Members Sillypeoples Posted October 17, 2012 Members Share Posted October 17, 2012 Well a Plek job is really for the guys that for $200, they can run home, turn on the strobe tuner, and drop the action just a little bit more. Yeah, I get it..but how many other people really play at that level? I'd love to have a Plek machine in the garage, I'd be programming in scallops, different fall aways, it would be a guitar tweaker's dream to map out the fret board on a new guitar, punch in the parameters I want...... In then end it's a CNC machine,it needs to get mass manufactured, get down into the ten grand range...Pleks will get cheaper...probably become the new standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members primemover12 Posted October 18, 2012 Members Share Posted October 18, 2012 Simple as this: money. PLEK adds a considerable chunk of cash onto the unit price of each guitar and you're talking about an industry that's been in money trouble since at least the late 1990s. They switch to pot metal to save $1 per unit on saddles; you think they're going to tack on PLEK's fees unless forced? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jrockbridge Posted October 18, 2012 Members Share Posted October 18, 2012 I have a 2010 LP that was Plek'd. The frets are nice and level but some of the fret ends are sort of squared off. Since I've never had another guitar that was run through a Plek, I didn't know if my LP fret ends were typical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Canadian Jeff Posted October 18, 2012 Members Share Posted October 18, 2012 Originally Posted by jrockbridge I have a 2010 LP that was Plek'd. The frets are nice and level but some of the fret ends are sort of squared off. Since I've never had another guitar that was run through a Plek, I didn't know if my LP fret ends were typical. That's not a mark against Plekking - that's the result of wherever you live being less humid than where the guitar was built. The wood contracts and exposes the fret-ends. Have them filed back down for a few bucks and you'll likely never have to deal with them again.That's gotta be one of my biggest pet-peevish complaints about new guitars. Yes, it would be nice if wood just stayed what size we cut it to, but unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Don't blame the manufacturer; blame nature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angry Tele Posted October 18, 2012 Members Share Posted October 18, 2012 Originally Posted by primemover12 Simple as this: money. PLEK adds a considerable chunk of cash onto the unit price of each guitar and you're talking about an industry that's been in money trouble since at least the late 1990s. They switch to pot metal to save $1 per unit on saddles; you think they're going to tack on PLEK's fees unless forced? but they are only using plek to level the frets and cut the nut. this reduces labor and cost. thay are plek-ing $800 tributes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jrockbridge Posted October 18, 2012 Members Share Posted October 18, 2012 Originally Posted by Angry Tele but they are only using plek to level the frets and cut the nut. this reduces labor and cost. thay are plek-ing $800 tributes. Exactly. My LP is a 50's tribute LP and was Plek'd. As I said, it feels perfect...except for a few squared off fret ends. But, I live in a dry climate and fret sprout is probably inevitable here.One complaint I have is the way the nut turned out. The nut is super thin and the grooves are really shallow. It works and has never caused me any problems but isn't a proper nut IMO. I'm going to pay a tech to put a proper nut on the guitar and file and dress the fret ends. It's a great LP IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Keniko Posted October 26, 2012 Members Share Posted October 26, 2012 I got a Carvin DC127C a few years ago. It was one of the first Carvins with stainless steel frets. I love this guitar. Being it stainless steel frets with really no wear I had this guitar Plek'd. I really dint feel any difference. The tech showed me the graph before and after. Carvin was actually really close to begin with....but wanted perfection. When looking at the frets in a bright light while changing strings(I always use the fret polishing cloth and clean/oil my neck with Dunlop guitar care kit).... you can see grinding marks on the frets in some areas. I believe in the theory of Plek. I like low action and as you know the set up including the frets have to be perfect or really close. After reading this thread, I'm thinking of finding a different Plek tech or going to a guy that really is excellent at fret dressing. With this guitar Plek'd, it should be a really simple job for a pro to check/level/crown/polish the frets. What do you think???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PurpleTrails Posted October 27, 2012 Members Share Posted October 27, 2012 Originally Posted by Angry Tele but they are only using plek to level the frets and cut the nut. this reduces labor and cost. thay are plek-ing $800 tributes. I had one of the plek'd Gibson 50s tributes...developed a back-bowed neck within a month of my taking delivery after coming from the factory fully relieved. Went back to the factory, which is why I now have a 60s tribute instead. IMHO, having a guitar plek'd in the manufacturing process is pretty useless if your guitar is moving from a climate zone that is moist, like the south, to someplace like dry southern cal. Either that, or the guy running the machine at Gibson when my guitar was done had knocked back a few at lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members *BLEEP* Posted October 27, 2012 Members Share Posted October 27, 2012 >> Why isn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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