A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

[Pierre]

I may get a CHEAP MIM Strat, but I don't like these skinny frets. So that's basically THE easiest guitar out there to refret since you can even take the neck out. How much do you guys charge? Odie, Zerb...

Also is there enough of a lip on the MIM neck to add a 22nd fret? That's mostly curiosity. I can't bring up a pic... <_<

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

is there enough of a lip on the MIM neck to add a 22nd fret? That's mostly curiosity. I can't bring up a pic... <_<

+1, that's what I've been wondering for quite some time now, that and whether it is worth it (monetary wise).

Here's a pic:

 

[WhoFan]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

I do not believe there is enough room to install a 22nd fret safely..... I believe near the edges of the neck the wood is either not there for the correct slot or it would be too weak from a saw cut to sopport a fret tang...

Easiest and cheaper sollution is buy an aftermarket Warmoth neck or other brands... My 99 MIM is in need of frets soon and i plan on buying a new neck instead of refretting it... I'll save enough fret to dress it for resale and use a new neck with 22 larger frets on the MIM body... I'll stash the MIM neck away for save keeping

 

[Pierre]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

Yeah on this pic you see there isn't enough room.
Problem in Europe is that there are no aftermarket neck manufacturers. Warmoth and the likes become WAY too expensive. A luthier could do one for cheaper. Which is just as good Since we do get a fret level for hte price.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

Yeah on this pic you see there isn't enough room.
Problem in Europe is that there are no aftermarket neck manufacturers. Warmoth and the likes become WAY too expensive. A luthier could do one for cheaper. Which is just as good Since we do get a fret level for hte price.

i hear ya.... Warmoth stuff can get expensive here in Canada too... exchange rate and import tax.... it adds up... Those $100 strat necks www.stewmac.com sell may be good for a MIM Strat and they are 22 frets.. but the frets are not much larger...

But the way i figure it is if you are buying a neck get a good one with the right options built in and you will be happy... sometimes paying the extra is worth it

 

[WhoFan]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

just double checked... the necks stewmac sell are $125 and the frets are mediums... They are finnished necks and the nuts are installed... For the money they seem OK for a MIM strat to me.. but i'd be more willing to get a Warmoth i guess myself

 

[Pierre]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

Same here. But in the UK we have a lot of freelance luthiers who could do a neck, dressed/levelled and finished for about 150 pounds. If it comes to this, I think it'll be that. Or maybe I'll LIKE the skinny frets... though seeing the size of those on my guitars, unlikely hehe..

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

Damn... here we do have a couple of luthiers too but I'd be willing to bet that if I were to ask one for a new neck it'd cost me WAY more than importing a Warmoth one...

Anyway, hypothetically, if I were to get a new (maple) neck for my MIM Strat for a sensible price (from the seller, the shipping should be the same either way, dunno about VAT), 22 frets, either (birdseye?) maple or ebony fretboard (I generally prefer ebony over other woods for fretboard but I don't know how it'll work on a Strat...) and maybe? with tuners and a tree if needed, which one should I best look at; Warmoth, StewMac, Mighty Mite or Moses (or somewhere else)?

Which one offers the best/widest options and which is the best value for money?

 

[ozzynotwood]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

I may get a CHEAP MIM Strat, but I don't like these skinny frets. So that's basically THE easiest guitar out there to refret since you can even take the neck out. How much do you guys charge? Odie, Zerb...

Also is there enough of a lip on the MIM neck to add a 22nd fret? That's mostly curiosity. I can't bring up a pic... <_<

If you dont like small frets, and anything less than 21 frets, then I'd say get a different guitar. I really dont think you'll get a 22nd fret on there, it looks like it would have to be a curved fret too. If you want a fender with 22 jumbo frets, get a highway one.

 

[Pierre]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

I don't mind 21 frets. And skinny frets... Meh. I can live with. Problem is, I can't AFFORD much else than a MIM Strat It may be a new one I get though. But if I get this one, I could afford a new amp as well.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

I don't mind 21 frets. And skinny frets... Meh. I can live with. Problem is, I can't AFFORD much else than a MIM Strat It may be a new one I get though. But if I get this one, I could afford a new amp as well.

i own both new and old MIM Strats... i enjoy both... the new ones with the updated frets and bridge are more my cup of tea.... but i find some of the older ones for a really cheap price from time to time and they are hard to turn down... My 99 Standard i paid $200canadian for and i love it.... I hate the small frets but for $200 it is a great axe...

 

[Pierre]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

I can get an old one for 100 GBP. So that'd be about 200 USD. And that is CHEAP over here. I could upgrade the bridge and go for a refret for less than a standard MIM still which are 300 Pounds (600USD). Glad you like yours, I'm more and more looking forward to try this one...

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

...damn, that's how much a Squier Strat costs over here...

A Fender Strat goes for about 500-450 euros (about 335-305 GBP)
Man, seriously, as long as it plays good don't turn it down, you probably can do a lot more than a re-fret and bridge and still be bellow the cost of a new one...

 

[Pierre]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

Yeah, for a second hand one hehe... Here a standard Squier costs over 150 pounds which is over 300USD.

If it plays bad I don't care. If it SOUNDS bad however I do. Sound can only be changed so much, playability can be changed 100% pretty much.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

You know the new MIM Fenders come with medium jumbo frets (and a gigbag), right?

 

[Pierre]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

Yes but the new one are 300 pounds, the old one is going to be 100 :laugh2:
So if the one for 100 talks to me and the skinny frets don't bother me THAT much... I'll be ok hehe

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

Gotcha

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

Odie did a medium-jumbo refret on my MIM rosewood neck Strat a couple years ago. He did an excellent job. I suggest you PM him and see what he can do. It was well worth it.

- Keith

 

[Pierre]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

Dave's a great friend and I would, but shipping a neck back and forth would be more than the actual cost of the work, whether done in Edinburgh or the US.

 

[dilney]

Re: A refret on a MIM Rosewood strat, + added 22nd fret? For the techs.

Buy the used MIM and sell the neck on ebay. Then buy a neck from Warmoth for $125 (<65 UK Pounds) with the frets/profile you want... Only thing is that for this price they are not finished. You could apply the finish yourself, I got pretty interested in finishing a guitar after reading this forum: http://www.guitariste.com/forums/le-coin-du-bricoleur,24.html