Mex Strat Frets
- Thread starter YJM_Rocks
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beandip
Frito's Better Half
Re: Mex Strat Frets
Depending on where you are in the country, what kind of guitar it is (maple or rosewood fretboard, binding, finish on fretboard [satin or glossy]) in can range from 100 to 250 bucks for a good job. The squire series are actually quite better then MIM standards, have bigger frets, same body material, alnico pickups, and a wider varity of colors. Only setback is the big 70's style headstock and a thinner (from top to bottom, not front to back) neck.
Depending on where you are in the country, what kind of guitar it is (maple or rosewood fretboard, binding, finish on fretboard [satin or glossy]) in can range from 100 to 250 bucks for a good job. The squire series are actually quite better then MIM standards, have bigger frets, same body material, alnico pickups, and a wider varity of colors. Only setback is the big 70's style headstock and a thinner (from top to bottom, not front to back) neck.
rspst14
Tone Cat
Re: Mex Strat Frets
That pic never fails to make me laugh.
A refret would cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $200, especially if it has a maple fretboard that would need refinishing after the new frets were installed. A better choice would be to buy a Mexican body on Ebay, then get a Warmoth neck to go with it. You can probably find one on Ebay that has a larger fret size, and it would be a better option than buying a Mexican Strat, only to have to pay to get it refretted immediately.
Ryan
YJM_Rocks said:Or maybe i could scallop it.
That pic never fails to make me laugh.
A refret would cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $200, especially if it has a maple fretboard that would need refinishing after the new frets were installed. A better choice would be to buy a Mexican body on Ebay, then get a Warmoth neck to go with it. You can probably find one on Ebay that has a larger fret size, and it would be a better option than buying a Mexican Strat, only to have to pay to get it refretted immediately.
Ryan
Quencho092
New member
Re: Mex Strat Frets
damn maple is harder to fret?
damn maple is harder to fret?
Re: Mex Strat Frets
You too eh!!!!! i have 3 Mex strats that i bought dirt cheap used and i don't care for the frets either.... Saddly mine are Maple necks so it is harder to refret them then Rosewood necks.... I will try and refret one oneday for 6100 myself. I can't see paying someone $300Canadian to refret my cheap guitar.....
WhoFan
YJM_Rocks said:Those horribly small frets on a Mex. strat are scaring me. So i dont want to buy one. Does anybody else hate these? And whats the cost to get it re-fretted with jumbos. Or maybe i could scallop it.
You too eh!!!!! i have 3 Mex strats that i bought dirt cheap used and i don't care for the frets either.... Saddly mine are Maple necks so it is harder to refret them then Rosewood necks.... I will try and refret one oneday for 6100 myself. I can't see paying someone $300Canadian to refret my cheap guitar.....
WhoFan
rspst14
Tone Cat
Re: Mex Strat Frets
I've done a couple refrets myself...three on a practice neck, one on my Hamer. The problem with doing it yourself is that you won't save any money, and in fact, you'll spend more buying the tools to do it yourself than you would paying a good luthier to do it. I certainly wouldn't put myself on the level of JohnJohn, but I did a pretty good job. It helps that Hamers are super consistent and that I was dealing with an unbound rosewood board with no irregularities. A master luthier can do a top-notch refret with only a few basic tools...guys like me need a fret bender, fret press system, and a diamond crowning file. But I figure I'll end up wanting or needing to refret another guitar or two at some point in my life, so the investment in tools was worth it.
Ryan
I've done a couple refrets myself...three on a practice neck, one on my Hamer. The problem with doing it yourself is that you won't save any money, and in fact, you'll spend more buying the tools to do it yourself than you would paying a good luthier to do it. I certainly wouldn't put myself on the level of JohnJohn, but I did a pretty good job. It helps that Hamers are super consistent and that I was dealing with an unbound rosewood board with no irregularities. A master luthier can do a top-notch refret with only a few basic tools...guys like me need a fret bender, fret press system, and a diamond crowning file. But I figure I'll end up wanting or needing to refret another guitar or two at some point in my life, so the investment in tools was worth it.
Ryan
rspst14
Tone Cat
Re: Mex Strat Frets
By the way, if the maple board is perfectly radiused with no humps or irregularities, you can sometimes get away with refretting without sanding the board first. In that case, you wouldn't need to refinish. But I'm guessing MIM necks aren't the greatest in that regard, and it's not worth paying for a refret if you're not going to get good results due to a board that wasn't properly prepared. A good luthier could look over it and probably tell you if he thinks he can do the work without sanding the board first.
Ryan
WhoFan said:
By the way, if the maple board is perfectly radiused with no humps or irregularities, you can sometimes get away with refretting without sanding the board first. In that case, you wouldn't need to refinish. But I'm guessing MIM necks aren't the greatest in that regard, and it's not worth paying for a refret if you're not going to get good results due to a board that wasn't properly prepared. A good luthier could look over it and probably tell you if he thinks he can do the work without sanding the board first.
Ryan
Hellion
New member
Re: Mex Strat Frets
Well, the first refret that I did got rid of the worthless frets that had been put on the first time. The second was to upgrade to 6100s (at the time, I didn't really know what I wanted to do with the guitar). I don't anticipate wearing these out anytime soon, even though I do use stainless steel strings, mainly because it's not a front line axe anymore. You're right, stainless frets would be more hassle free, but I haven't been able to rationalize the extra cost yet.
rspst14 said:
Well, the first refret that I did got rid of the worthless frets that had been put on the first time. The second was to upgrade to 6100s (at the time, I didn't really know what I wanted to do with the guitar). I don't anticipate wearing these out anytime soon, even though I do use stainless steel strings, mainly because it's not a front line axe anymore. You're right, stainless frets would be more hassle free, but I haven't been able to rationalize the extra cost yet.
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Re: Mex Strat Frets
Ya a pro is the best way to go for sure!!!!!! I have been making my own guitars for about 6 years and have refrettted a few necks as well. I'm no pro but have been doing pretty good so far. I have even worked in a guitar shop's repair dept doing light repairs. Stuff i couldn't get into to much trouble if i screwed up. I have a full time job doing something else but the time i spent at the repair shop opened my eyes as to what it is really like in a shop. The stress level is killer in a busy shop. Musicians have no money so they want it done cheap, done in a few minutes and not wait for it, and want cheap junk turned into playable guitars. My hat goes off to those of you that do it for a living. I've had a taste of it......
I like making my own replacement necks more then i like refreting factory necks..... My really good guitars i still take in for repairs by a good shop in Toronto. I will not mess with a guitar i need to be perfect. But with a Mexican Neck i don't think i'll be afraid to experiment when the time comes. I already own most fretting tools. (files, radius blocks, fret saws, and so on) I have become very good at fret dresses and prefer my fret dresses over other peoples. i like to do a minor compound radius dress and the guitars i do this to have extremely low action and bends don't fret out.
As for Mexican Strats i saw a new Standard in the store today that looked and felt great. My mex standards are pre 1999 and these new ones have Alder bodies. They feel heavier and better. I may be dreaming but the shape feels more american too. A Black one i tried out felt and played great, except for those frets.
WhoFan
rspst14 said:
Ya a pro is the best way to go for sure!!!!!! I have been making my own guitars for about 6 years and have refrettted a few necks as well. I'm no pro but have been doing pretty good so far. I have even worked in a guitar shop's repair dept doing light repairs. Stuff i couldn't get into to much trouble if i screwed up. I have a full time job doing something else but the time i spent at the repair shop opened my eyes as to what it is really like in a shop. The stress level is killer in a busy shop. Musicians have no money so they want it done cheap, done in a few minutes and not wait for it, and want cheap junk turned into playable guitars. My hat goes off to those of you that do it for a living. I've had a taste of it......
I like making my own replacement necks more then i like refreting factory necks..... My really good guitars i still take in for repairs by a good shop in Toronto. I will not mess with a guitar i need to be perfect. But with a Mexican Neck i don't think i'll be afraid to experiment when the time comes. I already own most fretting tools. (files, radius blocks, fret saws, and so on) I have become very good at fret dresses and prefer my fret dresses over other peoples. i like to do a minor compound radius dress and the guitars i do this to have extremely low action and bends don't fret out.
As for Mexican Strats i saw a new Standard in the store today that looked and felt great. My mex standards are pre 1999 and these new ones have Alder bodies. They feel heavier and better. I may be dreaming but the shape feels more american too. A Black one i tried out felt and played great, except for those frets.
WhoFan
FenderBender03
New member
Re: Mex Strat Frets
Aren't the frets on a Mexican Standard considered vintage? As in vintage style and size? I own two Mexican Standard Fenders and the frets feel really close to the two 50's RI i've owned thus far. Anyone else think this to?
FenderBender
Aren't the frets on a Mexican Standard considered vintage? As in vintage style and size? I own two Mexican Standard Fenders and the frets feel really close to the two 50's RI i've owned thus far. Anyone else think this to?
FenderBender
Re: Mex Strat Frets
Oh for sure they are vintage style fret wire. My USA strat was refretted with the huge 6100 and it feels great compaired to the thin wire found on the mexicans. But there is many players out there that prefer small frets. I was shocked to hear that metal guitarist Dave "whats his name" from Megadeth uses the smallest frets out there. I thought all metal guys liked big frets.
I guess it comes down to weather or not you like the feel of the wood under your finger when fretting........ That is what bugs me about small frets is my fingers touching the fingerboard. The Scalloped boards may be for me but i have never tried one yet.
WhoFan
FenderBender03 said:
Oh for sure they are vintage style fret wire. My USA strat was refretted with the huge 6100 and it feels great compaired to the thin wire found on the mexicans. But there is many players out there that prefer small frets. I was shocked to hear that metal guitarist Dave "whats his name" from Megadeth uses the smallest frets out there. I thought all metal guys liked big frets.
I guess it comes down to weather or not you like the feel of the wood under your finger when fretting........ That is what bugs me about small frets is my fingers touching the fingerboard. The Scalloped boards may be for me but i have never tried one yet.
WhoFan
Quencho092
New member
Re: Mex Strat Frets
around how much would it cost to refret a maple fretboard with that gold looking fretwire that's more durable than nickel wire?
around how much would it cost to refret a maple fretboard with that gold looking fretwire that's more durable than nickel wire?
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Mex Strat Frets
:wrf: Maybe if you're talking about the old Squier II, but otherwise... umm, no.beandip said:
beandip
Frito's Better Half
Re: Mex Strat Frets
I think that the Squire standards are better than the MIM standards when compaired on paper. I dont play them because I cant stand the neck. Too thin. But bigger frets, a floating 2 point bridge (which I dont like), more mass to the headstock, alnico pickups, and a whole lot cooler finishes.
JB_From_Hell said:
I think that the Squire standards are better than the MIM standards when compaired on paper. I dont play them because I cant stand the neck. Too thin. But bigger frets, a floating 2 point bridge (which I dont like), more mass to the headstock, alnico pickups, and a whole lot cooler finishes.
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Mex Strat Frets
Ok, on paper turns out to be a "no way" as well. The Squier has an agathis body, while the Fender is alder. The Squier is available in one less finish than the Fender. The Squier's hardware quality is also several notches below the Fender's. That (and the country of origin) is why the Fender costs almost twice as much
And honestly, have you ever played the two side by side? There's no comparison in the feel or sound.
Ok, I see where you're coming from, now. On paper... perhaps. In reality, no way. The MIM Fenders are FAR superior as far as quality goes.beandip said:
Ok, on paper turns out to be a "no way" as well. The Squier has an agathis body, while the Fender is alder. The Squier is available in one less finish than the Fender. The Squier's hardware quality is also several notches below the Fender's. That (and the country of origin) is why the Fender costs almost twice as much
And honestly, have you ever played the two side by side? There's no comparison in the feel or sound.
