Rotosound British Steels or other non-nickel strings

[6BQ5]

Any love for the Rotosound British Steels? I'm looking to switch to nickel-free guitar strings, but have read that the Ernie Ball Cobalts cause your frets to wear very quickly. Does anyone know if these or any other nickel-free strings are as hard on one's frets?

 

[Tim S]

Well, anything harder than nickel frets will eat nickel frets.

If you're trying to go nickel-free due to an allergy, you'll want to replace your frets as well. As the nickel frets wear down, the fret dust gets on your fingers -- same reaction as nickel strings.

 

[6BQ5]

Well, anything harder than nickel frets will eat nickel frets.

If you're trying to go nickel-free due to an allergy, you'll want to replace your frets as well. As the nickel frets wear down, the fret dust gets on your fingers -- same reaction as nickel strings.

Are stock frets almost always nickel?

 

[Tim S]

Generally, they are an alloy -- a mixture of metals. But yeah, nickel is usually a part of that mixture. If you have an allergy to nickel, most people go with either Stainless Steel or Gold frets.

Maybe the nickel fret dust won't bother you the same as the strings? Everyone's allergic reaction is a little bit different.

Maybe this thread might help?
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-...ime/949697-playing-guitar-nickel-allergy.html

 

[skydog6653]

My wife hates a nickel because it ain't a dime

 

[6BQ5]

Generally, they are an alloy -- a mixture of metals. But yeah, nickel is usually a part of that mixture. If you have an allergy to nickel, most people go with either Stainless Steel or Gold frets.

Maybe the nickel fret dust won't bother you the same as the strings? Everyone's allergic reaction is a little bit different.

Maybe this thread might help?
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-...ime/949697-playing-guitar-nickel-allergy.html

It seems possible that the frets doesn't bother me as much. I've played guitar for 28 years, and this has been a problem for about three. Coincidentally (maybe), three years ago in when I switched to pure nickel strings. The problem seems to only really be effecting my picking hand. I'm a hybrid picker, and sometimes forego the pick entirely so maybe the increased abrasion has something to do with it? Though it has at times been on my other hand too. I'm conducting a self-administered allergen patch test (aka bandaging a nickel to my forearm) to hopefully rule this out before I spend a couple hundred on a stainless steel refret or give up my preferred string choice.