Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Fret jobs

  1. #1
    Registered User Mike Buesseler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Whitefish,MT
    Posts
    1,720

    Default

    I decided to repost this here...might get more response, and not hijack another thread.

    Luthiers: is the hardest part of refretting to cleanly remove the old frets? Or is it the whole job that makes it such a killer?

    I'm certain that a couple of repairmen I've spoken to have priced themselves deliberately high, just to avoid having to do the job (which is totally fair practice, IMO). Anyway, I'm just wondering how the job breaks down between removing vs installing/dressing frets.

  2. #2
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    15,863

    Default

    Some fingerboards don't chip very easily, and some do. Sometimes the old frets come right out with little effort and little fingerboard damage, and sometime the old frets have been filed down to nearly nothing so you can barely grab them to pull them. Sometimes the fingerboard chips in spite of all efforts to avoid it, sometimes the fret slots and/or fingerboard have been damaged by previous efforts by those who were not expert (shall we say) at fret work, sometimes the old frets are glued in, sometimes there is a lot of glue to clean out of the fret slots. Some fingerboards and necks are nice and straight and some are twisted, bowed, warped etc.. When you flatten, or straighten and neck, sometimes it stays nice and straight under string tension and sometimes it doesn't. Some fingerboards are bound and some aren't.
    Sometimes you know what you're getting into and sometimes you don't, when it comes to fret jobs.

    The hardest part... well, given the above info, it varies from job to job, but in general, fixing stuff that somebody has messed up previously.

  3. #3
    Registered User Mike Buesseler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Whitefish,MT
    Posts
    1,720

    Default

    Sounds like none of it is much fun!

  4. #4
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    15,863

    Default

    Ain't my favorite repair work, but it gets worse than frets sometimes.
    The easy ones make a little money because fret jobs are usually priced similarly regardless of degree of difficulty, but sometimes I end up loosing money...like this recent guitar with the twisted neck...

  5. #5
    Registered User Mike Buesseler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Whitefish,MT
    Posts
    1,720

    Default

    But, wouldn't the twisted neck be considered a separate problem? I can't see what frets have to do with that. I wouldn't expect anyone to fix the neck and the frets for the same price...

  6. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    ontario canada
    Posts
    486

    Thumbs up

    I used to find the hardest part of any fret job was pulling the hammer out of the drywall, then patching the hole.

    Then I started to buy pre-cut, fretted, dotted fretboards from Cumberland Acoustic; voila, no more problems. Fretting is now easy. Just the way I like it.

    NFI, but glad they're there.

    Epi.

  7. #7
    Registered User Bill Snyder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Central Texas
    Posts
    7,316

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by (epicentre @ Mar. 22 2008, 16:07)
    ...Then I started to buy pre-cut, fretted, dotted fretboards from Cumberland Acoustic; voila, no more problems. #Fretting is now easy. #Just the way I like it.
    So does that mean when your mandolin needs a fret job you pull the fretboard and replace it?
    Bill Snyder

  8. #8

    Default

    How would you like to have to pull these frets?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	LarsonPresentation_Mandolin__5_012.jpg 
Views:	217 
Size:	117.0 KB 
ID:	30776  

  9. #9
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    ontario canada
    Posts
    486

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by (Curious @ Mar. 22 2008, 17:09)
    Quote Originally Posted by (epicentre @ Mar. 22 2008, 16:07)
    ...Then I started to buy pre-cut, fretted, dotted fretboards from Cumberland Acoustic; voila, no more problems. Fretting is now easy. Just the way I like it.
    So does that mean when your mandolin needs a fret job you pull the fretboard and replace it?
    I guess that would depend.

    If just the first position needed replacing, probably try it.

    I have done it, and a lot of the jobs have turned out well, but, OMG when they don't...........

    If the whole board needed doing, fraid I would replace it. Can't see this happening for a number of years as most of these fretboards are used on mandolins I've made and don't intend to sell. They really don't get played all that hard.

    Maybe my grandkids will have to deal with it.


  10. #10
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    ontario canada
    Posts
    486

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by (Old Time Poppy @ Mar. 22 2008, 17:10)
    How would you like to have to pull these frets?
    Rather pull my teeth.


  11. #11
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    15,863

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by (MikeB @ Mar. 22 2008, 16:45)
    But, wouldn't the twisted neck be considered a separate problem? I can't see what frets have to do with that. I wouldn't expect anyone to fix the neck and the frets for the same price...
    Maybe, in an ideal world, but in this case, it was my mistake that led to the extra work. My mistake was forgetting about rule #1: "assume nothing".
    I assumed the neck was straight, not twisted. My straight edge lay flat on the frets down the center of the neck, but the neck angle was wrong so I re-set the neck.
    When I started setting up the guitar, the saddle was coming out hopelessly slanted, so I started checking things out and found the twist. Straightening is by planing the fingerboard was going to require re-fretting, and was going to leave the neck at the wrong angle for good saddle height.
    In order to get things correct, I had to re-set the neck again and re-fret, but I could only charge for one re-set and one re-fret.

    The customer should expect to get the instrument back with the neck angle correct and the frets in good shape, and since a re-fret and re-set were required, that's what he should pay for. It was my mistake to assume the neck was straight and not check it out thoroughly, even though the name on the guitar was a fairly well respected one, so I had to set the neck twice for the price of doing it once.

    As for the twist being a separate problem, not really. Almost all necks need some adjustment to the neck, and planing the fingerboard is part of a complete fret job.

    When doing repairs, assume nothing! check out everything regardless of who made it, how old it is, who has worked on it before, or whatever.

  12. #12

    Default

    John

    Absolutely FANTASTIC advice all around!

    Those of us who do repair can relate to everything you said

    Your point about the customer paying to get his instrument back correct is so true, and we ALL hve had to do more, go the extra out of our time and pocket to do right by the customer.

    I relate it to people that we are just like a doctor, and nothing can be expected to always go as it did in medical school, ( or the stewmac video) and the only foundation you have is experience, the more patients you see the more you experience have to prepare you for the unexpected surprises the next job will offer

    And to reinforce what you said, a refret always requires making the neck and fingerboard perfect before installing the new frets. This could mean repairing twists, warps, humps, building relief back into a neck with a rod that no longer able to function correctly, deepening fretslots replacing inlays and more

    Also sometimes you will spot a problem, but dont know until you are into the job that the problem is masking another problem

    Its the adventure

    Scott

  13. #13
    Registered User Mike Buesseler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Whitefish,MT
    Posts
    1,720

    Default

    I could have pretty much guessed at these answers, but I wanted to hear it straight from the source. I knew there was missing information here. I really liked your answer, John. I wish everyone worked to your high standards!

  14. #14

    Default

    My first re-fret was on my 1906 Gibson A, unbound fret board. I encountered some chipping of the fretboard but as previously mentioned the hardest part was getting a grip on frets that have been played on for 100 years...not a lot left to hold on to! I found the actual installation and leveling, polishing etc of the new ones to be fairly easy. Way easier than I had thought it was gonna be! It worked out great and my only problem is one end of the 16th fret on the treble side has popped up some so next string change Im gonna work on it. Good Luck Mike!
    Look up (to see whats comin down)

Similar Threads

  1. Real musicians have day jobs
    By Narayan Kersak in forum General Mandolin Discussions
    Replies: 76
    Last: May-29-2007, 5:01pm
  2. Fret noise on one fret location
    By jk245 in forum Builders and Repair
    Replies: 7
    Last: Mar-21-2007, 7:41am
  3. Radiused fret leveler - a different fret job
    By bahed in forum Builders and Repair
    Replies: 12
    Last: Feb-06-2006, 2:47pm
  4. Day Jobs?
    By mandopete in forum Bluegrass, Newgrass, Country, Gospel Variants
    Replies: 57
    Last: Jun-18-2004, 4:38pm
  5. Refret Jobs
    By Darryl Wolfe in forum Builders and Repair
    Replies: 16
    Last: May-19-2004, 10:32am

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •