74 fender refret

[Bald-N-Bassy]

I am having my 74 Precision refretted.
My initial thought was to go with 6230 or 6105 stainless. I find myself using a lot of steel stings.
Any thoughts on 6100 on a vintage bass?

 

[Beej]

I use Jescar not Dunlop, so I'd have to read their chart and think.

Is it a bound neck or no?

 

[Bald-N-Bassy]

@Beej Jescar is what I am going to ask the luthier to use. I just listed dunlop sizes. Since its most common. I like the small frets on my dingwall and Stingray classic. Also like the frets on my American Pro II.

no binding. maple fingerboard

 

[JEDI BASS]

@Beej Jescar is what I am going to ask the luthier to use. I just listed dunlop sizes. Since its most common. I like the small frets on my dingwall and Stingray classic. Also like the frets on my American Pro II.

no binding. maple fingerboard

6230 is hard to beat! It’s my favorite. I’d go stainless fretwire, if you can afford the upcharge. My local guy charges $150 more for stainless, not for the wire but for the added work.

 

[Bald-N-Bassy]

@JEDI BASS
6230 would be similar to what fender used in the 60 and 70's correct?

Im pretty sure Im gonna go stainless. Its only a $100 upcharge.
I plan on keeping this one. Its a killer player and the frets aren't completely worn. They've def been leveled a time or 2. Kinda flat on top with not much left on the side to crown.
I figure some fresh frets, new nut and setup. Itll be ready to rip.

 

[JEDI BASS]

@JEDI BASS
6230 would be similar to what fender used in the 60 and 70's correct?

Im pretty sure Im gonna go stainless. Its only a $100 upcharge.
I plan on keeping this one. Its a killer player and the frets aren't completely worn. They've def been leveled a time or 2. Kinda flat on top with not much left on the side to crown.
I figure some fresh frets, new nut and setup. Itll be ready to rip.

Yes, 6230 is vintage size.

 

[RichterScale]

My local guy charges $150 more for stainless, not for the wire but for the added work.

Wow. That's quite an increase.
I've done one board with standard nickel fret wire and wanted to do my next in stainless. I was concerned that it would be much harder to work with. After reading through a bunch of threads and seeing that the more experienced folks were saying it wasn't much more difficult to work with than the nickel, I ordered some. It is a little harder, but doesn't require much more effort to cut, file, sand, polish, etc and doesn't require any special tools.
I don't know what a typical fret job costs, but $150 hike for stainless seems like a big hike.

 

[JEDI BASS]

Wow. That's quite an increase.
I've done one board with standard nickel fret wire and wanted to do my next in stainless. I was concerned that it would be much harder to work with. After reading through a bunch of threads and seeing that the more experienced folks were saying it wasn't much more difficult to work with than the nickel, I ordered some. It is a little harder, but doesn't require much more effort to cut, file, sand, polish, etc and doesn't require any special tools.
I don't know what a typical fret job costs, but $150 hike for stainless seems like a big hike.

He is pretty pricey, but has several employees and does thousands of jobs per year, from what he told me anyways.

 

[RichterScale]

Oh yeah, I don't doubt he's a reputable and capable operation. I'm more curious about the formula for how much more to charge for SS over nickel. Considering the material cost and labor difference, I'd venture a guess of maybe a 10% increase?
When you said it was $150 extra for SS, I was surprised. But I don't know what a fret job costs. Is $150 a 10% increase? 100% increase? Etc.