's been some buzzing going on for a while now and it's getting worse. 

Just my two cents, but you should also check the nut and the bridge while you're at it, as they wear as well. Tune to standard pitch and try to isolate all the fingerings and related places where buzzing occurs. Also do it when you are tuned down and when using a capo. You want to cover all of the possible combinations and permutations.  A luthier or repair tech who knows his or her way around guitars and how all the parts function together should be able to identify the problem(s)--and hopefully fix it/them.

[Mr.OMuck]

I like those buzzes! I have my main guitar a '63 D-18 for 41 years and no fret jobs.