Refretting an acoustic guitar

I mis-read the thread title as ‘Regretting an acoustic guitar’ ...and immediately sympathised with anyone who’s ever heard me play.
 


See, I reckon I'd be proper pissed off with new frets being any higher/lower than they should be. Which brings me back to my comment about being apprehensive over which pro I'd take a guitar to for a refret.

I noticed a few frets on my Les Paul are looking a little worn, and I'd hate for any backstreet bandit luthier to balls that guitar up. :lol:
Well you could take them down to your preferred height. It’s just if you’ve had frets on for 20 years, then put new ones on, until you take them down, there’s likely to be a difference. Could be minute, but enough to in turn cause your nut to need adjusting. The thing is, if there was going to be no difference, you might as well keep the old ones on! It’s minuscule amounts often that can make a huge difference! It’s all cause and affect. Adjusting one thing can in turn cause an effect elsewhere.
I treat every guitar as if it’s my own. Talk through things with every client to make sure they’re getting what they want.
Well you could take them down to your preferred height. It’s just if you’ve had frets on for 20 years, then put new ones on, until you take them down, there’s likely to be a difference. Could be minute, but enough to in turn cause your nut to need adjusting. The thing is, if there was going to be no difference, you might as well keep the old ones on! It’s minuscule amounts often that can make a huge difference! It’s all cause and affect. Adjusting one thing can in turn cause an effect elsewhere.
I treat every guitar as if it’s my own. Talk through things with every client to make sure they’re getting what they want.
Also makes a difference choosing the correct fret wire etc, which again, if you’re didn’t know what you were doing, you may be totally oblivious to!
 
Last edited:
Well you could take them down to your preferred height. It’s just if you’ve had frets on for 20 years, then put new ones on, until you take them down, there’s likely to be a difference. Could be minute, but enough to in turn cause your nut to need adjusting. The thing is, if there was going to be no difference, you might as well keep the old ones on! It’s minuscule amounts often that can make a huge difference! It’s all cause and affect. Adjusting one thing can in turn cause an effect elsewhere.
I treat every guitar as if it’s my own. Talk through things with every client to make sure they’re getting what they want.
Aye, fair comments. I'd never given it a massive amount of thought to be honest. I just (perhaps wrongly) assumed where it's a partial refret you'd be looking to get the new frets dressed to the same height. I've only ever started looking at a refret on a guitar once before, and then I ended up just buying a new guitar! :lol: Short of buying an actual 1950s model though, I don't think I could upgrade on me Les Paul.
 
Last edited:
Aye, fair comments. I'd never given it a massive amount of thought to be honest. I just (perhaps wrongly) assumed where it's a partial refret you'd be looking to get the new frets dressed to the same height. I've only ever started looking at a refret on a guitar once before, and then I ended up just buying a new guitar! :lol:
More often than not, a crowning or dressing will more than suffice. Obviously there’s a limit though. You can only go so low. Obviously on a full or partial refret they will all be the same height, as you will dress the frets with a radius block and crowning files. They may just be slightly different to the previous height, which then would need the nut to be adjusted. I’m talking sometimes next to nothing, and perhaps only certain nut slots. There’s a very methodical way to go through things as if you start adjusting one aspect without first adjusting another, you’re just gonna go round in circles!
 
More often than not, a crowning or dressing will more than suffice. Obviously there’s a limit though. You can only go so low. Obviously on a full or partial refret they will all be the same height, as you will dress the frets with a radius block and crowning files. They may just be slightly different to the previous height, which then would need the nut to be adjusted. I’m talking sometimes next to nothing, and perhaps only certain nut slots. There’s a very methodical way to go through things as if you start adjusting one aspect without first adjusting another, you’re just gonna go round in circles!
Chasing the cat!!!!
 
Aye, fair comments. I'd never given it a massive amount of thought to be honest. I just (perhaps wrongly) assumed where it's a partial refret you'd be looking to get the new frets dressed to the same height. I've only ever started looking at a refret on a guitar once before, and then I ended up just buying a new guitar! :lol: Short of buying an actual 1950s model though, I don't think I could upgrade on me Les Paul.
I remember my first refret on someone else’s guitar being quite stressful! But like anything, over time becomes second nature. I also assume every guitar is a ‘59 les Paul and treat everyone with love an respect!
Chasing the cat!!!!
That’s a great analogy! It’s like anything I guess. Once you know what you’re doing, it’s easy. But when you start out it can be very infuriating. You learn tricks and tips along the way and the easiest ways to do things. I’ve been very lucky to learn from some amazing techs, but still learn new methods all the time.
 
Last edited:
I remember my first refret on someone else’s guitar being quite stressful! But like anything, over time becomes second nature. I also assume every guitar is a ‘59 les Paul and treat everyone with love an respect!
I think I would be scared to even pick it up never mind ripping frets out!!!

Sorry Kirk - I've dropped it!!!!
 
I'll keep you in mind marra. ;)
I’m sure we can come to a decent arrangement lol. But like I said before, if anyone needs any help with any guitar related stuff, just message me and I’ll do my best to help out.
I’m sure we can come to a decent arrangement lol. But like I said before, if anyone needs any help with any guitar related stuff, just message me and I’ll do my best to help out.
It’s weird with some people.. they won’t show you anything and are extremely secretive. How the hell is anyone gonna learn if people don’t help them?!
 
Last edited:
Chris's point about just getting new guitar is a fair one mind - Gretsch are now selling a G2215 Streamliner Junior for £370 and you will probably get it even cheaper in the shops.

Its made in Indo and has a Nato body and comes with a humbucker and a single coil set up - bolt on neck.

Thats a lot of guitar for not much cash and at that price you would not worry gigging it.
 
Chris's point about just getting new guitar is a fair one mind - Gretsch are now selling a G2215 Streamliner Junior for £370 and you will probably get it even cheaper in the shops.

Its made in Indo and has a Nato body and comes with a humbucker and a single coil set up - bolt on neck.

Thats a lot of guitar for not much cash and at that price you would not worry gigging it.
:lol: Well it is, but I went from looking at £100 + for a refret on me Tanglewood, to buying a J45.
 
If the guitar is fretting out it may just need a tweak of the trussrod , if you need a quality cheap beginners acoustic with nice action and tone you can pick up a
Vintage V300 acoustic s/h for around £100 to save all the hassle.
It won best acoustic under £500 a few years ago in Guitar & Bass magazine awards.
The frets are visibly work down mate. Clearly from when I first started learning and pressed down so effing hard... :lol:
Did you melt the frets with your lightning guitar work???
:lol:
 
Last edited:
More often than not, a crowning or dressing will more than suffice. Obviously there’s a limit though. You can only go so low. Obviously on a full or partial refret they will all be the same height, as you will dress the frets with a radius block and crowning files. They may just be slightly different to the previous height, which then would need the nut to be adjusted. I’m talking sometimes next to nothing, and perhaps only certain nut slots. There’s a very methodical way to go through things as if you start adjusting one aspect without first adjusting another, you’re just gonna go round in circles!

With the amount of wearing on the frets, I'm assuming crowning and dressing would probs lower the height of all of my frets to at least 1.5mm (currently they are 2mm) after leveling them all???

That's why I was just thinking a straight refret.

I'd probably go for stainless steel fret wire for the hard wearing aspect (I know they are apparently harder to work with), as no doubt my son will go through same mistakes I did and suffer the same aches & pains in his hand/fingers that I got from pressing down/gripping to hard. 🤔 :lol:
 
With the amount of wearing on the frets, I'm assuming crowning and dressing would probs lower the height of all of my frets to at least 1.5mm (currently they are 2mm) after leveling them all???

That's why I was just thinking a straight refret.

I'd probably go for stainless steel fret wire for the hard wearing aspect (I know they are apparently harder to work with), as no doubt my son will go through same mistakes I did and suffer the same aches & pains in his hand/fingers that I got from pressing down/gripping to hard. 🤔 :lol:
Definitely give a crowning a go first mate. You might be surprised, and will be good practice anyway. You’ll need to crown the new frets anyway and you’ll be devastated if you put the new ones in and then mess them up 😂. Yea wire preference is very personal. Like I say, any help I can offer, just reach out. That book is very good though and when used in conjunction with videos they have on the stew Mac site will be a great help. Obviously if ordering from them, be aware of import costs! Unfortunately they carry the best stuff, much of which is very hard to source here. There’s a place in Germany that carry a small range of their stock (I’ll find the address) but now with brexit, those prices are way up! Even little things like getting adhesive sandpaper of the correct grit to use on your radius blocks is a massive pain over here! To get all the tools you’ll realistically need, you’re looking at £600-1000 with shipping and import. Although you can reduce that if you only buy (for example, the correct radius block for that guitar etc). It’s very addictive though and can give you a great sense of achievement. Where are you based? I have no idea how competent you are, but there’s a few good 1 day courses about that are very good to get you going in the right direction. Best thing is practice, practice, practice. I used to just buy old battered guitars and if you make mistakes it’s not the end of the world!
 

Back
Top