Looks like I need a refret repair

[tom nair]

Well I took my Sheraton to my luthier and had it looked at. Doug said he had never seen such fret wear on a two year old Epiphone. I told him I have a Guild acoustic that is almost twenty years old and the 80's Japan strat that I played for twenty years have fret wear not even close to this. The frets are not pitted but really flattend out. He said a recrown would only last as long as these have so a refret is the only way to go. I have 900.00 into this ax already with the upgrades so I really have no choice. I play about 12 to 20 hours a week. I do alot of bending in my leads. They are ordering me Dunlop fret wire that will be alot stronger than the stock wire. It will run me about 220.00. He knows I love this guitar but he would much rather have me into a 335. Yea, so would I. Someday.

[bluefoxicy]

Ouch $220!

 

Hmm, got me looking on StewMac again. I'm so buying this next month.

 

http://www.stewmac.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?action=SERVE&sku=5345&ITEM=catalog/sku.html

[L_Mo]

Can you repair flat frets w/ that kit, or would you need to actually install new fretwire (another $40)?

[layboomo]

Go with Dunlop SS fret wire....it will last a long time!

[bluefoxicy]

You would need to know what you're doing first (book included!) and I'm not sure learning on your prized instrument is a great idea.

 

That being said, my understanding is you can level and dress frets fine, as long as they're high enough; you need to do this when installing new frets anyway so yeah, those tools will get the job done. HOWEVER, doing this removes part of the frets. Frets on a new instrument might live through one or two redressings, maybe more, I'm not sure; jumbo frets might live through several, I gathered that much. Eventually you'll lower them enough that A) you hate it; or B) you just can't do it anymore and need new wire.

 

As for $40 fretwire, StewMac recommends 6 feet for a guitar so like... $10. Spending $40 for like 50-60 feet is probably better ;) Mind you, I wouldn't blow the money on the kit if you don't intend to do this several times; I might build/repair guitars eventually as a hobby, so my eyes went there and I spotted that so I figured I'd say something.

[tom nair]

They talked to me about the ss wire but the labor is more intensive and costly. Going with regular dunlop wire. It should last for quite a few years. By then I hope to have a 339 or 335.

[smokestack]

Go with Dunlop SS fret wire....it will last a long time!

 

Yeah, but don't ask me to ruin my tools on it ! ;^)

[Dave]

Tom,

 

You haven't by chance been using stainless steel strings, have you. There's a rolling debate over whether SS strings will wear your frets in a hurry. I used Dean Markley cryogenic SS for about 6 months years ago and began to notice an unusual amount of wear at the common bend points on the first 3 strings. I went back to nickel and it didn't get any worse. I bend constantly and use a lot of finger vibrato in my playing.

[carverman]

As for $40 fretwire' date=' StewMac recommends 6 feet for a guitar so like... $10.[/quote']

 

That's about right if you have more than 22 frets. I only required 4 feet on my LP project,

and had about 2 inches left over, enough for a "spare".

However, you can't afford any "wasted" frets if you are going to go that close.

 

But then again at $3 a 2' length, the shipping is going to cost more than the fret wire.

Getting the old ones out and installing the new ones is the trick...and that costs if you are

going to invest in tools.