Refret and vintage value...

[AndyG]

I have a Gibson F4 from 1916 with what I believe are the original,tiny,very low frets.Will a fret job affect its value as a vintage instrument?
In all other respects I believe the mandolin to be completely original,although included with it I found in the case compartment a mother of pearl nut.Was this an original fitting?
The mandolin is structurally sound,no sinkage,cracks or refinishing is evident,but the frets are a little uncomfortable to play.
Thanks for your advice.
Andy

[Darryl Wolfe]

The original nut should be pearl...good refret jobs do not usually detract from value...very poor condition original frets sometimes do (simply because of the cost to fix it). #Obviously, it's a bonus if the original frets are present and good.

[danb]

The trick is to find skinny frets again.. They probably have been reduced in size several times.. putting big fat frets on an F4 makes it visually different which sometimes takes away from the value.. have them all done at once to keep the look consistent, and try to use skinny frets. You'll probably get used to the feel of them/like them in time (I did!). a 1916 F4 might sound better with D'Addario MEDIUM gauge strings as well, it made a huge difference on mine. The skinny original frets make a lot of left hand work easy on an F4, though F4s fretboards aren't always great for heavy pick heavy string bluegrass playing.. some of the truss rodded ones are..

The pearl nut, as Darryl says, is likely original.

[AndyG]

Thanks very much for the input and advice.I feel honoured to be the custodian of this gem for my lifetime.Musically I`ll never be able to really do it justice, but it has inspired me so that can only be a good thing.
Andy

[AndyG]

I should have added that I`m looking for a luthier in the UK who knows vintage mandolins and whom I can trust to do the work.Any recommendations?

[sunburst]

have them all done at once to keep the look consistent, and try to use skinny frets.
Dan, I hesitate, here, for fear of opening up the partial refret vs. full refret debate can-o-worms again, but I've done partial refrets on Gibson mandolins of that vintage and maintained the consistent look.
I can't find fret wire that matches exactly, but it's close enough that I have to look really close when I'm done, to remember how many frets to charge for.

If the frets on the upper part of the neck, especially the extender, are still tall and in good shape, and if the neck is straight and true, a partial refret can restore playability and maintain the vintage look, with less risk of fingerboard damage.

[danb]

AndyG: drop me a PM- I have a friend who has taken vintage Gibsons to a chap at Hobgoblin in London with very good results, I can't recall his name but can find out for you if you remind (nag!) me.. That also means you can drop by for a tune at my monday session perhaps? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Sunburst: yeah, obviously it looks silly if you put big fat stuff on the first 7 and leave the teeny ones up higher! I've heard that some players will use the frets high up the neck on a snekehead or similar to refret a Loar to keep it just right.

There are some decent repros- a friend of mine in London gave me enough for a couple mandos that matched some original Gibson wire (unused stuff!) Darryl sent me for 76547.. the "T" shape, width of fret, depth were exact matches.. the bumps on the frets to hold it in the slots were spaced slightly further apart than on the original, but darned close. I can probably get more of this stuff if memory serves!