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Post subject: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:22 am
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My 1993 Tele is in need of some fret work, but I don't know what work it actually needs.
Could someone point me in the direction of what needs to be done?
The most wear is on the 2nd fret, but there is wear up the neck, but not quite as deep.

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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:47 am
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I'd say you're in need of a partial fret dress. Not really something you can do yourself without specialist tools like crowning files, I'd leave that to a luthier.

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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:56 am
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Thanks Frank,
I have no intentions of attempting this myself. I just want to know what it needs.
What is a fret dress? And for that matter, what is a crown and polish?
What price range would I expect for a fret dress? Just a ballpark.
Then I'll have to seek out someone reliable.

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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:18 am
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For mild fret wear you need to level the frets then use a file to restore the proper curvature to the top surface. Then progressively finer polishing papers are used to take away the filing marks and roughness. If the fret's really badly worn down then it may need to be replaced. Youtube is full of videos of the process.

One last thing, ask if the repair guy uses steel wool. If he says yes then take your guitar somewhere else. There is no minor guitar repair that requires steel wool and the tiny splinters get everywhere, including inside pickup windings and pots and switches. Steel wool has no place in the average repair, it's for stripping paint off dressers.

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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:35 am
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First one that came up on google search Yodacaster,click on the prices and get the ballpark prices http://www.guitarrepairsuk.com assuming its an up to date site


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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 9:06 am
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My luthier charges $100 for a neck-off fretboard tune-up which includes full leveling, crowning, then polishing, plus rolling the edges of the board and optimizing the slots in the nut, followed by reassembly and a full set-up (this is for a new neck). His price for dressing worn frets is similar. A guitar in your condition is a good candidate for this type of service but it can only be performed once or twice before insufficient fretwire "meat" will eventually require the neck to be completely refretted.

Find a competent luthier in your area (hint: he won't be working behind the counter at your local GC) and have him take a look.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 9:42 am
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Alright, then I guess step two is find someone competent. I may have to ask around. We don't have GC, but we have Long and McQuade which I'm sure is the equivilant big box store.
Thanks for the replies. I really want to get this guitar back in action. It was my one and only for about 12 years and I havent really played it at all since around 2008.

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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 9:55 am
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Not sure if you have Axe Music in Saskatchewan or if it's just in Alberta, but they seem to have competent people working on the instruments.


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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 9:58 am
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I understand completely. My one-owner '78 Les Paul was in desperate need of attention by 1999 (it had been my sole instrument for those two decades) and it was quite a leap of faith to turn it over to a total stranger, who turned out to be one of the premier luthiers in the Southwest. Sadly he's long since retired but I have a new tech now who once owned his own full-service shop.

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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:09 am
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FatNWeak wrote:
Not sure if you have Axe Music in Saskatchewan or if it's just in Alberta, but they seem to have competent people working on the instruments.


No Axe Music here. Just L&M, St. John's Music and a couple of independant stores, Ed's Musical Repair and Village Guitar & Amp.
Judging from the the disorganization of Ed's store I will not be taking it there and Village seems to be of the high end shops. Alot of boutique amps etc, but I have never set foot in the door. Unfortunately there are not alot of options in town for me.

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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 9:13 am
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When doing it, have him check the nut too. It looks like the B and E might have dug themselves a bit down over time, which would affect the action and cause more fret wear. A good luthier would check the nut anyhow, but you might want to mention it.


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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 6:10 am
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GilgaFrank wrote:
Steel wool has no place in the average repair, it's for stripping paint off dressers.
Nah, Frank, it sucks for that, too. It can get into the pores of various woods and get stuck there, causing problems later.

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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 8:10 pm
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My tele started to have those dimples in the 1-3 frets and it's a year old guitar! What can I say, I love to play the thing. :)

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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 8:59 pm
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Yoda, it looks like normal wear, My frankenstrat is going to be refretted with a new nut by:
http://www.kurtwilsonguitars.com/
$225. Kurt is a great guitar Bro, the flying v's he makes are amazingly beautiful. I thought that a fair price, actually it is probably a great price when I think of who is doing it lol. 8)

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Post subject: Re: Fret Wear-What to do?
Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:44 am
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My Tele's like that too! :roll: First 5 frets are really bad. But basically it's like that all over with playing it a lot. I hate putting any guitars in for fretwork, it never feels the same way when it comes back. Something always feels a bit off or weird.

Think i'll just keep ploughing away on worn out frets! :lol:

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