I'm looking to put in a custom order for a K-Line Springfield. I'm having a tough time deciding on fret size. I currently have a American Special Tele with Jumbo frets (6100) and a Gibson Les Paul with an unknown fret size. It measures 0.090 wide and then varies around 0.050 tall and has a flatter top profile to it. I'm not sure which one I really prefer to be honest. I find it harder to slide up and down on my Les Paul but I'm not sure if this is due to the shape of the fret or more the fact it as that glossy lacquer backed neck compared to my Tele that has a satin back neck. My Les Paul is a little easier to play other things but this could be due to lower action and 24 3/4" scale length instead of 25.5". So basically I'm having a difficult time figuring out how much the fret shape and size are playing into what is easy or difficult. I can say I think even though there is more tension in my Tele strings, the bends feel like they have less friction sometimes perhapse this is due to the more pointed top on the fret versus the flatter gibson fret? Anyway I'm kind of looking between 6105 (0.090 x 0.055) or 6150 (.103 x .046). Seems like he 6105 is probably about the height of my frets on my guitars now BUT with a narrower profile than the tele so maybe more speed bump like? 6150 is a little shorter than my two electrics but I think is what is on a lot of american made tele's and strats and in the guitar stores I've never felt like that was a problem. For those that seem to be better at telling how these affect your playing what do you like about the fret size you have. What properties does it have that you appreciate it. Also side note I'm looking to get these in stainless for more longevity so I'm not too worried about having enough material to trim the frets often.
6105 is the way to go. tall and skinny, better intonation and playability. i just find jumbo, huge frets dumb
I like the skinny vintage style fender frets, with low action and a properly cut nut I find bending and intonation to be spot on. Chords ring true and clear and sliding around feels very slick.
6105. Narrow and tall. To me they're the best compromise possible on Fender style guitars (Strats and Teles).
As a general rule..the more relaxed you are with your playing...the taller you can go...the more you squeeze your fretboard like you are trying to extract oil or something the tall frets will make you go out of tune, so stay medium jumbo and lower....
Thanks for chiming in everyone. Sounds like the 6105 has an overwhelming majority of fans. I'm not too worried about pressing the note out of tune. I occasionally do it usually when I'm straining to play something out of my league but in general I have a pretty soft touch. I'm most concerned sliding power chords up and down will feel like hitting speed bumps. But I reckon the 6105 still has a nice conical shape on it. I think my Gibson feels speed bumpy because of the flat tops to the frets which make for a sharp break angle at the top of each. But this is theory and may not be true
I recently got an Ed O'Brien strat with a weird kind of 50's modern hybrid maple neck. Its a fairly chunky soft V at the nut, actually think it's the same as the Clapton with truss rod in the heel, 9.5 radius and the tall narrow frets and I absolutely love it. So I would go 6105
I don't really have a preference. Small fender frets are a no go. Tall skinny frets like 6105 style are good, but I have to get used to them. Until I do, they feel like speed bumps to me. It's all about the fret profile for me. My fingers like a smoother ramp up.
I also prefer 6105 (actually the EVO gold equivalent). I'm pleasantly surprised to see that so many others do as well. I assumed most people preferred the medium jumbo size which is what you tend to find stock on new guitars these days. I have no problem sliding chords on them. What's most important is how well they're recrowned after leveling.
I'm good with proper medium jumbo frets, but just about any size these days gets described as such. Vintage tall works well, but I don't like regular vintage frets, they're just too low. I hate the feel of wood when I'm bending.
I used to have a YJM with 6000 and very deep scallops. That fretboard was my favorite! What wrecked it for me was the glossy finish on the back, the absence of a 22nd fret, and the 9.5" radius rather than something flatter or compound. But for me the bigger the frets, the better, and almost all of my fretboards are scalloped, too! I've love to try a Gittler guitar one day, they go to the logical extreme that appeals to me: The neck is nothing but fret suspended on a rod:
