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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2018 1:23 pm
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So I was looking online and came across a few legendary luthiers. I contacted one, described I needed a refret and truss bullet nut installed and got a ballpark $2000-$2500. But I’ve looked at these jobs’ costs individually by posts on forums and get a max of $300-500 at the very high end. I emailed the luthier and asked if the quote was accurate by reiterating the project (just the nut, not the whole truss rod) but I haven’t heard back yet. I’ve never done this before so I only have others’ reported price range to go by.
Is $2000-$2500 in the realm of cost for this work? Extra work related to the scalloped fretboard? Routing out the plug? I assume the bullet would be drop in compatible with the truss rod threaded receptacle. Is that not accurate? Some major tooling required?


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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2018 4:15 pm
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Headstock adjust with walnut plug that has a hole through it is a modern, post '85 style rod. Late '60s rods were heel-adjust with no walnut plug. (Just nit-picking).

I've always assumed you could remove the plug and install a Bullet, but that's just an assumption. I don't know of anyone who's actually done it. However, replacing a worn socket nut and replacing the walnut cylinder is absolutely possible and has been done. Typically a couple hundred dollars of labor and about $12 in parts.

A scalloped board may be a bit more difficult to refret, but not much.

$2000+ is pretty nuts. You could have Warmoth build you 3 necks with scalloped boards and Bullet adjusters for that price.


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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2018 7:03 pm
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JakTors wrote:
But yeah it’s a 2nd gen Malmsteen Strat (late 60’s type truss) with the truss nut adjustment from the headstock accessed thru the walnut plug. Solid maple neck. Skunk stripe etc. the rod works fine but the hex nut has been getting increasingly worn (yes I’m using the right key :lol: ). Since I need a refret job I figured I may as well take the opportunity to replace the nut; and further with a bullet so i can easily replace it if I ever have to in the future.
Gotcha... I'm 100% with you. I don't know if the bullet is compatible with a bi-flex truss rod, though I doubt you would ever need to push relief into a YJM neck.

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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2018 7:08 pm
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strayedstrater wrote:
$2000+ is pretty nuts. You could have Warmoth build you 3 necks with scalloped boards and Bullet adjusters for that price.

Or a brand new YJM

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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 10:06 am
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JakTors wrote:
Yeah I wish there was someone locally I could have work on it. Not on my island. And since I’d have to mail it to another island for even a semi experienced luthier I figured may as well just send it to the mainland to a pro.
And for a UK pro I’d probably be able to buy a couple of strats for the cost of shipping, unless there’s a carrier that’ll follow the geodesic route presumably over the North Pole :shock:

Fender lists three authorized service centers in Hawaii. I've never been to Hawaii, but is it possible to take a ferry from island to island and hand deliver the guitar to an authorized service center?

http://locator.fender.com/en-US/service-centers/

Also, what type of Strat do you own? Is it rare or vintage? If not, it would seem easier and more cost effective to buy a new neck directly from Fender or Warmouth, or to buy a whole new (or used) Strat.


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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 12:18 pm
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CB91710 wrote:
JakTors wrote:
But yeah it’s a 2nd gen Malmsteen Strat (late 60’s type truss) with the truss nut adjustment from the headstock accessed thru the walnut plug. Solid maple neck. Skunk stripe etc. the rod works fine but the hex nut has been getting increasingly worn (yes I’m using the right key :lol: ). Since I need a refret job I figured I may as well take the opportunity to replace the nut; and further with a bullet so i can easily replace it if I ever have to in the future.
Gotcha... I'm 100% with you. I don't know if the bullet is compatible with a bi-flex truss rod, though I doubt you would ever need to push relief into a YJM neck.

Yeah I don’t think it’s a biflex. As far as I ever knew all versions of the yjm have a standard rod. That’s why I assumed/hoped if the walnut was routed out and the hole made big enough, the bullet may just screw right onto the rod. But ftr I do like a bit more relief, in addition to high action, than your average person. When I set it up with 9’s it usually has enough relief, but when I put 8’s on it I gotta loosen the nut.


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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 12:31 pm
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2000 - 2500USD? Sounds like they don't want the job to me...!

As others have said, I'd just buy a new one!

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 2:11 pm
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Little Jerry wrote:
JakTors wrote:
Yeah I wish there was someone locally I could have work on it. Not on my island. And since I’d have to mail it to another island for even a semi experienced luthier I figured may as well just send it to the mainland to a pro.
And for a UK pro I’d probably be able to buy a couple of strats for the cost of shipping, unless there’s a carrier that’ll follow the geodesic route presumably over the North Pole :shock:

Fender lists three authorized service centers in Hawaii. I've never been to Hawaii, but is it possible to take a ferry from island to island and hand deliver the guitar to an authorized service center?

http://locator.fender.com/en-US/service-centers/

Also, what type of Strat do you own? Is it rare or vintage? If not, it would seem easier and more cost effective to buy a new neck directly from Fender or Warmouth, or to buy a whole new (or used) Strat.

Thanks for that link. There are three here. Two on one island and one on another. No ferry. And mailing would be cheaper than flying. I would also be less confident those Fender service centers here would have much experience relative to some luthier in the business on the mainland with decades of experience. Just an assumption.
Yeah I could buy a new neck. Thought about it, but I’m really attached to this one; it’s got a very aged, worn, deep amber and natural patina, with some fret slots darkly stained and bleeding into the wood. It’s just too nice to replace. BTW it’s a Malmsteen strat. Essentially same as a late 60’s Strat cause it’s a second gen version.


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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 4:35 pm
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JakTors wrote:
BTW it’s a Malmsteen strat


That's why your quotes for work are so high - the scalloped neck is one son of a b1tch to refret.

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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 6:28 pm
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JakTors wrote:
Thanks for that link. There are three here. Two on one island and one on another. No ferry. And mailing would be cheaper than flying. I would also be less confident those Fender service centers here would have much experience relative to some luthier in the business on the mainland with decades of experience. Just an assumption.

I would think that a Fender authorized guitar service center would be carefully selected and see a lot of Fender guitars, but I have no personal experience with one. If you are looking for a highly reputable luthier/tech, you may want to consider Eric at Eric's Guitar Shop in Van Nuys (city within Los Angeles, CA). I'm not sure if he legendary, but he has a booming business and services everyone from touring musicians to recreational players like me. There is always a few people waiting to drop off their guitars or pick them up whenever I am there. He provides great customer service and will always make it right if something is not to a customers liking, which may be difficult in your case since you are mailing your guitar to him. I have seen him do quite a bit of re-frets as I'm waiting my turn and he can talk easily talk to the pro's and con's of the various fret materials. He's great at picking up his phone during business hours, so perhaps give him a call. Here's a link to his website.

http://www.ericsguitarshop.com/index.html

Good luck!


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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 7:26 pm
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Walnut plug w/hole is almost certainly a Bi-Flex. Doesn't really matter though. The heart of the Bi-Flex is the walnut plug plus an anchor hidden under the 7th fret inlay. I don't know of any reason why you couldn't pull the plug and install a Bullet.
--------------------
Could you post pics of the frets? With the scallops, it would seem to me that you might not really need super tall frets. It might be possible to just level them (file them down to the height of the most worn spot) and recrown them.

That would be way cheaper than a full refret.
--------------------
And how often do you need to adjust the rod? There are some specialty wrenches that can grab a worn socket.

Maybe a level&crown for a few hundred, live with the truss adjuster, and use the leftover money toward a second new-ish YJM. Old one still playable, new one with the deeper scallops and Bullet.


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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 7:31 pm
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Regarding Authorized Service Centers:

There are 3 levels, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The requirements to become a Silver level aren't very stringent.

And you're correct that even a Platinum level in a small market might never have worked on a scalloped neck.


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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2018 10:24 am
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stratmangler wrote:
JakTors wrote:
BTW it’s a Malmsteen strat


That's why your quotes for work are so high - the scalloped neck is one son of a b1tch to refret.

Yeah I had a feeling that was a factor but I didnt see the range of $200-$500 jumping to $2000-$2500. I emailed that guy asking if that were a factor in the estimate and he hasn’t responded in a few days so, so much for that.


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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2018 10:28 am
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Little Jerry wrote:
JakTors wrote:
Thanks for that link. There are three here. Two on one island and one on another. No ferry. And mailing would be cheaper than flying. I would also be less confident those Fender service centers here would have much experience relative to some luthier in the business on the mainland with decades of experience. Just an assumption.

I would think that a Fender authorized guitar service center would be carefully selected and see a lot of Fender guitars, but I have no personal experience with one. If you are looking for a highly reputable luthier/tech, you may want to consider Eric at Eric's Guitar Shop in Van Nuys (city within Los Angeles, CA). I'm not sure if he legendary, but he has a booming business and services everyone from touring musicians to recreational players like me. There is always a few people waiting to drop off their guitars or pick them up whenever I am there. He provides great customer service and will always make it right if something is not to a customers liking, which may be difficult in your case since you are mailing your guitar to him. I have seen him do quite a bit of re-frets as I'm waiting my turn and he can talk easily talk to the pro's and con's of the various fret materials. He's great at picking up his phone during business hours, so perhaps give him a call. Here's a link to his website.

http://www.ericsguitarshop.com/index.html

Good luck!

Awesome... thank you so much.
BTW “legendary” was the term used by Reverb.com to describe that guy, though his email etiquette is evidently NOT legendary! :roll:


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Post subject: Re: Suggest a luthier please?
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2018 10:52 am
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strayedstrater wrote:
Walnut plug w/hole is almost certainly a Bi-Flex. Doesn't really matter though. The heart of the Bi-Flex is the walnut plug plus an anchor hidden under the 7th fret inlay. I don't know of any reason why you couldn't pull the plug and install a Bullet.
--------------------
Could you post pics of the frets? With the scallops, it would seem to me that you might not really need super tall frets. It might be possible to just level them (file them down to the height of the most worn spot) and recrown them.

That would be way cheaper than a full refret.
--------------------
And how often do you need to adjust the rod? There are some specialty wrenches that can grab a worn socket.

Maybe a level&crown for a few hundred, live with the truss adjuster, and use the leftover money toward a second new-ish YJM. Old one still playable, new one with the deeper scallops and Bullet.

Yeah I work 7 days but soon as I can I’ll see if I can get some pics on flicker and post the link.

The frets aren’t that bad. Definitely a bunch of life left in them especially with the scallops, so redressing the frets would work nicely as well. It’s just that I have a few other Yjms - one with thinner/shorter (50’s type) and a couple with 6000’s and bullets, so that’s why I’m not itching to put the potentially costly refret money into a new yjm. I just figured why not customize this one since I have others to play. I figured if I got this done I could also put in a loaded seymour Duncan pick guard with the new SD’s found in the newest Yjms.

Interesting, I always just assumed this gen yjm has a basic vintage type truss in it. Now I wonder :?:

I actually don’t adjust it much. Even when I put 9’s on it (vs. 8’s) I just work with the increased relief which I actually like a lot of. It’s just that it’s always been worn and when I’ve had to m as with it it has become increasingly imminent that one day it’ll just not be grabbed by any tool. In fact, the regular correct hex key I always used stopped working a few adjustment ago. So I got some fine chisels and edged punches and cleaned out and re tooled the hex nut a bit, and then got a couple of stewmac hex wrenches - one with the ball end that allows you to grab a nut from an oblique angle, and another that tapers. The latter works best with the deeper female hole I tooled in there. So, it’s workable right now, but still doesn’t have that solid gorilla grip you’d like to feel when grabbing a truss rod’s nut. So, I just figured why not customize it with a bullet so I don’t have to worry about it stripping anymore. Those stewmac tools saved the day though, I must say.


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