Re: Updating an older Gibson
I just had this done on my '23 Snakehead. New frets, radiused the original fretboard and bridge, added a strap button to the heel. Also swapped in a K&K pickup for the Fishman bridge pickup that's been on there for a long time. Bruce Weber up at Montana Lutherie did the work. Pricing was in line with what rcc56 mentioned. Very reasonable.
Why did I do it? This was my first mando, one I've played and played hard for 17 years or so. Frets were really worn, needed doing anyways so why not go all the way. It won't be sold until I'm dead (I inherited it from a family friend) so the resale value doesn't matter. I don't thing it hurt the value anyways -- it's a players instrument anyways, and wasn't pristine when it came to me. Given that the replaced frets were original, this new work will probably see me out (and I'm only in my 40s).
Andrew Frink
Phoenix Bluegrass, '23 Gibson A Snakehead, Clark octave coming soon
Bookmarks