Bass Fretwire size

[Volitions Advocate]

If I were planning to build a bass.. just hypothetically so that my wife doesn't think I could be serious about it or anything....  Would it be prudent to use the same fretwire I use on my guitar builds?

I do not play bass, but I want to learn how to do it properly, and I might as well build a W for my first one.  My warmoths have the SS6105 on them,  should I keep up with that?  Is there such a thing as fretwire for guitar vs. bass?

 

[amigarobbo]

Err... I like little frets on both.

I hope that helps.


Personal taste and all that, but you won't know that till you've tried it. I had a bass that had been converted to fretless, unconverted back to fretted with SS6105* felt pretty borderline standard/large for bass frets to me.

You'd be fine with them. unless you're one of those weirdos who likes em' chunky or small.


* Personally I would have preferred SS6230, but it wasn't historically accurate.**

** to be fair the original frets weren't Stainless steel either, but hey, I don't want to change them my grandchildren to change them again.

 

[Fat Pete]

Yep, IMHO It's just preference. I have 6150 on my Warmoth P and that plays very well indeed. TBH, on guitar, I don't notice much difference between 6105 and 6150 (but then you haven't heard/seen me play).

I have one fretted with 6130 and that certainly feels different - almost fretless feeling on a bass I should think. I've not been quite brave enough to try 6100 and I'm not sure I've heard of people using the big stuff on basses - possible intonation issues with the extra string wrangling needed I suppose, but could allow more expressive playing if you have a light/accurate touch.

 

[AndyG]

I've got 6150 frets on both my Deluxe 5 Jazzes, and they feel "just right" for me.  They seem to be a little bigger than what Fender offers on their basses ... I've got a MIM Fender Jazz 5 as well, and those frets are a little smaller.

It really is personal taste.

 

[Cagey]

I'm not a bass player, but it seems like a lot of them have larger frets. I don't know if fret size helps/hinders playability on a bass as much as it does on a regular guitar; I suspect it's just for wear resistance and maintenance. A wider/taller fret will wear more slowly and can take more leveling/re-crowning cycles just because there's more metal there to work with. And by "larger", I don't mean it's a special bass fret, it's just a wider/taller fretwire like you'd also use on a regular guitar if you wanted to have that feel/control.

I do know that no matter what size you settle on, the wire should be stainless or EVO (gold). There's no change in tonal character to worry about, they're easier to play on and you won't have to worry about maintenance for a very long time, if ever.

 

[Volitions Advocate]

Oh I'm a hopeless convert to the church of stainless steel fretwire.

I always find that I don't really know what I want and I just try something.  Then it becomes my thing.  I could go with SS6150 instead of 6105 "just cause" somebody here said it works great for them.  Then I like it and it becomes my favorite thing... who knows.

It is nice to hear everybody's opinions though.

 

[Cagey]

I agonized over my first stainless fretted neck. Had no idea what to expect - opinions varied widely. Turned out to be one the best things to happen to guitars since locking tuners. Now the only fretwire I stock here is stainless and EVO.

 

[amigarobbo]

Oh, yeah, I'd always recommend Stainless Steel, feels nicer and lasts.

But as regards what size fret wire you'd prefer to play, to quote Merlin

Looking at the cake is like looking at the future, until you've tasted it what do you really know? And then, of course, it's too late!

 

[AutoBat]

I got my bass neck with SS6105 because I was replacing a vintage style neck that had itty bitty frets that my fingers didn't like fretting properly.

I have SS6150 & SS6105 on my guitars. I honestly can't discern the difference, but I like 'em.

 

[swarfrat]

Warmoth is for when you know what you want, and can't find it on the rack. I wouldn't custom build a sax to learn, how would you know it was right? How would you know what you like.

 

[Volitions Advocate]

I know I like Spectors.  :dontknow:

I also know I like Warmoth.

 

[DustyCat]

Bass Fretwire on a guitar?
IS HE MAD???