How do you know when it's time to re-fret?

[Cobweb Strange]

Hello all,
I've been hearing about talkbass.com a good bit lately, but hadn't gotten around to checking you guys out. Well, I just recently I found I needed your help...so here I am. I'm so glad that this place is here!

I was changing my strings the other day (something I try to do at least once every 150 shows or so ) and I noticed that my frets are starting to wear. How do you know when it's time to re-fret your bass? The thought of doing it myself is not very pleasant and I wouldn't know where to take it to have it done or how much it would cost. Is it easy to do? Is it expensive to have it done? Is there someone in Atlanta, GA who does that kind of thing? I'm really not good with repairs (or maintenance for that matter) so it's probably best for me to have someone else do it if it requires any level of skill at all. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Wade

[5stringDNA]

There are several prominent TB members here that are in Atlanta, and would know a good luthier you could bring your bass to. I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself. I use flat-wounds, so I get virtually no fret-wear and haven't had to get a refret before, and thus don't know what it costs. I would guess its in the $120-$140 range though. hambone would be a good guy to give your question to seeing as he lives around atlanta and does amatuer luthier work. Just give him a heads-up on the thread in a pm.
Oh, and welcome to TB!

[pkr2]

Hi, Wade. Welcome to Talkbass.

Usually if you aren't getting any strange buzzes anywhere on the neck the frets are still OK.

If the frets on your bass have never been redressed you can prolong changing the frets out by quite a bit.

A fret dressing is a lot less expensive than a total refret and can uaually be done at least a couple of times before fret replacement becomes necessary.

I agree with 5String about hitting base with Hambone. I'm sure he can get you pointed in the right direction.

It's not the sort of repair that can be done without some experience so I wouldn't advise trying it yourself.

Good luck, Pkr2

[john turner]

hey wade! how's it going? welcome to talkbass.

[heath_r_91]

Sorry to bring back a really old thread, but when I was getting my bass setup before I went into the studio, the luthier said that my frets needed to be "redressed"

I know it was mentioned in here but I still don't know what it means.

So, what exactly is getting your frets redressed? What do they really do?

Thanks a lot for you guys' help.