manse Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 I have a lovely '78 Les Paul Pro (ebony, P90's etc..) in near mint condition. The one thing I dont like about this guitar is the very thin, very low, fret wire. Has anyone out there in the Forum gone down the road of bigger frets? What is your experience? Love to hear from you...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Never changed my frets (except for when I've needed a re-fret, when I've always had them replaced like for like), but I REALLY like that guitar! I want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 . . . . um well you could always sell me your Les Paul and buy a new one with bigger frets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manse Posted April 11, 2010 Author Share Posted April 11, 2010 Thanks KL - but I will not be selling this one...it is a keeper! Got it for £1,000 in one of the shops in Denmark Street about 9 years ago...which is one of my best buys. It really had been in it's case for more than 20 years...and is mint! Some people might find it heavy (10 lbs exactly), but I find the weight quite re-assuring. When you really wind it up through a good amp, it really screams (I have a stereo rig - Marshall 6100LM 30th Anniversary head with a marshall 2 x 12 cab, and a Fender '59 Bassman re-issue). cheers, Manse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnate McDuanus Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Well, Manse, I've never changed my fret wire size, but if I were you, and I loved the guitar a lot, and if I never planned on selling it, I would go ahead and get it re-fretted with larger-sized fret wire. On the other hand, if you weren't too thrilled by the guitar, and if you had plans to sell it, I would leave it as original as possible for the sake of resale value--but the fact that you're asking about re-fretting leads me to believe that you really like the guitar, plan on keeping it, like playing it, and would want to make it as personally playable as possible. In that case, then, I say you ought to get it re-fretted. Common rates for re-fretting are around $250 USD (about £162, I think,) and I've read that re-fretting for bound boards adds about $50 USD (about £33, thereabouts.) I think it's worth it if it's something you plan on keeping. BTW, I think it's a beautiful guitar. It looks completely perfect and unblemished. And I love the P90s! EDIT: Just read the previous post. Since you're planning on keeping it, I say go ahead and do the re-fret. Especially since you only paid £1,000 for it! Best regards, Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manse Posted April 11, 2010 Author Share Posted April 11, 2010 Thanks XDemonknight / Jon.... I will spend some time searching for the best luthier I can find to do the job. I did get a knackered '67 Jag restored and re-refinished by Dan MacPershon (DM Guitars, Essex) - he did a great, faded olympic white nitrocellulose job for me - see http://www.dm-guitars.co.uk/paintwork/fender-jaguar.html but he is pretty much snowed under with work and not even taking orders..... I wonder if anyone out there knows any really, really good luthiers? cheers, Manse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Boy, Manse. I like that one just as it is now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 I wonder if anyone out there knows any really' date=' really good luthiers? [/quote'] Yes I do and I've sent you the details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanC Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Hi, I wore the frets out on my '74 LP Custom and replaced the original frets with wider and slightly longer fret wire that went over the binding. My Custom had elevated binding to the edge of the fret which made the fret slightly shorter. This seems to be a feature of Customs but not Standards. I decided to put Gibson fret wire that was used in LP Standards on my Custom. I much prefer the change. I had a luthier do it and the result was stunning. I think I now get a bit more sustain and certainly greater playability. Its worth doing! I'm not sure that visually people notice the change but I do from a playing perspective only. Now that I've pointed it out you may notice it if you look at the photo below:- In this photo the fretboard looks a little dry to me but since I took this photo I've been using Dr Fret fretboard oil and the fretboard now looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mick Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 I have a '78 Pro it's my #1 guitar. The frets are all but gone as AXE said when he played it the other week the frets on it were just reference marks :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Yep twice in fact on a 79 black LP and last year on a 76 Recording model - same issue the fretless wonder years were pretty bad with the wide flat frets, they work but the feel is really strange. Oh and the guitars played great afterwards I still own both so don't know if it affected the resale or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunBlues Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 I had a refret done on a 73 Gold Top Standard... Absolutely no regrets on that one.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manse Posted April 12, 2010 Author Share Posted April 12, 2010 To Hall Groper - thanks for the compliment... To Retrosurfer1959 and AClayton - thanks guys - good to know that you guys have had a good experience with a refret... To KL - thanks for the recommendation - priceless. To The Mick - great attitude! And good punk rock on Myspace. Haven't seen a lot of US punk bands - but did go and see Jello Biafra and the Gautanamo School of Medicine last time he came over - I loved the Dead Kennedys when I was a teenage punk and I still like those East Bay Ray licks! thanks again everyone! Manse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manse Posted April 12, 2010 Author Share Posted April 12, 2010 Hey CajunBlues - really good to hear another happy re-fretter....all good feedback and none bad so far - very encouraging! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manse Posted April 12, 2010 Author Share Posted April 12, 2010 Hi again AClayton - just had a closer look at your Custom - that is a really nice fret job and a very cool look..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Did a fret change and scalloped the fretboard on my 1980 LPC... I too dislike low fret-wire...... Cant dig into the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manse Posted April 13, 2010 Author Share Posted April 13, 2010 Hi Duane V, thanks for the post. I have never seen a scalloped board on a Les Paul. Do you have any close up pics? And how does it play? I have only played a Malmsteen strat with a scalloped maple board - I thought I could get used to it...but never thought about it as a mod to an existing guitar... Manse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanC Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Hi Manse, If you notice in the photo of my '74 LP Custom above the frets extend slightly over the white binding. Originally the frets stopped at the white binding and that's why I said that the new frets are slightly longer than those on a normal Custom. The new frets are slightly wider than a normal Custom. I think that they are the same width as the early 60's LP Standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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