Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

[Hank-]

So my PRS SE needs a refret, I've played it a lot & going for recrowing will turn it into almost a fretless guitar. I've looked into some options online, there is Dunlop, Jescar & StewMac that seem to be rather good choices. Now as far as the fretwire dimensions are concerned, I have questions:

Will I be able to use jumbo frets & will it feel very awkward to play afterwards since I've been used to the stock whatever size frets it came factory stock with?

The Dunlop fretwire is available precut in 25 pieces or something, right? So would this be a better option in terms of ease of install?

The Jescar site also has fretwire available precut in various radii, 10" is the fingerboard radius on my PRS so is this the radius I need to get it in? Also I wanted to get two/three sets of 25 pieces so that I'd have some left over for my Godin(this has 12" fingerboard radius), so would it work on this as well or does it need to match its radius?

I wanted to do the refret myself, doesn't seem like a tough job if I go for the precut set, I don't have the tools to cut it to correct length for each fret but I could get it done from outside from someone else. Super glue & sanding(correct word?) the edges before gluing the frets should help keep things easy, no?

If I used a soldering iron to heat up the stock frets a little & use a flat screw driver(i have a watch screw driver set for tiny screws) to push the wire up slowly as the glue loses its ability to stick together, the fretwire would come out without too much effort I think? That's considering they used super glue to glue those in at the factory lol

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

I humbly submit that considering the number of questions listed here, doing it yourself would be unwise.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

I humbly submit that considering the number of questions listed here, doing it yourself would be unwise.

This...

As someone who does their own refrets, I can you that unless you are going to invest in the proper tools, paying a pro is a better plan.

 

[gordon_39422]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

A few things for you to consider in concurrence with above posts...

1) Too many questions for DIY
2) fret wire needs to be rolled to the correct fingerboard radius BEFORE it's cut to get the best results
3) the tools to do a job are around $600, I do refrets for $200 because I'm disabled and can't do them in 4-6 hours anymore...
4) I BEG you to let a pro do it, there's so much more than just yanking old frets and putting new frets in their place!

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

^^^^nah
Thats bull **** man, You don't need a bunch of fancy stewmac ****. Over radius fret wire hammered in with a good rubber mallet works awesome. If you look around you can find a straight level to do the frets. The only tool i would recommend is a crowning file other than that just improvise hardware tools.

 

[B2D]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

If you want to learn how to do refrets, don't do it on your main player. Buy a POS guitar for cheap from a pawn shop and learn on THAT. You will probably make mistakes the first time out. That's OK, but not on your #1.


As far as what frets to use, a competent luthier can set up a guitar for whatever frets you like. My Silhouette came with smallish wire and I had it replaced with medium jumbo stainless stuff and I've never regretted it because I like that size wire on anything. I've never said to myself "I like different frets on this guitar than that one." I like consistency to a point.

 

[LReese]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

What they said. If you can spare the extra money, I'd recommend going with stainless wire.

As far as size, jumbo is going to make the neck feel a little bit thicker, depending on what you have on there now. In my case it made some thinner necks more comfortable for me. Other thing to consider is if you tend to have an iron grip, you'll need to adjust or use a lower wire.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

Refrets and fretwork in general are like Automotive transmission work. No one really knows exactly what they are doing. Might as well do it yourself. You'll end up screwing up too probably, but so will the guy you pay hundreds of dollars to.
Be wary. Be VERY wary. Its a pseudo-science. Unless you really know a good tech,which is about as hard as finding a trustworthy auto mechanic, its same as taking your car into a shop you don't know. Odds are you'll get screwed over.

 

[kilphody]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

Yup. Do a beater first. You really don't need more than a hammer and a good set of clippers , a straight edge and a few files. Go with Dunlop or Jescar.
PC

 

[Bludave]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

I humbly submit that considering the number of questions listed here, doing it yourself would be unwise.

I concur

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

Save up some extra cash and let a pro do the fret job..Learn on a cheap bargain neck..If the filing and crowning of the neck isn't right after the fret install,you will have problems!

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

With that many questions, taking it to a pro (NOT GC!!!) is a better idea.

Unless you`pe willing to spend 2-3 times the cost of a proper refret (some tools, but mostly materials and literature, since most tools can be moidified from existing, cheaper ones.) to learn to do it yourself on a beater /POS. The first 2 are almost guaranteed to be absolute trainwrecks and learning experiences no matter how talented you are, I`ve seen people ace the third one, though...

Any other solution is "jerry rigging" it, a topic which I`ll address right now.

Refrets and fretwork in general are like Automotive transmission work. No one really knows exactly what they are doing. Might as well do it yourself. You'll end up screwing up too probably, but so will the guy you pay hundreds of dollars to.
Be wary. Be VERY wary. Its a pseudo-science. Unless you really know a good tech,which is about as hard as finding a trustworthy auto mechanic, its same as taking your car into a shop you don't know. Odds are you'll get screwed over.

Jerry, sometimes you are just so full of it it`s unbelievable...

Just because you don`t have access to a good tech (which isn`t actually true, I know at least 3 just on this board and 2 have posted in this thread, but they`re not local to you) does not mean that 90% of all techs are hacks that have no idea what they`re doing.

There is nothing Pseudo scientific about quality workmanship and knowledge. But people that have access to neither generally jump to that conclusion every time they see something that costy miore than a Big Mac and say "i can do that for less"... causing tehm to inevitably pay out the nose for something they could have had for half the price, better and with a guarantee that you can fall back on if it was borked after all... On that note, this is a good sign of a good tech, a guarantee on his work, meaning if he screws up for some mysterious reason, a rework is free. If the tech isn`t confident enough in his work to offer a guarantee, that`s a red flag right there...

Sometimes I honestly wonder how many good techs like Phil and myself have made excellent money after repairing something doen by somebody that followed your "advice".. I know of 3 people FROM THIS FORUM who`s guitars ended up on MY bench after they listened to you and were completely ****ed up as a result. I will not disclose their names, but I can tell you that they don`t take you particularly seriously since then, nor are they on particularly amicable terms with you anymore.

I mean, thanks for the business, and they`re your enemies now, not mine. but as they say in German:

"Wenn man keine Ahnung hat, einfach mal Fresse halten"

Or in english for those that can`t operate an online translator: "When you don`t have a clue, then just STFU for a change" :beerchug:

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

With that many questions, taking it to a pro (NOT GC!!!) is a better idea.

Unless you`pe willing to spend 2-3 times the cost of a proper refret (some tools, but mostly materials and literature, since most tools can be moidified from existing, cheaper ones.) to learn to do it yourself on a beater /POS. The first 2 are almost guaranteed to be absolute trainwrecks and learning experiences no matter how talented you are, I`ve seen people ace the third one, though...

Any other solution is "jerry rigging" it, a topic which I`ll address right now.



Jerry, sometimes you are just so full of it it`s unbelievable...

Just because you don`t have access to a good tech (which isn`t actually true, I know at least 3 just on this board and 2 have posted in this thread, but they`re not local to you) does not mean that 90% of all techs are hacks that have no idea what they`re doing.

There is nothing Pseudo scientific about quality workmanship and knowledge. But people that have access to neither generally jump to that conclusion every time they see something that costy miore than a Big Mac and say "i can do that for less"... causing tehm to inevitably pay out the nose for something they could have had for half the price, better and with a guarantee that you can fall back on if it was borked after all...

Sometimes I honestly wonder how many good techs like Phil and myself have made excellent money after repairing something doen by somebody that followed your "advice".. I know of 3 people FROM THIS FORUM who`s guitars ended up on MY bench after they listened to you and were completely ****ed up as a result. I will not disclose their names, but I can tell you that they don`t take you particularly seriously since then, nor are they on particularly amicable terms with you anymore.

I mean, thanks for the business, and they`re your enemies now, not mine. but as they say in German:

"Wenn man keine Ahnung hat, einfach mal Fresse halten"

Or in english for those that can`t operate an online translator: "When you don`t have a clue, then just STFU for a change" :beerchug:

Well said...I'm pretty versed in most of the guitar repair stuff...BUT:When it comes to fret jobs,I Let my tech do it..Pay him,he does it and I sit back and know the guitar will play great! Thank God for the guys that "really" know how to do this stuff the right way!

 

[ErikH]

Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

Thanks, Zerb. You beat me to it. :beerchug:

I can take care of just about anything on a guitar except fret work. That is an area that I am just starting to get in to. Gotta get some tools first.

To answer the OP, take it to a tech. Ask around and find out who others use. That's what I did when I needed to find someone. Word of mouth finds the best ones.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

Thanks, Zerb. You beat me to it. :beerchug:

I can take care of just about anything on a guitar except fret work. That is an area that I am just starting to get in to. Gotta get some tools first.

To answer the OP, take it to a tech. Ask around and find out who others use. That's what I did when I needed to find someone. Word of mouth finds the best ones.

I tryed a fret job on one of my strats...Got all the frets in nice,but after the re-crowning..The neck just didn't feel right..Sold it and bolted another neck on to that strat..Now I just let my tech do it..He's worked on the hard stuff for me since about 1990 or so.Trusted..

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

I have a thread around here somewhere that shows the work involved in doing a proper refret. Search it out, and you will see why you want to go pro.

 

[Hank-]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

Alrighty then, I shall not attempt to refret by myself any time soon. :bigthumb:

I have a old broken acoustic from 20yrs that I started playing on which I could use to try to learn to refret but meh I'll skip on that.

Today I went looking at frets of stock guitars to get an idea of what jumbo size is like. I think the only ones I found were ESP LTDs. The Pacificas & Gibson LP Standard(I think or maybe it was the Special) seem to have thinner wires. PRS SE's have sorta medium slightly wider but not tall enough wires. My Godin seems to have medium, can't say for sure. Could not locate any Fenders for some reason.

Anyways, would it be better if I just bought the wire that comes pre-cut in 25 pieces from Jescar or Dunlop, I mean will it make his/her work shorter/quicker/faster? Or should I just let them use whatever they have?

I don't wanna go stainless steel, just the plain old 18% NiAg

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Need a Refret, fret wire options are a little confusing for me

Jescar is the best wire you can get in nickel or stainless. You can buy it from Warmoth...