I was just quoted $275 for a re-fret at the local music store yesterday. Is it just me or does this seem excessively pricey? $275 for rosewood, $310 for maple neck, because of the necessity to respray after the new frets are installed. I was guessing in the neighborhood of $100 or so, maybe I'm crazy (or ignorant).
What have you guys paid in the past? Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated, as I have a few guitars in need of this service.
A close friend paid $250 about a year ago for a bound neck (archtop).
A good fret-tech shouldn't need to respray a maple neck.
Damn! They'd want to be good. I've seen some 70s Fender necks where the finish was super thick, really "pooling" at fret edge. You'd have a hell of a time getting the things out without marking up the finish a little. I s'pose that's what you pay the good techs for though, isn't it?Originally Posted by 71818
Tenebrae
Repair is usually more expensive than people think. On a fret job you have quite a few processes to get through that take a lot of concetration, knowledge and time to get it right.
$200- $300 is about right. On this kind of repair you usually get what you pay for. I wouldn't let anyone touch my guitar without seeing an example of their work. Also you might ask around and see if they've got some references for other fret jobs they've done. Don't let a nube touch your guitar..pay for experience as they screw up the first 4 or 5 that they do.
I did this for years and it's time consuming to get it right.
I remember $200 twenty years ago. so that price sounds reasonable to me for technical work. everyone wants tech's available but people forget it takes money to keep them in business. anyone who has run a business knows it takes money to operate day to day.
4:20, my favorite time of day.
$275.00 is a fair price for a good quality fret job. The sub $200.00 fret jobs I've seen in the past didn't include leveling, crowning or polishing of the frets once they were installed. A professional quality fret job is a craft that requires experience. Be sure and check out some of the luthiers previous work before you lay down your money. :yay
I paid $280 and $285 for the last two refrets I've had done. Of course, they were done by the absolute best guy in this part of the country, IMO.
I paid $150 for one about 6-7 years ago and...got about what I paid for, unfortunately.
Tone is in the fingers, eh? Let's hear your Vox, Marshall and Fender fingerings then...
My question would obviously be, what guitar are you going to have the re-fret done on? A nice one or a more moderate one?
Doesn't a good fret-job turn a moderate one into a good one ?
I bought a POS guitar once. I replaced the neck, the body, & all the electronics & hardware, but it still occupied the same space. It became a much better guitar that way.
I guess the old saying is true; You can't argue with a sick mind.
4:20, my favorite time of day.
This will be done on my Squier strat, which is actually a pretty nice Squire, if you can believe that. I'll probably have it done to my Samick as well, which is also a nice axe, but needs a lot of lther work too.
I own a couple squires and I love them I perform with them regularly I also have a fat strat deluxe that I like. but if I was thinking about the kinda money you are talking, then these guitars would have to be heavily invested in already. You can get a really nice USA for that kinda scratch.
4:20, my favorite time of day.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote