Members Vedder323 Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 So I paid Richard Beck for a refret on my MIJ Tele and when I picked up the guitar the action was quite high ecspecially on the high E and B. There was unreal buzzing on the 12th fret of the low E and when he heard it as I played it, he took the guitar and raised those strings quite a bit as well. I played the guitar some more and there was still a good deal of buzzind but he said it was "just the way it is" and its not the guitar, its how hard im playing. Anyhow, I took the guitar home and now im just plain bummed. I really thought a new fret job and level would give me a guitar that played really well and now I dont even want to play it. Im depressed. Sell my neck and buy a new one? Maybe its warped or something? I just dont {censored}ing know and its eating at me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members veil Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 So I paid Richard Beck for a refret on my MIJ Tele and when I picked up the guitar the action was quite high ecspecially on the high E and B. There was unreal buzzing on the 12th fret of the low E and when he heard it as I played it, he took the guitar and raised those strings quite a bit as well. I played the guitar some more and there was still a good deal of buzzind but he said it was "just the way it is" and its not the guitar, its how hard im playing. Anyhow, I took the guitar home and now im just plain bummed. I really thought a new fret job and level would give me a guitar that played really well and now I dont even want to play it.Im depressed.Sell my neck and buy a new one? Maybe its warped or something? I just dont {censored}ing know and its eating at me... Weird. When you play other guitars, does it buzz too? That would be a good way to figure out if it's your technique. Somehow I doubt it is, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ancient Mariner Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 Without seeing the guitar etc I can't tell for certain, but that doesn't *sound* at all right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mondaymonkey Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 260 for a refret? For that I would want an ACE fret job. Send it back, make it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ratkent Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 Some guitars/necks can never be perfect. I feel for you because I've been there myself. What sucks is you never know until you've spent some money and exhausted lots of time and resources to find out it's just not going to happen. Having said that, I would take the guitar to someone else for a second opinion before giving up on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members captainultimus Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 thats way to much to pay for a refret i got one for 90 and i complete set up and the thing is perfect thats why you test it out in the store before you bring it home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Spectrum13 Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 Sorry you paid $$$ and got C%$@. My I suggest find another guy that knows what he/she is doing. I might just need a level, truss rod adjustment and nut work. I went through a couple of luthier before finding a great one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angry Tele Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 what model Tele? I love the frets on my CIJ Keef...$260 you could have got a brand new neck. Could be the nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members captainultimus Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 also it could be because the neck is twisted that would have a major impact on fret buzz just put the guitar on the ground standing up and look down the fret board it should be easy to tell if it is twisted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members webwarmiller Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 First off, I would check to see if the frets are indeed level. Take the edge of a credit card and span three frets at a time. If the card rocks the frets aren't level. Of coures you are only spot checking the neck and not the neck as a whole, but if you never find a 'rocking' fret then you can be confident the frets are level. Next, check the relief in the neck by fretting at the first and last position simultaneously and check for a business card thickness gap around the 7/8 fret. If everything is checking out OK then I would then check for a warped neck. I can normally sight this by looking up and down the fretboard. You can also do as above for checking relief doing so on the low E and the high E. If you notice a difference in relief from on side of the fretboard to the other than there's at least some degree or warpage under tension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angry Tele Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 Is it me or is $260 crazy expensive? I know a guy that will refret, strip the poly and refinish in nitro for half that price. also, would a respectable luthier refret a neck that was obviously warped? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members schoolie1 Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 That sound like the average price for a good job in SF. Hell a plek job will run you $220 here! That's why it pays to get the right tools and do it yourself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members captainultimus Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 no one ever said this guy was respectable people with do alot of bull {censored} for money. and yeah i get a full refret set and new strings for 105$ so its way over priced Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vedder323 Posted June 8, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 I wish I had more answers... I dont have many tools or knowledge to check the guitar and i put all my trust in this guy. For me the kicker was him telling me that it would take 3 -4 weeks to finish but it actually ended up being 7. The day I picked it up he kept yawning during our conversation and and saying how amazing it was and blah blah blah... meanwhile, im playing the guitar thats buzzing like a {censored}ing bee... so so sad about this, I just dont have the kind of money to get it done second time and i dont want to take it back to him cause I have no reason to place trust in him at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members schoolie1 Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 Maybe we should create a checklist for what to test before you walk out of the shop with the guitar. Next time, I would bring my own feeler gauges, a straightedge, a capo, a good tuner, fret rocker, etc. Test the action, relief, and intonation. Check for striped screws, loose frets, uneven frets, nut slot height, etc. Even really good luthiers are so swamped with work that they don't spend enough time with each guitar. Often we are waiting for 6-8 weeks for them to finish, and when we do pick it up, we just want to get our guitars and leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 260 for a refret? For that I would want an ACE fret job. Send it back, make it right.What does a whole new neck cost??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hecticone Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 Had a mexi neck refretted with stainless jumbos a while back. $235.00 complete. It still plays like a charm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members captainultimus Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 ask other musicians around where you live for good places to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members germanicus2112 Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 For $260 it should be spectacular. I would not let up with him until you get satisfaction. Did you pay cash or credit card? Sight down the neck on both sides from the bridge. Look down the neck towards the headstock. Are both sides straight? There should be a slight upbow starting around the 5th or 7th fret to the nut. For that kind of money he should have asked about your playing style (had you play it there when you dropped it off) and spoken to you about any problems the guitar had which would limit what he could do with it. Short of any issues, its his job to get it into a satisfactory condition for you. Thats what you payed him for. For $260 you could have gotten a brand new warmoth neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members veil Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 Where are you people getting such dirt-cheap refrets? Every place I go to quotes me somewhere between $300-$400. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 Are you a heavy picker? Is your action really low? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dances w/carp Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 Doesn't incompetence just piss ya off? Sometimes people just need kicked in the damned nuts. I'm guessin' 260 bucks worth of nut thumpin' would leave him pretty tender. For $260 worth of fretwork, that bitch better be as playable as any neck has every been. Is it any better than it was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Acid Test Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 Who the hell refrets a bolt-on? Really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bdubbs Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 When i got my LP pleked the luthier said that my fretboard was uneven. He pulled the first two frets and lowered the actualy fretboard. I wonder if that could be your issue. Is he a well regarded person over there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angry Tele Posted June 8, 2009 Members Share Posted June 8, 2009 Who the hell refrets a bolt-on? Really? +1...MIJ/CIJ necks can be had for less than what he paid a refret for. Makes no sense to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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