Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

[dethritual]

It seems that recently, any of my 5 USA jacksons had one or maybe even two frets that were out of whack and the frets buzzed, but other than that the rest of the neck was fine. None of these guitars are more than 8 years old, with the exception of my San Dimas which is 20. My repair guy keeps telling me I need $200 fret levelling and partial recrowns for these kinds of jobs. My questions are twofold:

1.) Is he snowing me? I mean, I could see the San Dimas needing this kind of setup, but overall, I dont see how guitars Ive kept in pristine condition over the years could have such major problems with the frets. Are these kinds of setups normal as a guitar gets older?

2.) Would it be possible for me to perform these repairs myself, or would it be best for a qualified tech to do it? I only ask because a few years ago I worked in a guitar store and I did some stuff levelling the fretboard but I dont know how accurate I need to be.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Nate

[sully]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

sounds way high.

most fret level jobs are about $75. that includes the crowning.
you first have to level the frets, which flattens the tops. the crowning is the re-rounding of the tops.

you do need to be accurate if you want buzz free, so you may be better off going to a tech.

[dethritual]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

or I could just rip the frets out and try to play in tune! hahahaha, just kidding.

[MetalMedal II]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

[ QUOTE ]
It seems that recently, any of my 5 USA jacksons had one or maybe even two frets that were out of whack and the frets buzzed,


[/ QUOTE ]

Are the frets in the same location on each guitar?
If it's only one fret or two where the string is buzzing, it could be that that the fret ahead of it has become unseated and has raised up off the board, thus causing the buzz. If that's the case, the fret needs to be seated back in with some glue to keep it there. This needed to be done on a guitar I bought new after a couple years which I hardly played, so I knew it wasn't caused by normal wear and tear, so it didn't need a leveling. I had it done by a pro, so I didn't know exactly what he used to hammer it back in or what he used to glue it. I didn't cost too much though.

[dethritual]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

yeah, Im just getting the feeling that my guy is snowing me. Like the dead fret on my KV-1 was the sixth. The open high E string buzzes on my KE-1F. The fifteenth fret was no mans land on my 1998 usa sls, the ninth fret on my San dimas, sometimes the tenth.

[Souldigger]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

[ QUOTE ]
sounds way high.

most fret level jobs are about $75. that includes the crowning.
you first have to level the frets, which flattens the tops. the crowning is the re-rounding of the tops.

you do need to be accurate if you want buzz free, so you may be better off going to a tech.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hit it on the head.

[Kyle G]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

Hes probably right that it needs a level and crown but it really shouldnt cost that much. Anything more than $100 is too high.

[iron_monkey]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.


Can't you get a refret on a simple neck (no binding, etc.) for $300 or so? Highest I've heard of is $150 for level, crown and complete setup.

[Kyle G]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

[ QUOTE ]

Can't you get a refret on a simple neck (no binding, etc.) for $300 or so? Highest I've heard of is $150 for level, crown and complete setup.

[/ QUOTE ]

$300 is on the high side. Refrets usually start at about $150 for a rosewood neck with no binding and go up from there.

[iron_monkey]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Can't you get a refret on a simple neck (no binding, etc.) for $300 or so? Highest I've heard of is $150 for level, crown and complete setup.

[/ QUOTE ]

$300 is on the high side. Refrets usually start at about $150 for a rosewood neck with no binding and go up from there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well then, $150 for a fret dressing is *really* high.

[dfvxc]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

I don't have much knowledge and experience with these stuff,

but I had a high 6th fret on my new KE3 on the high E side (every other string on the same fret was good), didn't want to spend the money to get it to a tech, so I bought a small file and filed it down carefully, I am extremely happy with the result. Although the fret is a bit unpolished, doesn't affect anything and u can't tell at all, it's very subtle.

It solved the problem completely for 1 dollar ( the file), and 30 minutes of my time.

[Kyle G]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Can't you get a refret on a simple neck (no binding, etc.) for $300 or so? Highest I've heard of is $150 for level, crown and complete setup.

[/ QUOTE ]



$300 is on the high side. Refrets usually start at about $150 for a rosewood neck with no binding and go up from there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well then, $150 for a fret dressing is *really* high.

[/ QUOTE ]

Id say so. If it was very well known luthier maybe 150 would be reasonable but he would have to do some amazing work.

[vwall]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

I disagree with most of this thread.
I am also a guitar repair center and authorized for about every guitar manufacturer on the planet... well not everyone...
But working with fender, jackson, bc rich, taylor, washburn ibanez and more, i know what the manufacture authorizes for fret levels and dressing and refrets etc.
I have also contracted work for 5 major guitar stores in the gretaer houston area and the price on fret leveling/dressing etc starts at around 85.00 and goes to 125.00.
Refrets avg 225.00-300.00 depending on binding, maple boards that need to be sprayed, ebony/rosewood and gibson style refrets....
And these are not my prices rather what these stores pay me and other guys to do this work.
I have alos spoke to people from Michigan, NY and other areas where Im told certain shops have tried to gouge out as much as 400-450 for a simple refret....

I guess Im saying that economical diversity across the country will differ in pricing but the ones listed above seems a tad low...

[Kyle G]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

[ QUOTE ]
I disagree with most of this thread.
I am also a guitar repair center and authorized for about every guitar manufacturer on the planet... well not everyone...
But working with fender, jackson, bc rich, taylor, washburn ibanez and more, i know what the manufacture authorizes for fret levels and dressing and refrets etc.
I have also contracted work for 5 major guitar stores in the gretaer houston area and the price on fret leveling/dressing etc starts at around 85.00 and goes to 125.00.
Refrets avg 225.00-300.00 depending on binding, maple boards that need to be sprayed, ebony/rosewood and gibson style refrets....
And these are not my prices rather what these stores pay me and other guys to do this work.
I have alos spoke to people from Michigan, NY and other areas where Im told certain shops have tried to gouge out as much as 400-450 for a simple refret....

I guess Im saying that economical diversity across the country will differ in pricing but the ones listed above seems a tad low...

[/ QUOTE ]

150 would be absolute minimum if there is nothing to work around and the repair guy has prices on the cheaper side. 200 would be average. Out of living in minneapolis, atlanta, and los angeles I have known qualified repair guys that do great work that will only charge 150 for a bottom line refret. Once you add binding and/or finish work it gets into the 200-300 range. If you can charge $500 and still have a happy customer, more power to you though. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[vwall]

Re: Fret levelling, partial recrowns etc.

I never said I charge 400 for this work.
If you read my post, i referenced 5 other guitar shops prices here in houston.
Price is subject to demographics...