Per customer request, we are now proud to offer stainless steel Zero Glide frets! These frets basically do not wear out. This means they require no maintenance and never need to be replaced. Not only that, the stainless frets improve performance for tuning and bends. These frets are specially designed with an offset tang for our Zero Glide nut system. Comes in a pack of 3.
Available in Medium (.038"), Jumbo (.051"), and Super Jumbo (.058"), or an assorted pack of each size.
I bought two of these, one Gibson-style and one Fender-style for two of my favorite project guitars, an Epiphone LPX and my Jazz-O-Caster parts guitar. The Gibson was a near drop-in, needing only some trimming and shaping for a perfect fit. The Fender was slightly more challenging, as the neck on the Jazz-O-Caster never saw the inside of any Fender-approved factory! It required a 1/32" shim underneath for a proper fit, and some sanding to make room for the tang. There was a marked increase in the brightness of tone for both instruments, as well as improved intonation. This is MUCH easier than installing a traditional nut, and nearly foolproof IF you follow the instructions. Thanks, Stewart-Macdonald, for stocking such a well-engineered product.
Had tuning stability and buzzing issues after ten years on my first bone nut. Also have always been bothered by open string vs. fretted string sounds. I play mostly flat picking/crosspicking styles and Travis style picking. The consistency of the note makes both more enjoyable for me. No buzzing lower action smoother tuning smoother playing easier bending etc... Have all been a result. Took me about two hours to get height and width of nut and fret correct. Had to get a smaller get shipped from gold tone and their customer service was the easiest I have ever experienced. Had part in two days and I am satisfied.
I bought the mandolin version and fitted it to my Gibson. There's a lot of extra material to remove, but the result was great. Easier tuning (the old nut had tight slots for the A strings), better intonation. Later I used one of the extra frets in the package to fix a tenor guitar. For that, I simply filed the necessary ledges in the existing nut and widened the string slots. It would be nice if Stew-Mac would also sell the offset tang frets separately, for retrofitting to an existing nut.
Great product, Makes a lot of difference in sound and play ability. To say nothing of staying in tune. I put one on a Ovation Legend made in 1972. The guitar always sounded good but was a little tough to play. This made a world of difference. It is now amazing. I have a friend who can't keep his hands off of it. He likes it better than his Rainsong.