Frets for Both Lead and Rhythm

[Trog]

This is a duplicate of a recent post. I didn't know whether I was addressing the right people or not. I'm a newbie. I hope this isn't against the rules. Here's the original post, very recent from the time you'll see posted as of this duplicate.

Have any of you tried using SS Regular Frets, .043" H .080 W, for both lead and chords. I'm not a shredder, but I like to play some moderately fast leads occasionally - with room to breathe - on my song ideas. I'm also heavily into some "mangled" chords. Do you think I'd fare better with SS Regular Frets, .043" H .080 W, or SS Med-Jumbo Frets, .048" H .103" W?

My fingers are a little shorter than average, so I have to apply more pressure against the frets on some of the chords I hear and use. I know my fingers will feel the fretboard more at a .043 height, but can I make some unusual chords, requiring a lot of stretch and more pressure than usual, using the standard SS 048" H .103" W without going out of tune?

The frets have to be stainless steel. Once I tried them, I had no other option.

The guitar would be for an SCB6 - or a DC127 if the Kiesel/Hipshot becomes available as an option soon. I've bought a few Carvin/Kiesel guitars with the jumbos. Big mistake for me. I'd appreciate all opinions or additional information that can help me make up my mind. Thanks a million!

[X1Glider]

I've been playing since 1979 and had used medium frets until 1990. Even my first Carvins from the mid to late 80s were medium frets. Because of my age group, I'm a classic rock guy at heart but love playing art-rock/prog stuff and fast metal/hard rock. Most of my Carvins have jumbo frets. The earliest ones being nickel. My logic was I could re-dress them a bunch of times with the extra material. My later jumbo fret Carvins are stainless steel.

Honestly, I play more cleanly on smaller frets, not just on leads but chording doesn't go sharp either. With jumbos, it's real easy to fret to hard and go sharp because you can stretch the strings more. And depending on what I'm doing, It's also easy for my fingers to pick the string up off the fretboard or get stuck under the next string with radical bends. I've gone back to mediums, not even medium jumbos. I've even found it's easier to intonate too, with the first 3 fretted notes sounding better, especially for chords. Very noticeable for clean tones. My Perterson Strobe tuner even agrees the notes are closer to what they should be. With Jumbos, I always had to "stretch-tune" a bit to make chords sound right no matter where I am on the fingerboard.

And as stainless steel is standard on Kiesels now , I no longer fear fast fret wear and needing to re-fret on medium frets anymore.

In fact, I'd like to sell all my jumbo fretted guitars, especially ones with a Floyd, as I am totally done with both those features.

[Trog]

Thanks, X1Glider. I know the appreciation is late in coming, but thanks.

[relias7505]

I always liked Jumbo frets, can really dig into the note.