Have you guys ever 'refreted' your guitar necks?

[Nidec]

I have an old 86' San Dimas Jackson and it's been played quite a long time. It seems the fret is getting worn out, especially lower frets and 123 string's higher frets. The sustain good as it was used to be and I was wondering if has to do with worned out frets. Have you ever guys refreted your Jacksons? or any other guitars that you own? If I have to refret them I want to make sure they are the same kind of fret as they were made...

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Please, do not refret your San Dimas Jackson.

Let a pro handle it.

Yes, when the frets get worn, it can cause the notes to not ring well (bad sustain) because some frets are lower than others, you would need to raise the action very high to avoid this.

Loose frets could also cause this.

Please, don't try to refret the guitar yourself. Practice on a MIM Strat or something first.

[Spivonious]

+1

Aside from the very real possibility of screwing up the neck for good, it takes a lot of different tools to refret a guitar. I looked into it once but decided that spending a couple hundred wasn't worth it. A shop can do it for you for around $100-$150 and it will be good as new.

[warlok]

A re-fret for $100-150? Really? That seems really cheap to me. I never had it done, just assumed it would be more than that.

[Axewielder]

A re-fret for $100-150? Really? That seems really cheap to me. I never had it done, just assumed it would be more than that.

$300 seems to be the going rate everywhere I've lived.

[MetalMedal II]

There's a good possibility that all it needs is a grind and polish. Those are in the $55-85 range, right?

[Grandturk]

$350 for a refret on my Strat neck. Please go to a reputable luthier and ask to inspect a guitar that has been refretted. There's often more to it than just pulling the frets and pounding in new ones. A good luthier will also make sure the fretboard is even and plane out any humps to make certain the frets go in evenly. Then of course, level, crown and polish the frets.

Here's the strat neck I had done:

[straycat]

I charge $200 for std necks and $250 for bound necks.$300 is normal around here.
Having the right tools and doing it right gets repeat customers.I have had to fix a lot of $300 fret jobs.
Sometimes you can just replace the really worn frets and save the rest.
I just did a 57 L.P. Jr for a guy the first 7 frets were really bad but the rest were fine.

[Tricky]

Go to a pro. If possible get it looked at by more then one,
and Check out their work and referances. May just need a level and dress.

If you want to learn how to do fret work, learn on a cheap beater.
Squier, BCR Bronze, etc.
Don't go spend a crap load of cash on Stewmac tools to learn.
Many of their tools are designed for pro use where time is money.
I would just suggest an 18" strait edge, a radius block, and a crowning file.
The rest can be found elsewhere for less cash.
You don't have to get a fret bender and fret press system.
I've seen Wayne Charvel bend wire by hand and hammer frets.

Here is a link to some good vids.

http://www.youtube.com/user/smbstressfest#p/c/D65E8BFC21B63A99/0/tka_BQ_tl1U

Again, don't try to learn on your San Dimas.

[tonemonster]

Send it to Galloup's guitar hospital in Michigan. Bryan is one of the best luthiers in the biz. his prices are reasonable too. he does top rate work. He refretted one of my Jacksons and will be doing another one here when I get the spare chang to do it.
http://www.galloupguitars.com/ send him an email or give him a call. he is reputable guy to do biz with.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Send it to Galloup's guitar hospital in Michigan. Bryan is one of the best luthiers in the biz. his prices are reasonable too. he does top rate work. He refretted one of my Jacksons and will be doing another one here when I get the spare chang to do it.
http://www.galloupguitars.com/ send him an email or give him a call. he is reputable guy to do biz with.

My "I'm not going to try that... You do it" guy studied under him... He does great work. He charges $300 for a re-fret (which, I won't do myself.)

[Spivonious]

A re-fret for $100-150? Really? That seems really cheap to me. I never had it done, just assumed it would be more than that.

That was the average quote I got from shops around here. This was for an unbound, 22 fret, compound radius neck, refretting with regular jumbo frets, and assuming no strange problems in the neck. (warping, etc.).

[jacksonpc1]

I would have it inspected 1st off! We get alot of people that bring in their guitars wanting a refret & once we inspect the guitar it is as simple as a fret level....it may very be as easy as a fret level if the frets aren't in to bad of shape. I think the $150.00 price for a refret is to cheap....if it sounds to good to be true, then it could come back to haunt you. A refret is a big job & you definatly want someone experienced. Good Luck Bro!

[guitarsjb]

I would have it insected 1st off!

Ants? Surely not termites!

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

You gotta feed the toneworms SOMETHING.