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about fretless wonders ...


gibsonfndr

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Hi guys. I am the proud owner of a 1971/1972 SG Custom, one of the last "fretless wonders" they made or so it seems.

Of course these frets are not the most desirable item when one want to bend strings and I bend a lot.

 

Here's my qustion : are these fretless wonders collectible and/or valuable instruments and will it completely ruin its market value if I change the frets for more usable ones ?

 

I do not buy guitars because of their value but on the other hand I've ruined a couple of vintage guitars I own which are now very playable but worth nothing.

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Yes, a re-fret will hurt the value of the guitar to an "investor". But....certain concessions are necessary to a "player".

 

I have chosen to sell a "vintage" guitar that needed a re-fret so that I could get top dollar for it as an a "original condition" instrument. I then took the money and bought a new model. But that's just me. As a guitar "player", I had no use for the vintage guitar in "used-up" original condition, but somebody did $$$$$.

 

Let your conscience, and wallet, be your guide.

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I had one and never had trouble bending. It must be a style thing. Position of hand etc.

You are probably right.

I love this guitar so much i play it all the time and seem to get accustomed to it. A slight change of style induced by a new instrument ... I may let it as it is I'm too afraid refretting the neck would change the feeling I have with this guitar. If I play a song that really needs bending I still can switch to any other guitar I have. As I said I really do regret the fateful day i decided to refret my '66 custom telecaster ...only at the time it was the only guitar I owned.

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  • 6 months later...

I don't understand this critique about "bending." I've had a '73 LPC "fretless" since it was new-- I never "bend" notes by pushing them towards the fretboard, that seems nuts to me-- I bend by pulling or pushing the string across the fretboard-- and while the fretless may have a little more surface area in contact with the string, we're not talking about all that much-- I've never had any issue bending. But then I grew up with the "fretless" and think it's got the best action ever-- I'd never part with it or put "normal" frets on it-- rather, I'd like to have the frets filed flat on some of my other guitars to try to get the same great action I get on the LPC...

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  • 3 weeks later...

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