How much for a re-fret?

[Lobsterbush]

I have an Epi D-14 (not epiphone) that has a norlin logo on the bottom of the label inside the guitar. Curious if anyone can shed any light on these guitars?

 

It needs to have new frets installed and I am curious how much I should expect to pay?

 

Tried asking these questions in the acoustic forum but no help, and I figured with all the Gibson knowledge over here someone may know something about these epi guitars

[Yogi_Sizzle]

I'm pretty sure it is just a 70's Epiphone. Norlin was the parent company of Gibson throughout the 70s, and Gibson has owned Epiphone since the late 50s.

[volvo1800]

150-250

[brian KEEEEM]

150-250

 

For that price I'd rather just buy my own tools and do the job myself.

[SuperAmerMetal]

$300 from a top quality guy around here

[GuitarNoobie]

For that price I'd rather just buy my own tools and do the job myself.

 

the tools are probably gonna cost about that much or more :poke:

[Snowcow]

For that price I'd rather just buy my own tools and do the job myself.

 

Famous last words.

 

The cost of refretting a guitar varies considerably.

The cheaper jobs are usually just that: cheap and nasty.

Expect to pay top dollar for a decent job and, it's not that simple to do.

[Lobsterbush]

Thanks for the input. I'm prepared to pay a couple hundred bucks or so. I was just getting an idea.

 

Anyone know anything about when the Epi line was produced? I know they didn't use the epi name for the entire norlin era

[brian KEEEEM]

the tools are probably gonna cost about that much or more :poke:

 

Thats what I found out AFTER I posted that by checking the cost of tools on stew-mac

 

Still would try it anyways because I like diying stuff. And because I just got a lot of money XD

[rakester]

Thats what I found out AFTER I posted that by checking the cost of tools on stew-mac Still would try it anyways because I like diying stuff. And because I just got a lot of money XD

 

If that was the case wouldn't you rather just pay someone with a good rep to do it for a better price and get a near guarantee that the job is going to be perfect instead of risking doing it yourself and fucking it up lol

[stormin1155]

 

the tools are probably gonna cost about that much or more :poke:

 

 

They don't have to. The most expensive tool for the job I have is a $40 crowning file from Stew-Mac. Most everything else is stuff you can buy at your local hardware store. If I did a lot of re-frets it would be worthwhile to invest in better tools, but I probably only do 3-4 a year.

[BydoEmpire]

I paid $180 for a laquered neck strat refret last year. It was a very experienced tech and he did an amazing job. Not sure if an acoustic would be any more or less, but I would guess it's in that ballpark (depending where you live, of course).

 

I'm comfortable rewiring pickups and doing setups on my guitars, but I'm too nervous about ruining a guitar to do a refret myself...

[peavey_impact]

I paid $250 for a full stainless steel refret (27 frets) and that was at a boutique custom shop (The New Orleans Guitar Company)

 

Worth every penny.

[auriemma]

First find out if a refret is what you need. A grind and polish may suffice, or maybe a partial refret.

 

As for cost, alot depends on the guitar: neck binding or not, fretboard material and finish, replacement fret cost and material, etc. The rest is

 

DIY a neck refret? Buy a POS neck and practice on it first. When you can do it cleanly a few times without damaging the crap neck, then consider DIYing it. Until then let a professional do it.

[guitarcapo]

I had a friend of mine who bought that exact same model new in the late 70's.

He bought it from this music store in Chicago and I remember he paid $200 for it new. I also remember it had a kind of bright sound.

He was more of an electric player and didn't want to spend much.

I went for an Alvarez Yairi DY45 model. Paid $400

[nuke_diver]

 

I paid $180 for a laquered neck strat refret last year. It was a very experienced tech and he did an amazing job. Not sure if an acoustic would be any more or less, but I would guess it's in that ballpark (depending where you live, of course). I'm comfortable rewiring pickups and doing setups on my guitars, but I'm too nervous about ruining a guitar to do a refret myself...

 

 

 

+1

 

I appear to be brutal on frets (or the ones I have on my strat are cheap and have excessive wear as a result) so I need to find a good tech and probably get stainless steel as well. Seems like the going price in my area is ~$300-400 which is a lot of a cheap guitar (MIM strat) but I really love the neck and it will be worth it I think to keep that nice neck as is

[hecticone]

Nows the time to figure out what size frets you are going to replace it with. I like stainless jumbos myself.

[Lobsterbush]

 

I had a friend of mine who bought that exact same model new in the late 70's. He bought it from this music store in Chicago and I remember he paid $200 for it new. I also remember it had a kind of bright sound. He was more of an electric player and didn't want to spend much. I went for an Alvarez Yairi DY45 model. Paid $400

 

 

Thanks guitarcapo. I figured it was from the late 70's or early 80's but just tryin to find some kind of info.

[ten56gibby]

I realize the guitar needing the refret here probably isn't a bolt-on - BUT isn't a bolt-on neck guitar that's in need of a refret, really just in need of a new neck? Considering a new no-frills Warmoth neck $157?

[peavey_impact]

 

I realize the guitar needing the refret here probably isn't a bolt-on - BUT isn't a bolt-on neck guitar that's in need of a refret, really just in need of a new neck? Considering a new no-frills Warmoth neck $157?

 

 

Yeah but if you have an obscure guitar with a neck you love that isn't really a good option.