Dean T - Posted - 03/19/2026:  16:47:00

I’m thinking about doing the first 5 frets on one of my banjos, with SS.



I recently had the first 4 frets of my open back banjo replaced, for deep grooves. My resonator banjo’s first 5 frets are getting close to needing the same thing. The crazy thing is that I play between the 5th and 10th frets as much as I play open positions, but my playing style there, is such that they wear only a teeny bit over years, and never develop the same grooves. Past the 10th fret just stays shined, with zero wear…and I play up there plenty too.



So… I don’t see any reason to spent time and $$$ past the 5th fret, when it’s not needed. However, I’m thinking of getting SS frets for the first 5 frets when the time comes. Is this a dumb idea, or is it a thing? Do they sound different enough to make a difference? Do they really last forever? It would sure be nice not to have to deal with fret wear for a long long time.

Edited by - Dean T on 03/19/2026 16:47:29

J.Albert - Posted - 03/19/2026:  17:06:32

I've only read comments from others about stainless steel frets. Some say they have a "harshness" to them.

Have you considered "gold evo" frets instead?

Gallaher - Posted - 03/19/2026:  18:16:54

I recently had all the frets changed on a D18 guitar best thing I ever did.
Bought the guitar 4 years ago, almost new, after 2 years the bottom frets were very worn. They were replaced and after another year those frets were very worn….beyond dressing.
Went to a different luthier who suggested stainless frets.
It’s been a year with stainless and they are like new still. The luthier did a beautiful job.

I’m skeptical of those who say they sound harsh. I hear no difference.
I don’t think you can buy evo frets anymore. Don’t think they are still manufactured.
I play a lot.

desert rose - Posted - 03/20/2026:  00:46:26

Replacing the first five frets is called a bluegrsss refret and common, MIXING frets is essentially nonsense, sorry. MANY MANY can not only hear the difference but feel it as well. Have not and wont jump on the stainless merry go round nonsense. If you want slightly harder frets JESCAR is a great source

Sunrise Lee - Posted - 03/20/2026:  10:59:29

I really like SS frets. I have them on my main banjo and 3 electric guitars. I really like the feel, and I haven't had any issues getting good sounds from my instruments. If you do decide to go that route you should probably replace all the frets as you will most likely never need a refret again. Like anything, try and find a banjo that might have them to try them out.

Dean T - Posted - 03/20/2026:  11:12:26

Thanks for the answers! I’ve never heard of JESCAR, and the luthier I used to use, mentioned something about no longer getting Evo fretwire, but I haven’t looked into that. The same luthier also said he has quit using SS frets, as it was too costly on his tools. The costs of a luthier doing the whole fretboard is prohibitive, so I’m considering doing it myself. Which is why I asked about just doing the first 5 frets, using SS, and be done with it. I’ll admit, I was hoping some folks would chime in and say is was a thing. Especially hearing Scott saying a “bluegrass refret” was common.

pinenut - Posted - 03/20/2026:  11:59:46

jescarmusic.com/collections/fret-wire

Zachary Hoyt - Posted - 03/20/2026:  12:22:00

I've never done a neck with a mix of stainless and nickel-silver, but I have never noticed a difference in how they sound or feel. If you're doing the work yourself it might be easier to start with nickel-silver, and then move on to stainless in a couple of years if you wear those frets out again. Stainless is much less convenient to work with, so if fret work is a new thing for you I would be hesitant to jump straight into it before getting comfortable with nickel silver first.

Dean T - Posted - 03/20/2026:  14:23:57

Thanks Kam!
Thanks Zach! I actually bought the tools and did a refret on a cheap banjo about 10 years ago for the experience. It wasn’t too bad. I took my other banjo to a luthier since it’s mint, and I wanted perfection… but this is my workhorse Sierra, with no neck binding, so it shouldn’t be too bad. I think the hardest part will be figuring out what size I have, and ordering the right stuff that will fit. I started looking at what’s available, and holy smokes!

awildman - Posted - 03/21/2026:  03:35:02

quote:

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Originally posted by desert rose

Replacing the first five frets is called a bluegrsss refret and common, MIXING frets is essentially nonsense, sorry. MANY MANY can not only hear the difference but feel it as well. Have not and wont jump on the stainless merry go round nonsense. If you want slightly harder frets JESCAR is a great source

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Don't you mean 'believe they can hear and feel'?  Because if their sensitivities are that acute, they are probably ntercepting radio waves and X-rays and other transmitted waveforms.

Dean T - Posted - 03/21/2026:  15:17:53

Next question, what is the exact size of Deering (Sierra) fret wire?



I thought this would be easy. Consult Deering.com, Google, or Google AI and get Deering fret wire dimensions, and then go to JESCAR and order some wire. Well, I haven’t succeeded in locating any exact Deering fret dimensions, and the JESCAR site shows all kinds of different dimensions, with wider or narrower tangs (.019”-.025”) and deeper or shallower tangs, etc. So I thought for sure StuMac would make things simpler… well, they have medium/medium, medium/higher, and medium/highest fret wire. Um, ok… All the tang depths are different, and all the tang widths are .023”. Are Deering fret slots .023”? I have no clue. If they are, what is their depth? Again, no clue. So, up to this point, I can’t order the proper fret wire, until I figure out the exact fret dimensions that Deering uses. Thanks for any enlightenment!

Edited by - Dean T on 03/21/2026 15:20:59

J.Albert - Posted - 03/21/2026:  15:36:52

One other thing about Deering...

Do they glue frets in, instead of hammering them in? Seems I read that someplace years ago.

I could be wrong.

Better find out, before you start working on it.

DSmoke - Posted - 03/21/2026:  17:28:27

A dial caliper will tell you the width. If you have one like StewMac sells, it will also tell you the height.

I thought most standard fret wire now is .020 in tang width. I have had to search out some with a wider tang for some banjos with old bar frets (off topic, sorry).

Dean T - Posted - 03/22/2026:  09:00:07

quote:

---

Originally posted by J.Albert

One other thing about Deering...

Do they glue frets in, instead of hammering them in? Seems I read that someplace years ago.

I could be wrong.

Better find out, before you start working on it.

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VERY GOOD POINT! Thanks! 

Another question I need to know the for sure answer for. I do have heat guns and soldering irons (I've read here about loosening up glue) but certainly don't want to screw up my fretboard. 

 

I think my next step will be an email to Deering to get the specs and pressed/glued information. I can't believe this isn't easily searchable info. I'm an old retired guy with minimum tools. I no longer have access to digital calipers precise enough to measure the tangs. As a retired jet mechanic who's blended, dressed, and sized thousands of compressor blades, I don't have any fear of sizing, installing, and dressing SS frets. I just need to get the right size wire, and remove the old frets without screwing anything up. 

Dean T - Posted - 03/22/2026:  09:08:16

quote:

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Originally posted by DSmoke

A dial caliper will tell you the width. If you have one like StewMac sells, it will also tell you the height.



I thought most standard fret wire now is .020 in tang width. I have had to search out some with a wider tang for some banjos with old bar frets (off topic, sorry).

---

Another thing confusing me, is the relationship between tang width, barb width, and fret slot width. When StuMac writes that their fretwire is designed for .023" slots... does this mean the tang needs to be .023", and the barbs compress to that dimension? Or slightly smaller, and rely on barb compression to hold them in place? 

Edited by - Dean T on 03/22/2026 09:09:17

Helix - Posted - 03/22/2026:  19:59:17

Hey Dean. All the Django players refret with stainless as often as they desire. They come and play at Fiddler's Dream and they use the whole neck usually on every song.

If you wish to refret with stainless, I would never insult you, do what is necessary for your style.

Evo Gold is a metallurgy formula that was looking for something else to make with the same metal and instrument frets were what came up .

As stated recently I have about 90 feet of it for certain special circumstances and occasions and you are definitely one of those in my special ballpark where we play "Build It and He Will Come."

It is gold colored, not bronze colored and it needs flattening, and it's harder than heck to dress, but definitely worth it.

Contact me off forum with address and how much you need and I'll send you some. Hasn't anyone printed a banjo yet?

 

RBuddy - Posted - 03/23/2026:  08:32:01

I'd love to see a stainless/nickle double blind test on tone and feel.

I expect the feel to be more noticeable because stainless is going to feel more slippery and allows bends more easily.

I don't build a lot of instruments, banjos and guitars, but use stainless on everything unless specifically requested to use nickle. I used Evo on a couple guitars but didn't like the look after a year - they just looked dull to me.

I've had no complaints about the stainless and I've sold instruments to some very discriminating players.

Even before I bought tools specifically for stainless I found I could easily get 4 instruments fretted on a set of end nippers and a good 6" file before I swapped them out. Even considering that, it only added a cost of maybe $10 per instrument in fret wear on tools. I don't consider that a big deal.

I also didn't notice it taking much longer to install stainless. With a good file and nippers there isn't a lot of difference. Old tools, worn files will make the install take longer.

Dean T - Posted - 03/23/2026:  19:48:21

quote:

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Originally posted by Helix

...As stated recently I have about 90 feet of it for certain special circumstances and occasions and you are definitely one of those in my special ballpark where we play "Build It and He Will Come."

 

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Thank you very much Larry I'm honored, but my plan is to go with SS, and do the first 5 frets, and play. If I can hear a difference that would make me keep going, I'll finish out the fretboard, if not, I'll already be done. I'm curious now! 

mikehalloran - Posted - 03/24/2026:  23:30:30

The player might hear a difference because our heads are closer to the neck but audiences don't.



My hand has the Vulcan Death Grip because of my decades as an upright bassist. Because of my extra-heavy touch, none of my instruments have ever needed frets replaced, many with thousand of hours playing school assemblies on them.

Frank Ford, Rick Turner and I were collaborating on an in-depth article proving that a light touch accelerates fret wear, the exact opposite of what "everybody knows". But my left arm became crippled, Rick never got us the high speed photographs we needed before he passed away, then Frank passed away so that article was never written.

Anybody into high speed photography? There's a magazine still interested in that article.