Why won't PRS offer Stainless frets?

[alantig]

+1 DreamTheater rules.

And he's not Rich. Which is good, because Rich can be Dick.

 

[László]

Les,

Yeah, but back when we could actually go out to places, when was the last time you were in some hellhole bar or club seeing some weekend warriors or upcoming young band play a gig? Yeah, you know some stuff about studios and "pros". But, what about everyone else? There aren't a lot of PRS out in the wild. There never has been. I probably have seen as many Parker Flys as PRS and Flys haven't been made in a few years now. There are multiple sides to this coin. You just have your tunnel vision going on. I never said that PRS didn't have any acceptance. They do. It's just not as much as you think it is.

When I think of young bands and studio players, I'll grant you, I'm not thinking about weekend warriors, because that's a side of the music business I don't follow, though I do know more than my share of "baby bands" that have label interest or inked deals.

My response that offended you was made in response to your comment, that "PRS has given up on catering to the performance crowd and is making their market the casual hobbyists with money to burn who want something that plays well and looks good (or luxury) at the same time."

That simply isn't true. They've been catering to the serious pros out there more than ever, and that has contributed to making the brand more respected.

I can talk about the older collector types, because I know plenty of them via this site, though I'm not a collector. I can talk about serious session and touring pros from experience. I can talk about my own pro needs (just used my PRS gear on another national ad campaign). Of course I can't account for guys playing at some bar or 'hellhole', but your remarks were about the folks you think PRS is catering to, namely hobbyists.

That's verifiably false.

One thing to be aware of is the level of support Fender, in particular, can afford to give these up and coming bands. It's off the charts, and it's costly to do it. In comparison to Fender, PRS is a much smaller company.

That's as far as I'll go with this. But I'm pretty sure I know what I'm talking about.

I'd like to add one thing: Being older does not necessarily mean being clueless.

 

[aphantomvaper]

If a Silver Sky in Silver finish had Stainless Steel frets it would be an SS S SS

 

[DISTORT6]

If a Silver Sky in Silver finish had Stainless Steel frets it would be an SS S SS

If it was a ship it would be the S.S. SS S SS.

 

[alantig]

If it was a ship it would be the S.S. SS S SS.

And if it was owned by your Spanish friend's 1970s gas station, the ship would be ese's Esso's S.S. SS S SS.

 

[László]

And if it was owned by your Spanish friend's 1970s gas station, the ship would be ese's Esso's S.S. SS S SS.

This joke is starting to acquire a Singularly Stinky, Stale Smell. Simply sayin'.

 

[alantig]

This joke is starting to acquire a Singularly Stinky, Stale Smell. Simply sayin'.

So you're saying "ese's Esso's S.S. SS S SS" has a SSSS?

 

[László]

So you're saying "ese's Esso's S.S. SS S SS" has a SSSS?

If Himmler's SS drove old Camaro SS' using Ese's Esso SS SS S SS that has a SSSS, then it would be an SS SS Ese's Esso SS SS S SS that has a SSSS.

However, I'm not going to give Himmler's SS the Satisfaction of participating in this Ese's Esso SS SS S SS that has an SSSS Symposium. I say this based on Societal Standards.

Therefore, I'm going to claim the high ground and say it's the non-SS SS using Ese's Esso SS SS S SS that has an SSSS because SS.

Antidisestablishmentarianism is still a word, isn't it?

 

[Tonart]

 

[RAM Engineer]

I'm now absolutely solid on Stainless on any new purchase. I own 11 have 3 with Stainless and those 3 are my main players. With nickle I will dess every 3 or so years and refret ever 10 or so. I own several that i have had over 20 and have to rotate them to keep fret wear down. The Stainless fret guitars I have yet to see any wear on at all. On a standard fret guitar they at first feel similar to stainless but wont last long and will quickly begin to degrade. I simply will not continue to fight this so no Stainless frets no new PRS guitars period no discussion no movement on my end. I'm not paying 3 K plus then doing a refret.
BTW my 07 Custom 24 frets were some of the softer I have encountered love the guitar but only play it out on occasion to keep the fret wear down. Play my Kiesels with stainless instead because i don't have to worry with them changing due to fret wear.

I’m with you man. I refuse to listen to any music made on guitars with nickel frets.

 

[aphantomvaper]

I’m with you man. I refuse to listen to any music made on guitars with nickel frets.

Not even Metal?

 

[RAM Engineer]

Not even Metal?

Not even Zeppelin. Ever since I discovered how awesome SS frets are, all the great classic music just sounds like garbage to me now.

 

[dogrocketp]

Both the super smooth feel and the lack of maintenance. You can get the feel with nickle for a short time but if your a working player it doesn't last. . 6 months and then Nickle begins to noticeably degrade.
Example would be my 2007 Royal blue Brazilian board Pau bird Custom 24 vs my 2009 Carvin Quilt purple DC 127. The PRS needs a dress and crown and has been in rotation for several years to keep fret wear down. The Carvin is my #2 gets played out regularly with stainless frets are still perfect. I have a number of guitars i have owned over 10 years and a couple 20+ this is why i am so dogmatic now on Stainless. I have a solid KOA DC 127 from 93 that I'm about to drop $600 on to have it fretted with stainless. Love the neck cant get old growth KOA easily any more and intend on keeping it until I can no longer play. If I were to put the kind of $ into say a new studio would do the same but can't justify the investment with out Stainless frets.
Now just so you guys get where I'm coming from I own 6 Carvin Kiesels one PRS guitar and the main reason is Stainless frets. I also am almost excursively playing PRS Amps but not the guitars.

Granted I’m old. But I gigged three- four times a week in addition to my day job. I keep my guitars forever, and bend strings a lot. I’m not king of the guitar world, and I’ve always bought what I liked the sound of. Stainless frets are fine but sound different. I’ve never had to refret any of my PRSi, including my 92 EG. We play what we like. You play what you like,

 

[RJK Tech]

So now the Joe Walsh model is out and it has stainless steel frets.

The sound in that guitar is quite special. Perhaps the best sounding (to my ear) PRS i own.

Do the SS frets add to the mojo?

On a side note, I do not think Joe’s video does justice to this guitar.

 

[shimmilou]

Why do some keep saying that PRS hasn't, doesn't, won't offer SS frets when they certainly have, do and will?

 

[Ovibos]

Why do some keep saying that PRS hasn't, doesn't, won't offer SS frets when they certainly have, do and will?

I think the complaints are more that they aren’t in Core models? Dunno not my gear to grind; happy with nickel.

LTD is putting them on sub-$1k guitars now, so it’s not just Chapman-sized companies trying to get an edge with “over speccing”

 

[Uncle Bob]

Interesting discussion.

It was kinda amusing to see somebody try to debunk the idea that PRS guitars are for rich/casual hobbyists (or whatever) when I regularly see pictures posted on here of someone’s wall to wall PRS collection...

But anyway, whether PRS offers SS frets or not, if they haven’t got something that ticks all the boxes then just buy something that does. Simple as that. What I see, as an ‘outsider’ on here, is a LOT of people buying PRS guitars and immediately changing something or other, because that particular component doesn’t look/sound/feel/smell right (or doesn’t have the correct passport!). This I don’t really get, but hey, whatever.

I’m pretty sure that by the time the frets wear out on my latest guitar I won’t be remotely worried about what I paid for it. I hope I make it that far!

 

[JMintzer]

Interesting discussion.

It was kinda amusing to see somebody try to debunk the idea that PRS guitars are for rich/casual hobbyists (or whatever) when I regularly see pictures posted on here of someone’s wall to wall PRS collection...

But anyway, whether PRS offers SS frets or not, if they haven’t got something that ticks all the boxes then just buy something that does. Simple as that. What I see, as an ‘outsider’ on here, is a LOT of people buying PRS guitars and immediately changing something or other, because that particular component doesn’t look/sound/feel/smell right (or doesn’t have the correct passport!). This I don’t really get, but hey, whatever.

I’m pretty sure that by the time the frets wear out on my latest guitar I won’t be remotely worried about what I paid for it. I hope I make it that far!

It's a PRS "Fan Site"... What do you expect?

 

[Uncle Bob]

It's a PRS "Fan Site"... What do you expect?

With regard to which part? Owning lots of PRS guitars? Sure, completely expected. But in the context of the discussion, where somebody said about the brand being for the hobbyist/collector, that does support their point of view.

Personally, as a former musician turned hobbyist in the UK, I’m indifferent about whether it makes any difference! I like that we have choices.

As for the changing out parts bit of my post, well to be honest it kinda says “I’m not really a fan of what you’ve done there, Paul”. Otherwise, why change?

Hope that clarifies it for you.

 

[11top]

Joe, you crazy hobbyist/collector, you! Oh wait…..those aren’t PRSi; my bad.