Alright here goes all...
I've already gone through a horror show taking this into one of my local shops. I had them do a simple set-up to see if they could handle getting rid of a little buzz I was experiencing. I show up to pick my beloved up and they tell me they switched out the nut without even letting me know. The guitar was bone stock, same way it rolled out of Kalamazoo in 1981. It's a gibson les paul artisan, 2 pu model in tobacco burst. Anywho, they replaced the stock bone nut with a graphite nut, not because this was the apprentice's professional opinion, not because I was notified and asked which material I would like, because the shop charges less money for the graphite than the bone and clearly thought I would cheap out. Furious as I was over that they have done nothing more to the actual set-up of the guitar as to when I gave it to them because I am still experiencing buzz in the same spots I had been. Complete waste of my time and money to learn a hard lesson that these guys are real f*%&^@ tools.

Basically now I've decided that my hometown of Edmonton is not the kind of place I can get real work done to a real important guitar to me. I am need of a re-fret and I am interested in the real deal. I'm certainly not sending it to Gibson, but I'm thinking some place on the west coast of the states might be the place to have it done. Somewhere very reputable, somewhere that really cares, somewhere that isn't too cheap but isn't stupid expensive for what you get. I'm not sure whether or not I'd like the plek done... That being said I say it because of companys like Gibson butchering that $@!& just to throw the sticker on the pick-guard. I would not be opposed to having it done, but it had better be by someone who gives a $@!& about proving Gibsons methods wrong and that will do a mighty fine job. I haven't fully decided if I'd like to keep the binding nibs in tact but I find myself leaning towards just paying extra to do so. I'm not sold on it but I just can't explain it, this is has been and will be my main guitar and the aesthetics of it are very important to me. It's been the guitar I've loved to look at and play for a while and I knd of like it exactly the way it is.

Any input from anyone here would be greatly, greatly appreciated. A referral to a website or company or great luthier would be awesome! Thank-you for reading folks, have a good-one!

Hi there.

Portland Fret works.
3027 Northeast Alberta Street
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 249-3737

Link...
http://www.portlandfretworks.com/

Todd is a well trained professional, a Fender and Gibson warranty station and he did a refret of my old 1976 Les Paul.
When I picked it up, he not only refretted it, he fixed the fret board and replaced a broken inlay, and he did it so well I couldn't tell which one he had replaced.
He is the only guy I would trust to do a fret job for any of my guitars.

_________________
Marriage is like playing cards...

At first all you want are Hearts and Diamonds.

But in the end, all you really want is a Club and a Spade.

Thank you very much Nevin and Jeff, I'll be looking into portland fretworks immediately!

It is not a west coast but if you feel adventurous to send it east, in Toronto, 12th fret have very decent techs but the wait time is crazy. I am not sure 100% if they are doing a re-fret job.

Search web for 12th fret Toronto

Are you sure re-fret is needed? Have you already had the frets leveled and crowned before? I had this done on one of my guitars that had major fret wear, and it came back great. My nut was also toast, and the guy reworked it and it was fine, and I had asked for a new one. I think he shimmed the nut and worked over the slots to be even with the neck radius again.

Re-fretting can be way more dangerous, as some of those boogers bring some wood out with them.

If there is enoug meat on the frets, I would have them leveled and crowned first.

_________________
Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

Just check around your area and find a place that will set it up with a PLEK Machine though not cheap and as you said you don't want top go cheap.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Edmonton definately does not have a plek machine in it's arsenal hahaha, you talk like every city has one?

As far as the fret dress goes I wish thats all that was needed, i'd have somebody here do it:( Unfortunately it needs the full meal deal and it is risky but thats why I'm searching for seone qualified. You're right people can take chips out of the board if they're not careful but a good tech will usually heat the fret up a bit before yanking on it to prevent this.

I thank you all for your input, and it's not that I don't believe 12th fret is a great shop but i've already contacted Tods at Portland fret works and he seems like a really good dude. It should work out:)

Once again, thank-you fender forums... For fixing my Gibson hahaha!