You wouldn’t think of a guitar’s frets as something that would be worth paying attention to, but these precision strips of metal are what make it possible to play guitar so precisely and so easily. They are also the part of a guitar that takes the most wear and tear.
If you’ve been playing for a while, you’ve likely experienced the pain of playing on a guitar with badly worn frets. You can try to compensate for this by pressing harder on the strings, but that’s not ideal. You’re better off buying a guitar with well-cared-for frets. In this guide, we’ll walk you through what to look for when shopping for a new guitar as well as how to care for your guitar’s frets.
Read on for our best electric guitar frets.
Our Editor’s Best Electric Guitar Frets Reviews
- 24 medium jumbo pre-cut frets for guitar fingerboards
- Pre-radiused to 7" for guitar fingerboards with 9.5” radius
- Measurements: .046" tall, .103” wide, 2 7/16” long
- Material: nickel-silver
- Made in Japan
- Six feet of beautiful, durable 18% nickel-silver fret wire - the most popular size for acoustic guitars
- Great for acoustic & electric guitars, dulcimers, banjos, cigar box guitars & more
- Six feet is more than enough for any standard guitar; 12-inch lengths with a slight radius
- Great for new guitar building or guitar repair work!
- Size Specs: Crown Width: .084-inch (2.13mm); Crown Height: .039-inch (0.99mm); Tang Depth: .055-inch (1.40mm). Recommended Tang Width: .023-inch
- Six feet of beautiful, durable, top-quality 18% nickel-silver fret wire
- Great for acoustic & electric guitars, banjos, cigar box guitars & more
- Six feet is enough for any guitar, comes in 8-inch pre-radiused lengths for ease of install
- Great for new building or repair work
- Crown Width: .090" (2.29mm); Crown Height: .055" (1.40mm); Tang Depth" .062" (1.47mm). Recommended Slot Width: .023"
- EASY TO INSTALL: Easy to install and remove.
- PREMIUM MATERIAL: This item is made of quality copper, high strength and durable.
- FINE MACHINING: Fine machining ensures sleek surface and edge of the fret crown, won't harm the fretboard and strings.
- GREAT ACCESSORY: 48 pcs for sale, enough for replacing all fret wires on your guitar. Useful accessory for guitar lovers.
- Customer Service: YINPINER always adheres to the principle of customer first service, if you have any questions, you can contact us.
- Fit for ST,Tele, LP, SG electric or acoustic guitar
- Beautiful, durable Stainless Steel fret wire;A complete set of 24pcs fret wires
- Material: Stainless steel; Color: Chrome
- Size Specs:A: Crown Width:2.9mm(0.114 inch); B:Fret Height:3mm(0.118 inch); C: Crown Height:1.3mm (0.051 inch); D: Tang Height:1.7mm(0.067 inch); E: Tang Width:0.6mm(0.024 inch); F: Stud Width:0.95mm(0.037 inch);Stud Space:2.5mm(0.098 inch)
- Package Includes: 24 x Guitar Frets
- Made of Nickel/Silver alloy
- Contains 24 frets straightened and precut to 2-5/8
- Easy to bend for curved fingerboards
- Item Package Dimension: 10.699999989085999L x 3.99999999592W x 1.0999999988780003H inches
- Item Package Weight - 0.14999999987421142 Pounds
- FINE WORKMANSHIP:Made of high-quality cupronickel copper, strong and durable.Fine workmanship ensures smooth appearances and edges without damaging sts.
- SMOOTH APPEARANCE:Fine machining ensures smooth appearance and edge of the fret crown, won't harm the fretboard and sts. Including 24pcs different length guitar fret wires, can meet your needs.
- OUTSTANDING DURABILITY:High glossiness appearance, exquisite workmanship, little flaw is existing.Cupronickel material, prevention, outstanding durability, difficult to deform.
- GUITAR ACCESSORY:Great accessory for your electric guitar.Good quality with reasonable price, you are worth it.Including 24pcs fret wire, perfect replacement for the old or damaged one.
- GOOD ACCESSORIES:Good fret wire accessories with stable performance for electric guitar.Simple design, easy to install and remove.
- Wide Fretwire for Modern Guitars: 0.110" width, ideal for string bending and used on many electric guitars and basses.
- Pre-Cut & Pre-Radiused: Fits popular fretboard radii (7.25", 12", and 16") for quick and easy installation.
- Ready to Use: Pre-cleaned and cut to 2.75" (70mm) for faster fret jobs and improved shop efficiency.
- Durable 18% Nickel-Silver Alloy: High-quality material trusted by luthiers and repair shops for years.
- Available in Bulk: Purchase by the foot or by the pound for larger projects and consistent supply.
- Cuts overtones, open string vibrations, and noise
- For live performance and studio recording
- Small fits 4-string basses, 6-string electric and acoustic guitars, and ukuleles
- Application-These guitar fret wires fit for electric guitar and electric bass.
- These guitar fret wires are made of brass material, high strength and toughness, anti- and .
- Beautiful Appearance-Premium guitar fret wire with bright and beautiful appearance.
- Easy to Install-Each set comes with 24pcs fret wires, easy to install and use.
- Replacement Parts-Guitar replacement parts for guitar enthusiasts and professionals.
Best Electric Guitar Frets Buying Guide
Before choosing the best electric guitar frets you should consider following options:
1. Neck: Neck woods typically fall into three categories: maple, mahogany and rosewood. Maple necks are often seen on electric guitars. This wood is relatively hard and has a bright, sharp tone.
If you’re looking for a more mellow, warmer tone, you may want to consider a mahogany neck. This wood is typically sought after for acoustic guitars, but it’s also used on electric guitars.
Most of the electric guitars on the market today use a neck with a combination of maple and mahogany.
Rosewood is a softer wood and is typically sought after for its warm tone. The exception is ebony, which is a very dense, brittle wood that produces a very bright tone.
2. Fingerboard: Most fingerboards on electric guitars are made of rosewood or ebony.
Though ebony is a softer wood that produces a brighter tone, rosewood is typically more affordable.
3. Frets: Frets are typically made of nickel-silver or stainless steel. The main differences between the two is that stainless steel produces a brighter tone while nickel-silver produces a warmer tone.
If you’re looking to produce a brighter tone, you may want to consider stainless steel frets. If you’re looking for a warmer tone, you may want to consider nickel-silver frets.
4. Number of frets: The number of frets on an electric guitar typically ranges from 22 to 24.
Typically, guitars with smaller necks will have 22 frets, while guitars with larger necks will have 24 frets.
5. Radius: The radius of the fingerboard typically ranges from 7.5 to 12 inches. A smaller radius produces a brighter tone, and a larger radius produces a warmer tone.
More likely than not, your electric guitar will probably have a radius somewhere in the middle.
6. String spacing: String spacing on electric guitars typically falls into two categories: equal and offset.
Offset string spacing produces a brighter tone, while equal string spacing produces a warmer tone.
7. Pickups: Pickups come in all different shapes and sizes. Typically, they fall into two categories: single coil or humbucker.
Single coil pickups typically produce a brighter tone while humbuckers typically produce a warmer tone.
8. Pickup selector switch: Your pickup switch is essentially the on/off switch for your pickups. Typically, a pickup switch will have three positions: neck, bridge and off.
If you have single coil pickups, you’ll typically have a tone knob to control the tone of the neck pickup. If you have humbucker pickups, you may not have a tone knob.
9. Bridge: Your bridge is essentially the backbone of your electric guitar. It’s what supports all of your strings and produces the tone.
There are typically three types of bridges on electric guitars: fixed, tremolo and floating.
Fixed bridges are typically used on solidbody electric guitars. A fixed bridge typically produces a brighter tone.
If you’re looking to produce a warmer tone, you may want to consider a tremolo or floating bridge.
10. Pickup selector switch: Your pickup switch is essentially the on/off switch for your pickups. Typically, a pickup switch will have three positions: neck, bridge and off.
If you have single coil pickups, you’ll typically have a tone knob to control the tone of
What else you should know about electric guitar frets
1. What’s the best electric guitar fret material?
There is no definitive answer to this question as different players have different preferences. Some common materials used for electric guitar frets include stainless steel, nickel, and brass.
2. How do I know if my electric guitar frets are too high?
You can tell if your electric guitar frets are too high if they are causing the strings to buzz when you play. You can also check the height of the frets by measuring them with a ruler. The frets should be level with each other and should not be higher than the surrounding metal.
3. How do I know if my electric guitar frets are too low?
If your electric guitar frets are too low, you will likely notice that they are harder to press down and that your strings buzz when you play. You may also find that your guitar is harder to tune and that it stays in tune less well. If you notice any of these issues, it is likely that your frets are too low and you should have them adjusted.
4. How do I clean my electric guitar frets?
There are a few different ways that you can clean your electric guitar frets. One way is to use a soft cloth and some guitar polish. Another way is to use a toothbrush and some soapy water.
5. How do I protect my electric guitar frets?
There are a few things you can do to protect your electric guitar frets:
1. Use a fretboard conditioner. This will help to keep the frets from drying out and becoming brittle.
2. Use a fretboard protector. This will help to keep the frets from being scratched or damaged.
3. Use a guitar case. This will help to keep the guitar from being damaged in transit.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best electric guitar frets. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best electric guitar frets will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.