Tag: refret

Co-Worker

I have a co-worker with me at my desk right now.

In other news, my stomach is in revolt at the moment. Fun. It’s a gastric bypass side effect kind of thing and it will pass, but I just gagged up some icky stuff and had a full blown case of “the foamies” (look it up). Having said that, there is no complaint here. I ate my lunch too fast and my new redesigned digestive system slapped me on the wrist for it. Post operation side effects like this are 100% worth it, I promise you. Trust me, it’s not an issue at all.

In other other news, I checked the bookfayce page of the Luthier I brought my guitar to last Saturday and earlier today he posted a bunch of pictures showing the progress he’s made. There are pictures of my beloved Gibson ES-335 Pro without any frets, pictures of it with some new frets, and a picture of the neck with a full boat’s worth of lovely, shiny new frets. It still needs a new nut and a new bridge, and he didn’t mention anything about cleaning out the electronics (which is a major bitch of a job to do on an ES-335 as you have to squeeze everything in and out through the F-hole), but the new frets are in! I don’t know if I will share any of the photos he posted. I think I did when he worked on my Les Paul Custom, but not until a few days had past. We’ll see.

Try to picture this guitar with shiny new frets:

In other other other news, I am listening to Steve Hackett’s new album, which was released today. It is called The Circus and the Nightwhale. I am listening while I work and therefore not able to give it my full attention. My initial gut reaction though is this: Steve Hackett’s guitar playing gets exponentially better with each passing day. His songwriting improves in a similar manner. His singing… yeah, he’s better than he used to be but sometimes I still wish he’d hire a full time singer for his recording line up. I’m enjoying the new album. Check it out.

Okay, that’s it for this post. Lunch break is over. My stomach is settling down. Get back to work, Red Head!

335

I think this week the time will arrive. My second 1970’s guitar, my 1979 Gibson ES-335 Pro, may be ready for it’s trip to the shop. I am going to give them a call and see if they can help me bring this baby back to life. 

I put my ’78 Les Paul Custom into the shop a few months ago to get the frets replaced. I was scared to have the work done, but I should not have been. The results were fantastic. I am so pleased. Now I need to have the 335 looked at. The frets are in better shape than they were on the Les Paul, but they are still pretty bad. I expect it’s time to have them replaced. 

This time there is a second issue at play though. The electronics are in rough shape. The last time I used this guitar at a Lizardfish show the signal cut out and wouldn’t come back. That had happened off stage a few times in the past but once it happened in front of people? Yeah, that’s bad. If you can’t rely on the electronics, what good is the instrument? It may be time to replace the wiring harness. If they can salvage what’s there, meaning clean it up and maybe re-solder some of it, then that is fine. If they can’t save it, then I’ll need it replaced, and hopefully I can get a good 50’s style wiring schematic installed. I don’t want to change the pickups on this guitar. 335 Pros come stock with Gibson Dirty Fingers pickups which are the meanest, nastiest, dirtiest Gibson pickups ever. They are punk rock machines. The wiring and the pots though… we’ll see.

I am planning on calling the shop either tomorrow or Tuesday to see if we can schedule a slot for me to bring it in and see what they can do for me. I am still nervous about this, but given my last experience I am more excited than scared.

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Me playing with Break Even back in 2003 or 2004 or so
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My Guitar is Home!

I went to the guitar shop at lunch. I made excellent time despite a road closure somewhere in Andover, MA.

I played my newly refretted guitar with its new bridge and its new nut and my first impression is that it still feels pretty good. The frets are a lot higher than I’m used to on this guitar, but not too different than a couple of other guitars. The action is a little higher than it used to be, I think, but it’s still super low the way I like it. It felt good. First impression, again, is that I am really happy.

I took my guitar home!

What do you think, beautiful, eh?

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Dig that new bridge!
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Dig that new nut!
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Dig those new frets!
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Dig those new frets again!

He did mention that a couple of the inlays on the neck popped out while he was removing the old frets. That happens. He fixed them. That’s good. I didn’t see anything and I couldn’t feel any difference during my quick inspection. All in all… happy. Can’t wait to get the band back together so I can play this babie at practice and wind up the volume and let it loose. Anyone know anyone who lives near Haverhill, MA who can sing and wants to join a dad-rock cover band?

Out and About

I went to the drugstore today and got myself a couple of vaccine shots. I got a flu vaccine and a shingles vaccine. I’m still not far enough removed from my Covid-19/Disney World experience to need a Covid booster, so I’ll probably get one of those next month.

I drove through downtown so here is the obligatory clock/downtown pics. You’re welcome.

On an unrelated note, the guitar shop posted some more photos of my guitar today. I think it’s done. New bridge, new frets, new nut. Here’s hoping I get another phone call from them tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

On the Bench

Click this link and see if you can see the post…

Whitsett Guitar Works Facebook Post

That is my guitar… on the work bench… you see the old frets, you see it without any frets (yikes!), and you see it with new frets.

I’ll probably steal the photos, but I don’t know if I will be the kind of guy to share them here without permission, and I am not likely to ask permission. Whatevs, right?

Just Heard from the Shop

I just had a chat with the guitar shop. My Les Paul Custom is getting new frets. It’s getting a new bridge too. It’s also getting a new nut, but I guess that is a given when you get new frets.

It will probably be done some time next week and then we can start asking the real questions. That being, how does it feel and how does it sound? Does it feel like an entirely new guitar? Does it sound like an entirely new guitar? The most important question will be this one… do I still love it?

I have been afraid of this for years, and downright terrified ever since I finally pulled the trigger and started the process. Right now? Now I am still terrified, but I also have a new feeling… an unexpected feeling… excitement. I kinda can’t wait to play this guitar with new, clean frets. Oh boy, I am excited. Excellent!

Sleepy

Despite the possible influence of a mild migraine headache overnight last night, I thought I got a decent night’s sleep. Apparently I was wrong. I have felt seriously exhausted all day today, and it’s especially bad (as it often is) after I finished lunch. I just feel really tired and I wish I didn’t.

I didn’t use my CPAP machine last night. For some reason I thought it would be a mistake to wire myself up while dealing with a migraine. I didn’t want any extra noise or distractions. I just wanted to pass out and stay that way until the alarm went off. I think it worked, but now I expect if I had put the machine on I would feel better tonight. Hindsight, and all that crap.

Change of subject, all of the guitar playing I’ve done over the last few days is really making me want to get the work I need done to my two 1970’s Gibsons. I have two shops I want to bring them to and get an estimate from. One is in Rockport, MA, which is an hour away from here. The upside of that shop is that it’s open on Saturdays. The other shop is in Malden… or Medford… same difference. They are not open on weekends though, but they are open until 7:00pm on weekdays. I should be able to get there before they close. I am thinking of making an appointment for 6:30 or so next Monday. I have no clue how much they will charge for frets and wiring. I just hope it’s low enough that I can pay for work on both guitars without needing to sell anything else. If I do need to raise a little more money I will probably sell my Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 amp, but I don’t think I will be able to get very much for it.

I might sell the 18/30 anyway, even if the money I raised is enough to pay for the three things I need. Maybe I could raise a little more fundage and pay for new pickups for the Les Paul Custom. I don’t know. That’s a pie in the sky kinda thing.

I am really tired and I still have 2.5 hours to go in my work day. Blah. I hope to get some better sleep tomorrow. I might mix a song before bed though. I have three songs ready to go. Huzzah, right? Rock and Roll.

Refretting an Electric Guitar

I may have found a luthier to work on my two old guitars. He’s taking new customers and does full refrets, and his prices are a lot lower than the one estimate I have. The downside is that he’s in Rockport, so it’s a serious drive.

In honor of this news, I asked Google Bard to write a short blog post about refretting an electric guitar. Here it the response:

Refretting an Electric Guitar

Refretting an electric guitar is a process of replacing the frets on the fingerboard. Fret wear is a natural process that occurs over time as the strings are played. As the frets wear, they can become uneven, which can cause buzzing and other problems. Refretting can improve the playability and sound of your guitar, and it can also extend the life of the instrument.

There are a few different ways to refret an electric guitar. The most common method is to use a fret saw to remove the old frets and then to install new frets using a fret press. This process requires specialized tools and skills, and it is best to have it done by a professional luthier.

If you are a skilled DIYer, you can refret your own guitar. There are a number of resources available online and in libraries that can teach you how to do it. However, it is important to note that refretting is a complex process, and it is easy to make mistakes. If you are not confident in your abilities, it is best to have it done by a professional.

Here are some of the benefits of refretting an electric guitar:

  • Improved playability: New frets are smooth and even, which makes it easier to play your guitar.
  • Improved sound: New frets can improve the sound of your guitar by reducing buzzing and other problems.
  • Extended life: Refretting can extend the life of your guitar by preventing further fret wear.

If you are considering refretting your electric guitar, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, you need to decide whether you want to do it yourself or have it done by a professional. Second, you need to choose the right type of frets. There are a number of different types of frets available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Finally, you need to budget for the cost of refretting. The cost of refretting can vary depending on the type of guitar, the materials used, and the labor costs in your area.

If you are serious about improving the playability and sound of your electric guitar, refretting is a great option. By following the tips above, you can choose the right method for you and get the best results possible.

Google Bard