Love Rock re-fret

Hi Guys,

As you may or may not know, i recently purchased a 1981 Love Rock from Mark at JapanGuitars (Villager).

I've been thinking of having a re-fret, the frets aren't too bad as they are but could do with a mild dress.

However, i've had a Gibson historic which is a good guitar, but not a patch on the Tokai and definately doesn't justify the ?2500-3000 price tag.

Anyway, what i did like are the high thin frets and would like them on my Tokai.

I emailed a guitar luthier in Manchester and he reckoned that it is impossible to re-fret it without losing the fret edge binding,
Surely there are some re-fretted Les Paul types guitars that still have the original fret edge binding on.

This guy advised me to just not worry about them as they are only a consequence of Gibson's( or whoever's ) manufacturing process in the first place.

I for one wasnt too happy with that answer and hence wont be using him,
but who do i use?

Any help appreciated.

Also is it worth changing the electronics to something more like an original, ie(remove the PCB and hardwire).

try julian mullen of julian mullen guitars...he does great work for me..It is possible to refret without losing the nibs ...its just time-consuming and tricky..

get them dressed ..theres no need for a refret on that guitar...

if you really want different type frets then fair enough...

but i would say get it dressed properly ...or even better get it plekked ..then have a try and see if you still want new frets.....

try 500k cts pots and some great caps like hovelands..

Any luthier who says it's impossible to refret without losing the fret-edge binding is either lazy or inexperienced or both. Stewart Macdonald actually make a special contraption designed to snip off just the right amount of the fret end at just the right angle, specifically to accomodate the binding. My luthier was showing it off to me the other day!

We talking about the binding or the "nibs"?

nibs

I'd lose the nibs and have more fret. Pointless things.

yes but why ? if you can keep them then they are part of the original specs...and its not that hard to do...why accept sub-standard luthier work ? your paying the bill so get what you want....

I had an old 56 Fretless Wonder refretted and it never crossed my mind to keep the nibs - partly because I wanted bigger wire, and partly because I prefer more fret, less easy to slip off the neck. The chap doing it did offer, and he was well up to the task.

No accounting for taste. DaveH29 has a right to his nibs if he wants to keep them!

When those guitars are made, would I be right in thinking they are fretted first and bound (and nibbed!) second?

FWIW, I took my Reborn Old LS-50 to the only good luthier in the area for a fret dress. He pointed out a hump in the fretboard that was affecting tuning and playability. So I took his advice, he planed down (under the proper tension of course) the board until it was arrow straight and then he refretted it. True, more $$$$, but now I have a guitar that is perfect to play and holds tune. It just feels fantastic to play and now I have a great guitar for life. Was it worth it in any terms of collectability - no, it was a low-end LR to begin with - but in terms of happiness, yes! So, if you find an ax you've really fallen in love with, it might be worth a refret. But go to someone really, really good.

Take the guitar you like to a guy with a Plek machine. Have him use the Plek to measure the frets (height AND plateau) you like AND the frets you are thinking about replacing. If there is enough fret height left to get you where you want to be, then just have the Tokai Plekked. Often times people think one thing is wrong with the frets, when really they want another. A steep plateau is very difficult job by hand if the frets have any wear on them at all.

Yes, it is possible for hand labour to be nearly, if not as accurate as a Plek (laser guided fret/fingerboard measuring machine, and automated fret dressing). However, no person will measure as accurately by hand.

Really, this is the way to go. There are a few Plek machines in England, it will be worth the trip, even if it takes a days travel. It may well be the hieght is fine, and you want a steeper plateau, which will feel like a skinnier fret. Granted, Gibson are using narrow tall frets these days, but either way, you will know, and that increased knowledge will serve you well to describe your desires to hand dressers in the future. Having had two instruments Pleked, I have learned an enourmous amount about what it is I really want in a fret profile. After thirty years of playing, most of that time professionally, I thought I knew, but really didn't. The knowledge you will gain is as valuable as the service provided.

http://www.plek.com/index.php?master=Plek+in+UK

I just googled for you. Looks like London (though I thought I read somewhere there was a machine in Manchester, memory uncertain. Also you can search this site for my comments as well as other peoples on the Plek procedure.

Oh, and Villager is right on target about the pots and caps! I just did the RSGuitar works upgrade, pots, Hovland caps, and I properly sheiled the cavities, ---the difference was HUGE. I did use better wire than they sent thought (OK I wasn't very "vintage" about that), and I used 4% halogen free solder.

People I play with regularly noticed immediately without my saying a word.