Official Luthiers Forum!

Was thinking of using the LMI EVO fret wire and was wondering if anyone had any problems with corrosion as the wire is quoted as being a copper alloy...?Thanks in advance for any answers.
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

No problems playing a guitar every day for over a year. I love the stuff, both from a builder and player perspective.

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

I've only done one and played it for about 4 months. I like it a lot and plan to keep using it.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Tom,

I have had EVO wire here for a year now and have not noticed any difference in the EVO versus the nickel or stainless I have on hand. But it is in spools and not on necks. I have heard nothing but good things about this wire!

Shane

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Canada

"18% Nickel Silver", the standard fretwire alloy, is also a primarily copper alloy.

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...imagine there were no hypothetical situations...

Used it, love it, no problems with corrosion at all. It is harder than standard nickel so is better wearing, but not a brute on your tools like stainless.

Evo is the go go..

Cheers

Kim

I have a guitar that I built with EVO wire and then delivered it to a touring musician who has been spending the past 6 months heavily promoting a new album and as such playing the guitar he figures on average 3 hours a day. The guitar came back last week for a check-up and to be restrung. The EVO wire showed no signs of wear or corrosion what so ever and the strings did not show any physical damage or any sort.

I was impressed when I worked with it because as Kim said it has the advantages of a harder wire but without trashing your tools or taking all day to do a fret job. I also like the way that it cuts, very clean without the pinching that softer wire can do.

A rep from the original maker of this wire told a friend of mine that there is a very small amount of titanium in the alloy which they believe contributes to the great performance of the product.

I am not the biggest fan of gold as a color on much of anything but this is a subtle shade of gold that I can live with.

It's great wire if it's what you are looking for and I plan on using it again when it's qualities fit my application.

Hesh, I'm not a fan of gold hardware either......and this is what shys me away from EVO. I'm afraid I wouldn't like nickel or chrome tuners with gold colored frets.......though I admit I haven't seen this done in person. Sure seems it would clash though.

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Thanks for the replys. Sounds like there is no problem re: corrosion.Am looking for something that will wear better then standard wire. Worked stainless years ago as a machinist,it's a tough and what I call stringy material,difficult to work with hands tools,so it is out of the question for me. Have a set of gold Schallers that have been around for a while and the EVO should go with them.Thanks again folks.
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

The chrome tuners with EVO wire is not, for me or all the folks that have commented on my guitar, a problem ymmv. Much the same effect as the bronze bass strings not being an issue.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Great fretwire. Use it!
Here's a photo of the EVO frets, on ebony, with gold Waverlies. Completed last spring and customer loves it.

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Hank Mauel

Steve, I'll admit in Hank's picture, compared to the tuners and bronze strings, the fretwire almost looks silver.

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

We were at LMI this past Sunday for our NCAL meeting. I bought a bunch more gold evo wire since LMI gave us a discount for the day (THANKS Natalie!!). I've used it on all my guitars since the stuff was introduced. I love it - look and feel, and it's easy to work with. I asked them if there was any silver colored version, or any chance of getting some. They said nope.

Dave F.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

Darryl my friend when it was first suggested to me to use this wire I was really against the idea of using a gold colored fret wire. But the reality of this wire is that it is not as gold as you would think and certainly not as gold as gold tuners.

As for hardness I would rate it harder than standard fret wire but no where near as hard as stainless. With EVO wire my tools were fine including my standard Stew-mac fret cutters. Try using these same cutters with stainless and they will be ruined the first time out.... I actually preferred working with this wire over the standard wire that I have used in the past. It just seems more consistent and predictable IMHO.

Here is a close-up that may give you a better idea of the color: