I need to have a refret on my Santa Cruz Tony Rice (bound neck), that is approximately 10 years old. I have heard good things about Bryan Kimsey, Tony Nobles and Jim Bagget (Mass Street Music). I played a D-18GE, a number of years ago, that was set up by Richard Starkey, with Martin Guitars, that I thought was very good. Any recommendations on persons that do a refretting would be greatly appreciated. I have no problem sending the guitar out for this. Local guy is good, but I want someone who really knows how to do the refret and a great setup (which my guitar will also need).

I am also thinking of using the same size fret wire that my new Bourgeois OM. It is between a medium and jumbo - anyone have any info on the fret wire Bourgeois uses.

Thanks alot for any help.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: TTerral,

I would check with Leo Posch; he was the main guy with Jim Baggett for many years and still has a thriving repair and lutherie business outside Lawrence. He uses stainless steel frets on his own instruments, but will work with you: Leo's website

Also, Bourgeois should be able to help you with the fret wire question. John Slobod has been the main guy with Bourgeois for quite awhile and, he too, could probably give you good info regarding their fret wire: Slobod website

Thanks Homer. I sent an e-mail to Bonnie at Bourgeois a couple of weeks ago, but have not heard back from her yet. She is usually good about getting back. I will check out Leo (name sounds real familar, think I may have met him at Winfield). I live in Oklahoma so that would be less travel time for the guitar as well. I will also check out John's site.

Thanks again.

Contact Dan Roberts, Santa Cruz'z main repair guy, The santa Cruz Guitar Company will refret your Santa Cruz for around 300 bucks, which is cheap considering it would be a factory job. Who better to do it than the people who built it

Homer,

last i heard John Slobad was working part time at Bourgeois now and the remainder on his own guitars.

TTerral, Dan Roberts is the man to talk to. if you don't want to ship the guitar out to them he can likely recommend someone to do the job.

Butch Boswell in San Luis Obispo, CA - (805) 782-9419 boswellbutch@mac.com
He is really good and did a great stainless steel refret on a guitar of mine.
Rick

quote:

Originally posted by Dredpicker:
Contact Dan Roberts, Santa Cruz'z main repair guy, The santa Cruz Guitar Company will refret your Santa Cruz for around 300 bucks, which is cheap considering it would be a factory job. Who better to do it than the people who built it

Some repair shops do offer better fretwork than even the factories can. We have a guy in Chicago who (in my estimation) spends double or triple the time the factories do on a fret job. Each fret gets a lot of TLC and customization, and they also work with the fretboard itself when necessary to get the most consistency. There's also the PLEK system, which won't replace the frets (to my knowledge) but will shape each fret in this same matter, but with a computer that analyzes each fret and cuts as necessary to be as consistent as possible.

(The shops that offer PLEK'ing will most likely be able to install new frets themselves before running it through the machine, but this is an assumption on my part.)

Elambo, I can't think of the name right now, but are you refering to the shop next door to
Make'n Music?
Who do you think would do a better job of leveling and crowning, the Luthier you're talking about or a PLEK?

quote:

Originally posted by Papi:
Elambo, I can't think of the name right now, but are you refering to the shop next door to
Make'n Music?
Who do you think would do a better job of leveling and crowning, the Luthier you're talking about or a PLEK?

That is indeed the shop. Tim Schroeder is the guy.

I see them as separate steps. I'd trust Tim to do an extremely good job of pulling out the old frets, installing the new, and shaping them. The intonation would be spot on and the fret material would be first rate.

But the PLEK system could take each fret one step further by creating the perfect gap between string and fret at each fret. Tim would take it 95% of the way - PLEK'ing might give it that final 5%.

So in a perfect world, I think I'd have Tim do the refret, then drop it into a PLEK machine for the final detailing.

IMO the main problem with PLEK is that this level of precision (claimed anyway) won't last long. The crown shape is lost quite quickly on the notes you play the most. It does not take long at all for those little divots we all know and love to appear. If you are going to spend that much I would only do it with stainless steel frets. If they don't do stainless steel, well then...
Rick

I'm not sure that it's so expensive. I've never paid for it separately, but my suspicion is that it's just a couple hundred bucks.

True, frets will wear down, but the PLEK'ing process doesn't mean you'll have to refret again any sooner than normal.

It's by no means necessary, but it is noticeable and makes the action more consistent. It feels lower without necessarily being lower. A good fret job will get you most of the way there anyway. As I'd said earlier, I think PLEK'ing only covers the last 5% or so.

quote:

That is indeed the shop. Tim Schroeder is the guy.

I go right past his door every time I visit Make'n Music, but I never bother to stop in because I thought he only did electric guitars. Since I only play Acoustics I never felt a need to go in.
I will now, especially since you recommend him. Thank's.