Quote:
Originally Posted by Pualee
Seeing other fret threads... I changed strings on Monday. For the first time ever, I noticed that I have grooves in the frets near the headstock. I play mostly rhythm in the first position, but I never considered what I do to be heavy usage. This is my first and only acoustic, for about 2 years.
I'm wondering if it is a symptom of cheap metal (low cost guitar) or normal. I've been looking for an excuse to upgrade... but I was curious about it too.
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Softer frets will wear more quickly than harder frets. That is why some players choose stainless steel or evo fretwire. Those fretwires usually incur an "upcharge" when refretting.
Also, a heavy left hand will wear frets more quickly than a light left hand.
It is common for a guitar to require its first fret dressing after only 2 to 3 years of playing. However, after subsequent fret dressings, the crown (while rounded) will be a "flatter" round than the original fret, so fret wear will be slower than when the frets were fresh.