Ibanez AZ vs Schecter Nick Johnston??

Vibetronic

Tenebrous said:

Vibetronic said:

Tenebrous said:

I wouldn't worry too much about stainless vs non-stainless steel frets honestly. Unless you're playing the same guitar for hours & hours each day every day of the year you're unlikely to get to the point until you actually need a refret, & if you get to that point you've A) gotten a hell of a lot of love & value out of the guitar, & can upgrade to stainless at that point.

The AZ2204N-AWD Prestige is dream guitar territory for me, but I've really been looking hard at the Schecter myself seeing as how it fits in that ballpark occupied by Mexican Fenders & higher end Pacificas, both of which I'm a huge fan of.

The stainless steel frets do give it a bit of a brighter sound as well - but it's one of those things that if I'd not read about it beforehand, would I have noticed? Not sure. The lack of wear is a bonus if you do play a lot....my 2 main guitars over the last 5 years have both had stainless and have been played every day for hours all year round - no wear, unlike my others.

I thought it was meant to be the other way around, with nickle having the brighter tone over stainless steel? I'm not sure, though.

Nah - http://www.wiredguitarist.com/2016/07/21/nickel-vs-stainless-steel-frets/

That's not to prove you wrong btw - I had to google it as I thought I might have it wrong after all that!. They do sound a bit brighter on my guitars with them on, but then mine that have them have maple boards anyway, which are brighter in themselves, so who knows. They don't wear which is the important thing to me

stratman3142

Vibetronic said:

Tenebrous said:

Vibetronic said:

Tenebrous said:

I wouldn't worry too much about stainless vs non-stainless steel frets honestly. Unless you're playing the same guitar for hours & hours each day every day of the year you're unlikely to get to the point until you actually need a refret, & if you get to that point you've A) gotten a hell of a lot of love & value out of the guitar, & can upgrade to stainless at that point.

The AZ2204N-AWD Prestige is dream guitar territory for me, but I've really been looking hard at the Schecter myself seeing as how it fits in that ballpark occupied by Mexican Fenders & higher end Pacificas, both of which I'm a huge fan of.

The stainless steel frets do give it a bit of a brighter sound as well - but it's one of those things that if I'd not read about it beforehand, would I have noticed? Not sure. The lack of wear is a bonus if you do play a lot....my 2 main guitars over the last 5 years have both had stainless and have been played every day for hours all year round - no wear, unlike my others.

I thought it was meant to be the other way around, with nickle having the brighter tone over stainless steel? I'm not sure, though.

Nah - http://www.wiredguitarist.com/2016/07/21/nickel-vs-stainless-steel-frets/

That's not to prove you wrong btw - I had to google it as I thought I might have it wrong after all that!. They do sound a bit brighter on my guitars with them on, but then mine that have them have maple boards anyway, which are brighter in themselves, so who knows. They don't wear which is the important thing to me

I'd describe the sound of stainless steel frets as having a bit more 'zing' (for want of a better description). That's how my AZ2402 sounds compared to my other guitars which don't have stainless steel frets.

Vibetronic

stratman3142 said:

Vibetronic said:

Tenebrous said:

Vibetronic said:

Tenebrous said:

I wouldn't worry too much about stainless vs non-stainless steel frets honestly. Unless you're playing the same guitar for hours & hours each day every day of the year you're unlikely to get to the point until you actually need a refret, & if you get to that point you've A) gotten a hell of a lot of love & value out of the guitar, & can upgrade to stainless at that point.

The AZ2204N-AWD Prestige is dream guitar territory for me, but I've really been looking hard at the Schecter myself seeing as how it fits in that ballpark occupied by Mexican Fenders & higher end Pacificas, both of which I'm a huge fan of.

The stainless steel frets do give it a bit of a brighter sound as well - but it's one of those things that if I'd not read about it beforehand, would I have noticed? Not sure. The lack of wear is a bonus if you do play a lot....my 2 main guitars over the last 5 years have both had stainless and have been played every day for hours all year round - no wear, unlike my others.

I thought it was meant to be the other way around, with nickle having the brighter tone over stainless steel? I'm not sure, though.

Nah - http://www.wiredguitarist.com/2016/07/21/nickel-vs-stainless-steel-frets/

That's not to prove you wrong btw - I had to google it as I thought I might have it wrong after all that!. They do sound a bit brighter on my guitars with them on, but then mine that have them have maple boards anyway, which are brighter in themselves, so who knows. They don't wear which is the important thing to me

I'd describe the sound of stainless steel frets as having a bit more 'zing' (for want of a better description). That's how my AZ2402 sounds compared to my other guitars which don't have stainless steel frets.

ahhh that's the word!! I was struggling to think of it earlier!! 

Tenebrous

Vibetronic said:

Tenebrous said:

Vibetronic said:

Tenebrous said:

I wouldn't worry too much about stainless vs non-stainless steel frets honestly. Unless you're playing the same guitar for hours & hours each day every day of the year you're unlikely to get to the point until you actually need a refret, & if you get to that point you've A) gotten a hell of a lot of love & value out of the guitar, & can upgrade to stainless at that point.

The AZ2204N-AWD Prestige is dream guitar territory for me, but I've really been looking hard at the Schecter myself seeing as how it fits in that ballpark occupied by Mexican Fenders & higher end Pacificas, both of which I'm a huge fan of.

The stainless steel frets do give it a bit of a brighter sound as well - but it's one of those things that if I'd not read about it beforehand, would I have noticed? Not sure. The lack of wear is a bonus if you do play a lot....my 2 main guitars over the last 5 years have both had stainless and have been played every day for hours all year round - no wear, unlike my others.

I thought it was meant to be the other way around, with nickle having the brighter tone over stainless steel? I'm not sure, though.

Nah - http://www.wiredguitarist.com/2016/07/21/nickel-vs-stainless-steel-frets/

That's not to prove you wrong btw - I had to google it as I thought I might have it wrong after all that!. They do sound a bit brighter on my guitars with them on, but then mine that have them have maple boards anyway, which are brighter in themselves, so who knows. They don't wear which is the important thing to me

Glad to be corrected! My Tele has SS frets & I can't say I'm able to notice a difference, but I don't really play enough to worry about grinding frets down.

Sync

Descalona said:

Hi!

I would like to get an HSS Strat and I have ended up with those in my mind (Sire S7 was there for a long time but I can't bare the headstock)

I love how the Schecter looks (artic frost) and how it sounds but the Ibanez has stainless steel frets and probably more versatile sound. 

I don't have any guitar shop around where I can play both and decide so... what are your thoughts?

Personally, from experience the Ibanez AZ.

You need to play both though as whilst in theory they are similar on paper, they do not feel or play the same in hand.

What I would say is, if blind testing, you could double the stated price of the AZs and easily believe they were a more bespoke luthier made guitar. 

Vibetronic

DLM said:

@Vibetronic Glad to hear James is still playing!

@DLM -  He's in a hair-metal band called Raider now - some guy off the Voice/other talent show on vocals Worth checking out, good to hear him in a band again!

DLM

@Vibetronic

Oh! He must've replaced the cat in this video:

I found him here with some stretchy legato on an SSS .strandberg*