Refret?(56k Warn)

Daveman2 · #1 08-08-2006, 01:01 AM

What's involved in refretting a bass?
Mine are looking really worn, you can see flatspots in them, I have been beating on this bass for over 3 years and got from a friend so who knows how long it's been used.
My Setup

Some Examples of the Fret Wear

Those are some of the worst spots, it plays decently but i bet i could get the action lower, and I want it as low as it will go and not buzz!

I know how to set up my bass, and had it professionally set up once, and I got specialized buzzing, only on certain frets when it gets to the right point.

So is that something should be milled? Or a refret?
and how easy is this problem to remedy myself? I'm a DIYer, on my car, computer, musical instruments, a 6' bong

, pretty much anything

Trevorus · #2 08-08-2006, 01:09 AM

Not even close. Maybe a recrown, but I wouldn't. Too much work.

Daveman2 · #3 08-08-2006, 01:11 AM

How does one recrown frets? or is that a job for professionals
I heard of people turning basses into fretlesses so i figured the opposite wouldnt be difficult considering it's just little metal bars

Trevorus · #4 08-08-2006, 01:15 AM

It's difficult (read: impossible to do right) without the right tools. It's definitely a job for professionals.

Daveman2 · #5 08-08-2006, 01:19 AM

Fock. anyone else? Someone else has to have tried it, I dont want to dumb $100

maurilio · #6 08-08-2006, 01:29 AM

Hello,
if you are ready to spend $180-200 for a complete refretting job if you screw up trying to do it by yourself, go ahead!

Great fret work takes A LOT of experience, expecially if you want a very low action (from the pics you have posted looks like you have a pretty high action, tho!). I do a lot of set up, but fret wise you need tools and experience to do it correctly... and honestly you'll end up spending more them $100 anyway. IMO/E!

An average fret dressing is around $70-$90.

M

Daveman2 · #7 08-08-2006, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maurilio

Hello,
if you are ready to spend $180-200 for a complete refretting job if you screw up trying to do it by yourself, go ahead!

Great fret work takes A LOT of experience, expecially if you want a very low action (from the pics you have posted looks like you have a pretty high action, tho!). I do a lot of set up, but fret wise you need tools and experience to do it correctly... and honestly you'll end up spending more them $100 anyway. IMO/E!

An average fret dressing is around $70-$90.

M

hmpgh

that's what I figured, just decided to double check!

Daveman2 · #8 08-08-2006, 05:47 AM

I forgot to add it is setup to be able to play in Drop D half step C# tuning heh yeah so it's a little higher than it should be, but in C# tuning it starts to get a hair buzzy in places

Mrdak · #9 08-08-2006, 06:57 AM

If you haven't got the tools, or experience, don't dive in. if you've been working with wood, or instruments for years, and have a shop with everything necessary to do such a job, then by all means, go on and learn how to do this. If you don't, and you get started with it and fock it up, you end up having to bring it somewhere, and then it will cost more. If you bring it now, spend less than a hundred bucks to have the work done right, you'lle be saving a mess of time and money. That looks like a job for an experienced Luthier. Not just some dude that does a little fretwork at yer local GC... I hope you follow me.. because of the depth of some of those spots, the rest of the frets are going to need filing. The right guy will know whether or not to change a fret, or just level it. Tell you what, Hambone is the man to tell you what you should do. He'll probably see this and offer some good advice. Good luck with it though. I can't tell by the pics, what kind of bass is that?

pkr2 · #10 08-08-2006, 07:04 AM

You've been given excellent advice, IMHO. Your time spent in doing a really good setup would be of more benefit than a fret job.

The action is definitely on the high side. If the frets are buzzing because of the fret wear, they wont buzz any worse with a low(er) action. High action can cause you to squeeze down harder on the strings and that can cause the frets to wear a little faster.

Worse case scenario would probably be that the frets only need dressing down and recrown, which is much less expensive than a complete refret. Even dressing the frets, however, is definitely not a DIY project.

You said that you would like the action as low as possible but chances are good that you would have to go through some serious playing technique changes to be able to play with a super low action since you've become accustomed to playing with a high action. Very low action will buzz like crazy unless you can play with a super light touch. Just something to keep in mind.

By the way, that's a beautifuly figured wood grain pattern in the neck.

Good luck with it, whichever way you choose to go.

BurningSkies · #11 08-08-2006, 05:52 PM

Get those frets re-crowned by a pro. It's worth the $$$, and I've had instruments with much worse wear that have been fine after a quick crowning.

Man. That. Action. Is. A. MILE. High.

Me thinks if you're getting buzz with your strings that far off the board, you should get a setup done while it's in the shop.

joeyl · #12 08-08-2006, 05:52 PM

I was looking for the pattern in the neck after you said it, and it is the body that's figured

joeyl · #13 08-08-2006, 05:53 PM

here is what it involves, roughly

http://www.bassplayer.com/story.asp?...torycode=15211

does not look overly hard, but no piece of cake either, and it looks like some of your frets are very very flat, I wonder if you can recrown these?

tplyons · #14 08-08-2006, 09:59 PM

I recommend recrowning the frets. I had it done by a local builder to my Mexican Strat which now outplays a stock American Strat without proper fretwork.

Only way to get a great setup IMO.

Definately worth the money.