Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

ok, is there a stainless steal rw (45-105) string thats less harmful to the frets ?? thanks
oh yea, the chrome brass hipshot is on the way!!

dr strings advertise "they will not eat your frets",and i have found this to be true. stainless steel roundcore hi beams are what you want for your rick,although i prefer the nickel version (sunbeams). they are great strings,very consistent. if you need more tension/stiffness,dr low riders are great,available in both ss and nickel.

I've now got DR Hi-Beams (40-100) on my '75 4001 after many years of Rotosound use. I want to cut down on fret wear too. I like the feel and sound of the DR strings very much and they do seem a little smoother. They seem to stay sounding good for longer too. I tried Lo-Riders briefly and they sounded great but had too much tension for my bass. I may try sunbeams at some stage.

It is my belief that a lot (if not all) fret wear is caused by oxide build-up on the frets: the oxide acts as an abrasive to wear down the frets, rather than the abrasive being the strings themselves (although oxides built up on the strings could also contribute, but SS strings should not oxidize under normal use conditions). I always wipe down the frets when I do a string change and if I see any blackish oxide on the cloth, I use a little metal polish (like Maas) to clean the frets before restringing. Just my opinion as a chemist.

i hadn't heard that before. i also use stainless steel rw on my warwick but i believe the frets are made of bronz/silver. thanks for the feedback folks.

I always wondered about those Warwick frets. Do they tend to wear faster being softer material? Of course, this is assuming they are softer than standard fretwire.

the bronze/silver frets are supposed to be stronger and improve resonance and sustain. i've heard it said bronze & silver is what they make bells out of. the frets will tarnish after a while.