Members BIGD Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 Where do other NY metro area guys get their guitars worked on? I'd love to use the local guy but this is ridiculous. It's a friggn strat neck, I can buy 2 new ones for that much. I also have the Dan Erlwhine (sp) repair book in the mail as I plan on learning fret work on a beater guitar this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BoneNut Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 Seems a bit high but I don't think you can buy a good strat neck for that. Maybe you can get him to cut you a good nut for it too, maybe for just a bit more?doing your own work is cool but yeah, sounds like a good idea practicing on something else before going to it with your number 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jonny guitar Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 Crazy price....that is half a fret job for me. My tech is awesome and I think I only pay about 70 for fret dress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dcooper830 Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 It's totally worth learning how to do it yourself. I understand if that's not possible. But I highly recommend it if you can. $129 seems a little high.... but if they do a great job.. i don't think it'll break ya. Look up the Thomas-Ginex do it yourself fret leveling kit. I've used it many times and I've been 100% satisfied with the results. http://www.fretrefinishing.com/ You can get the kit on Ebay for $25 - $30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BIGD Posted May 11, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 The first guy I saw in person. I looked on line and there is another guy on LI charging $125. Crazy {censored}. How much is a refret, $300? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nuke_diver Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 It's totally worth learning how to do it yourself.I understand if that's not possible. But I highly recommend it if you can.$129 seems a little high.... but if they do a great job.. i don't think it'll break ya. Look up the Thomas-Ginex do it yourself fret leveling kit. I've used it many times and I've been 100% satisfied with the results.http://www.fretrefinishing.com/You can get the kit on Ebay for $25 - $30. This looks really interesting thanks! I'm hard on frets in general some from the way I play and some from the amount I guess. If it is easy to do and a kit is on ~$25 it would seem to be worth it rather than waiting until a refret is needed. Does the kit include everything needed or are there other things required in addition to do a level and polish? I have typical household tools but not an area that I could spend hours polishing and sanding easily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dcooper830 Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 This looks really interesting thanks! I'm hard on frets in general some from the way I play and some from the amount I guess. If it is easy to do and a kit is on ~$25 it would seem to be worth it rather than waiting until a refret is needed. Does the kit include everything needed or are there other things required in addition to do a level and polish? I have typical household tools but not an area that I could spend hours polishing and sanding easily Well....... you'll need something to cover up your fretboard leaving only the frets exposed. Preferably that blue painter's tape. Also.... I have found that after the polishing process .... further polishing is sometimes necessary with something a little finer than what the kit comes with. I've gotten really good results with Gorgomyte: http://www.gorgomyte.com/ . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nuke_diver Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 I did some research during lunch and I'm a little less convinced after reading this http://www.tdpri.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php?product=213 Granted it is from someone who appears to be a luthier so there is a bit of vested interest against this but a lot of the other talk didn't seem to be saying it couldn't possibly work and that guy seems to give a lot of good free advice so.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dcooper830 Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 Well....... the luthier has some valid points possibly. All I know is, I was having problems ....... not being able to set my action low enough without excessive fret buzz and fretting out ....... and the Thomas Ginex kit TOTALLY did the trick for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BryanMichael Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 I bill out at about $100-$125 per hour at my job, so I can see it taking an hour of time to do right. You aren't always just paying for the job, you are sometimes paying for the EXPERTISE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BoneNut Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 I bill out at about $100-$125 per hour at my job, so I can see it taking an hour of time to do right. You aren't always just paying for the job, you are sometimes paying for the EXPERTISE. You don't pay the mechanic to tighten the bolt. You pay him because he knows which one to tighten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members McCain Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 Where do other NY metro area guys get their guitars worked on? I'd love to use the local guy but this is ridiculous. It's a friggn strat neck, I can buy 2 new ones for that much. Sounds fair for someone who knows what they're doing. Yes, you can buy two 2 new ones but neither will be leveled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members schoolie1 Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 Here is SF, $129 is cheap. The best people charge $250. I agree that buying the tools and learning is a great experience and will save a lot of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scott944 Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 My guy gets $140 for what he calls a "level 2 setup", which includes any necessary fret work. I always assumed his prices were high because he's the only game in town, even though this is a small town. After seeing some other prices from around the country, maybe it makes sense. He does do really good work, and his scratch built stuff has been featured in PG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 $300 for a refret is not out of the question. Depends on the type of fretboard and frets you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SDshirtman Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 I dont see that this is that high. Assuming he spent two hours on it and did a decent job its only $65 an hours. Luthiers have to eat and pay rent too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MojoFilter Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 I did some research during lunch and I'm a little less convinced after reading this http://www.tdpri.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php?product=213 Granted it is from someone who appears to be a luthier so there is a bit of vested interest against this but a lot of the other talk didn't seem to be saying it couldn't possibly work and that guy seems to give a lot of good free advice so.... That's Rob DiStefano who wrote that review. He's a regular contributor to TDPRI, and his integrity is beyond question. He's an enormously skilled luthier/guitar tech in Northern NJ, and you won't find a nicer and more honest guy. I'd pay attention to what he wrote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members poolshark Posted May 11, 2011 Members Share Posted May 11, 2011 $129 doesn't seem crazy to me, but I'd want primo work for that price. This is why I do my own, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nuke_diver Posted May 12, 2011 Members Share Posted May 12, 2011 That's Rob DiStefano who wrote that review. He's a regular contributor to TDPRI, and his integrity is beyond question. He's an enormously skilled luthier/guitar tech in Northern NJ, and you won't find a nicer and more honest guy. I'd pay attention to what he wrote. It seemed that he was being pretty honest and he did get one totest it rather than an opinion sight unseen. Now I think what a luthier thinks is ok and what someone without the experience thinks is ok is not necessarily the same but I would want a good job since I buy guitars to play/keep them and I don't want to wreck one Here is SF, $129 is cheap. The best people charge $250. I agree that buying the tools and learning is a great experience and will save a lot of money. I got a refret with Stainless on my strat in the bay area for a tad over $300 last year...a level and dressing for $250 sounds like a lot to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members schoolie1 Posted May 12, 2011 Members Share Posted May 12, 2011 I got a refret with Stainless on my strat in the bay area for a tad over $300 last year...a level and dressing for $250 sounds like a lot to me Who do you go to, nuke? I was thinking of Brawer and SF Guitarworks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted May 12, 2011 Members Share Posted May 12, 2011 I dont see that this is that high. Assuming he spent two hours on it and did a decent job its only $65 an hours. Luthiers have to eat and pay rent too. It's just a fret level! If it takes him 2 hours to level, crown and polish a a board he is either a terrible tech or takes lots of smoke breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nuke_diver Posted May 12, 2011 Members Share Posted May 12, 2011 Who do you go to, nuke? I was thinking of Brawer and SF Guitarworks South Bay - Keith Holland Guitars. I might ping them for the cost of fret level/dressing just to see. Might be higher in the city. When I got my refret I checked out several guys. There are a couple in the south bay that were a tad cheaper for standard frets but I wanted SS and only Keith charged a bit more for SS, other guys were charging +$100 or telling me I'd be better off getting a Warmoth neck...but I like mine which is why I got it refretted. I've had Keith do a few things for me that were beyond my ability and I've always been happy with the work. I'll eventually have him refret the other 2 guitars in SS but if the level is a lot cheaper and buys me a few years it might be worth doing (yes I know it not that hard but I don't want to mess up either of my other electrics and I don't have the space or the time to spend on it). That's why I was interested in the kit that dcooper put up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricEye Posted May 12, 2011 Members Share Posted May 12, 2011 Sounds about right, OP. Here in CT I think I paid $140 for the same thing. Although, frankly, didn't notice a {censored}ing bit of difference..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members schoolie1 Posted May 12, 2011 Members Share Posted May 12, 2011 South Bay - Keith Holland Guitars. I might ping them for the cost of fret level/dressing just to see. Might be higher in the city. When I got my refret I checked out several guys. There are a couple in the south bay that were a tad cheaper for standard frets but I wanted SS and only Keith charged a bit more for SS, other guys were charging +$100 or telling me I'd be better off getting a Warmoth neck...but I like mine which is why I got it refretted. I've had Keith do a few things for me that were beyond my ability and I've always been happy with the work. I'll eventually have him refret the other 2 guitars in SS but if the level is a lot cheaper and buys me a few years it might be worth doing (yes I know it not that hard but I don't want to mess up either of my other electrics and I don't have the space or the time to spend on it). That's why I was interested in the kit that dcooper put up. Thanks for the referral! I'll try them next time. They are close to where I work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nothingstock Posted May 12, 2011 Members Share Posted May 12, 2011 If you go to Ron Kirn's website he has a great tutorial on building a Strat-style guitar that includes how he does a level, crown and polish. I tried it and it was easy, and I ended up with good results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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