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Now that we're about a half year out since EVO fretwire became a thing of the past, does anyone here have experience using StewMac's gold wire which has a composition similar to EVO? Is it an acceptable substitute for EVO?

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

I have not used it personally but have heard that it’s pretty good…FWIW.

Haven’t used it yet either. Still got a roll of EVO though.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Nope no experience with StewMac wire but there was a lesson with EVO that we did test by the way with an automated fretting machine Dave made. EVO was very nearly as hard as stainless to our surprise. I personally used EVO on maybe five Heshtones and liked it except for how bad it tarnishes in time.

Anyway the lesson for us was know for sure the supplier's commitment to the continued availability of a product that may need to be matched in time before selecting and deploying.... We were not pleased at Jesscar's decision to discontinue EVO.

Did folks know that Martin used EVO too at times on certain models? I didn't know this either until I had some of them come to our shop in the last couple of weeks and not for anything related to fret wire.

I used SM Gold on a current build.
I've never used the Jesscar gold.
SM worked-up just like the other fretwire I've used.

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Measure Twice,

Karl Borum

I understand that the reason that EVO was discontinued is because of some connection with Ukraine...

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

I've read that the company that manufactured the alloy used in EVO stopped making the alloy. The company has been reported to be in Belarus. I don't know if being next door to Ukraine has something to do directly with the war in Ukraine or not. Supposedly, that company was the sole manufacturer of the alloy.

I wonder where the alloy in the StewMac gold fretwire comes from and if it will be a reliable source.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

That explains a lot. The US and the EU have sanctions on Belarus and have in one form or another for some years now for stepping on people's freedoms and rigged elections. They are also a Russian client in my opinion and of course we have sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine.

I heard too that the material used in EVO was a one shot deal with a finite quantity.

Take your pick, lots of possibilities anyway it's history for now.

It can look really nice when buffed out but needs to be cleaned and polished much more often than other wires.

The StewMac wire looks very different to me the color is a bit different and the StewMac wire looks more gold to my eye. It looks good too just a bit different from Jescar.

A potential alternative to EVO that is more conventional in appearance is made by a Korean company called Black Smith. They produce a high nickel content nickel/silver fretwire that is harder than standard nickel/silver fretwire and is more corrosion resistant according to their website. Unfortunately, they don't have a way to buy some through their website and the one US distributor that's listed doesn't have anything on their website about buying fretwire of any kind.

http://www.blacksmithstrings.com/products/read.jsp?reqPageNo=1&shospital_fk=5&sclinic_fk=54&no=791

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

There are some other options too on the market for those looking for an alternative harder fretwire but don’t want to use stainless.

Several companies offer wires with a higher percentage of nickel in the nickel silver alloy, which they claim makes for a harder fretwire. Regular wire has about 18% nickel.

BlackSmith for example has a 36% nickel wire. They also offer a phosphor bronze wire which they claim is slightly harder than 18% nickel silver.

http://www.blacksmithstrings.com/produc ... pital_fk=5

A company from Belarus, SINTOMS, offers a 25% nickel silver wire. I have ordered some of these to test out.


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We both posted simultaneously it seems, my apologies


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No worries. Thanks for the added info on other alternatives.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter