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I stated elsewhere, that my only real experience with this was with an '87 Rick 330 guitar that I bought a few years ago. I got it with stainless Rotos on it; and yes, the frets were very worn. In fact, they were pretty much... gone. However, the guitar obviously had been gigged heavily for a long time; and 330 Ricks are infamous for their soft, tiny frets. My mandolin has bigger frets, in fact... So, were the stainless strings the culprit? Hard to say; but they certainly didn't help any. And, after the re-fret (with medium jumbos), it doesn't wear stainless strings any more. But, I don't like stainless strings on anything, anyway...
On the other hand, my '73 Rick 4001 - which previous owners also gigged pretty hard, for a long time - has frets that are still in pretty good shape. 4001's are supposed to have pretty soft frets - and they're on the smallish side, too; but these don't show that - much. I have no idea what strings previous owners used on it. It had rounds of some kind when I got it, but I didn't pay any attention to what they were. 5 minutes after the initial function check, they were in the garbage can...
Anyway... yes, as a general rule; all other things being equal, you will see faster wear on nickel silver frets - of any size - with stainless strings than with other kinds of strings. Stainless steel is hard; nickel silver? Not so much... It won't necessarily be any faster with smaller frets than with jumbos; but it will be more obvious. And, since there's a lot less fret to dress, small frets will need replacing sooner. Do you have a bass with small frets and stainless strings? If so, I'd say two things; first, keep a close eye on the frets, and have them dressed as soon as they need it. If you catch them before they're too far gone, you can dress them a couple of times; they'll last a lot longer, which is money in your pocket. But, it doesn't take too long before small frets can't be dressed - and a re-fret is more expensive. If you have a bound neck? A lot more expensive... Second, start saving for the re-fret you will need - eventually; and seriously consider stainless frets, when you do...
On the other hand, my '73 Rick 4001 - which previous owners also gigged pretty hard, for a long time - has frets that are still in pretty good shape. 4001's are supposed to have pretty soft frets - and they're on the smallish side, too; but these don't show that - much. I have no idea what strings previous owners used on it. It had rounds of some kind when I got it, but I didn't pay any attention to what they were. 5 minutes after the initial function check, they were in the garbage can...
Anyway... yes, as a general rule; all other things being equal, you will see faster wear on nickel silver frets - of any size - with stainless strings than with other kinds of strings. Stainless steel is hard; nickel silver? Not so much... It won't necessarily be any faster with smaller frets than with jumbos; but it will be more obvious. And, since there's a lot less fret to dress, small frets will need replacing sooner. Do you have a bass with small frets and stainless strings? If so, I'd say two things; first, keep a close eye on the frets, and have them dressed as soon as they need it. If you catch them before they're too far gone, you can dress them a couple of times; they'll last a lot longer, which is money in your pocket. But, it doesn't take too long before small frets can't be dressed - and a re-fret is more expensive. If you have a bound neck? A lot more expensive... Second, start saving for the re-fret you will need - eventually; and seriously consider stainless frets, when you do...
I'm a very aggressive player who uses big stainless steel rounds. I've already chewed through about 20% of my Dingwall's frets. I'll be getting Stainless or EVO frets when I inevitably have to get it refretted this year.
A bit more than a year. I've had to get the frets dressed twice already.
Again, I use VERY heavy SS roundwounds (.47-.160) and play VERY aggressively with lots of bends, slides, etc, so other folks' results are almost certainly different.
Again, I use VERY heavy SS roundwounds (.47-.160) and play VERY aggressively with lots of bends, slides, etc, so other folks' results are almost certainly different.
Sounds like my son. He has a Dingwall too. I'm the old fart with vintage frets on a jazz bass!
I use stainless steel rounds (Rotosound or DR 45-105) on my 62 AVRI Fender Jazz and have only noticed what I would call "normal" fretwear. A rub here and there. I've had the bass since 2012. I do some string bending in my playing and but I don't have what I would call an aggressive touch? But I do like to dig in once in awhile. 
Hope this helps,
Brent
Hope this helps,
Brent
I use stainless steel rounds (Rotosound or DR 45-105) on my 62 AVRI Fender Jazz and have only noticed what I would call "normal" fretwear. A rub here and there. I've had the bass since 2012. I do some string bending in my playing and but I don't have what I would call an aggressive touch? But I do like to dig in once in awhile.
Hope this helps,
Brent
Appreciate the info BrentSimons!
Yeah, the tiny frets don't seem to like how I play. All my other basses have totally normal fretwear.
I have Mando frets on both my 6 string bass and my old Guild Starfire but both have TI Flats so I expect they will have a long life. My P Bass has Med nickle and I used to use steel Roto's on it. Chewed the frets up in about 4 years.
I was wondering this, myself.
I have one of the Squier CV 70's Ps with vintage frets and I currently have flats on there, but I DO consider trying rounds again (came with rounds and I almost immediately switched em out for the flats). I definitely liked the bright, aggressive sound of stainless steel, especially on the P. But I was worried about destroying my frets really fast.
I guess it's true I need to be super mindful of wear if I do decide to go back to rounds.
Maybe nickel rounds would be less abrasive than steel rounds?
I have one of the Squier CV 70's Ps with vintage frets and I currently have flats on there, but I DO consider trying rounds again (came with rounds and I almost immediately switched em out for the flats). I definitely liked the bright, aggressive sound of stainless steel, especially on the P. But I was worried about destroying my frets really fast.
I guess it's true I need to be super mindful of wear if I do decide to go back to rounds.
Maybe nickel rounds would be less abrasive than steel rounds?
That seems to be the the general thinking around here. How true it is, I couldn't say; but, nickel is a little softer. I'm not a big fan of rounds in general, but if I do use them? They're nickel, mainly 'cause I prefer the feel. I don't like SS rounds mainly because of the sound - but, some of them do feel like I'm trying to play a file...
I've had my Squier CV 50's for 3 years. My luthier says I have a heavy left hand but the fretwear is minimal on this one.
I've used Fender 7250M nickel-plated strings for most of these 3 years. Currently using D'Addario Half-rounds.
Half rounds may be a good option to consider, too. I've tried halfs on another bass before - didn't hate em but didn't love em either. But I have a feeling I'd like em on the P. Kind of a "best of both worlds" in both sounds and feel.
Nickel plated half rounds will probably be my next strings purchase for that particular bass.
Thanks for the heads up.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I guess I will just play what I want for the sounds I need. These vintage frets feel really different from the standard medium jumbo that all my other basses have. Not better or worse, just different.
