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 installed this on an old Alvarez acoustic that used to belong to my Dad. The strings had started to buzz badly and the bridge height was maxed out so I knew it must be the nut. Took about an hour to cut down the new nut and shape with the Drexel tool; sided/polished the frets and installed glide nut with the tallest feet wire. Worked like a charm and no more buzzing. Even lowed the bridge down to a reasonable height as well. Great product and easy to install.
I put one on my Taylor 12 fret, it made a big improvement in string tone, tuning, and intonation. I'm now going to install them on all my guitars.
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.
This is one of those things that you ask yourself why has no one thought of this before, but it likely would have been very difficult to produce on a volume scale without CNC machines.......I put the ZB4 on a Washburn parlor guitar and was amazed at the difference in tone clarity, sustain and definition as well as tuning stability and the lowest possible action.........What more could you ask for for one single mod??.....Zero Glide makes several different sizes etc to fit just about any guitar, so be sure you get the right model for your instrument. The unslotted ZB4 requires slotting, so it does require some skill and proper files. I would recommend letting a tech install if you have no experience or tools. I do predict that some of the major instrument makers will be using this in the near future. Why did'nt I think of this. JB/Texas