Guess how much GC's tech charges for a defret

[bassclef112]

Out of curiousity, I asked the guy how much he charges for a defret of my used ($200) Rockbass Corvette Basic. $375

cybersnyder hit it on the head. Here in NYC you're going to get hit with the highest prices period. The labor charge at Rudy's is over $100 an hour, whether it's a set up or a refret/defret. Their price menu is based on this plus materials.

And personally, I wouldn't let anybody at GC touch my bass for any serious work. On a $200 bass just do it yourself - nobody in the City will give you a price for that task below what you paid for it.

Just FYI - I've had all my work done at Rudy's for over 10 years and Jeremy is as good as they get when you want anything serious done. You'll pay for it but the work will be first rate.

 

[Pilgrim]

Out of curiousity, I asked the guy how much he charges for a defret of my used ($200) Rockbass Corvette Basic.

$375

Sounds like a fair deal to me. If you were to do it yourself, and to do a really clean job, you'd invest around 10 hours if you've never done it before.

What are their hourly labor prices? I doubt he could do it in less than 3-4 hours, and I'm betting that will match up pretty closely with their labor rates.

If you want someone else to do your work, you gotta be ready to pay for it.

You have options:
Replace the neck
Do it yourself
Buy a fretless bass

 

[frianbisher]

That is perhaps a bit more than I would charge in my shop but then again I'm in the midwest. You have to keep in mind labor in this profession is about $50/hr. We have to charge these kinds of rates to actually make money at what we are doing you know?

 

[Thomas Kievit]

Wow! $375 for defretting is a lot.

I thought here in Holland, where I live, 250 Euro (322 Dollar) was expensive..

It could have been worse.

 

[Skatman]

So.. For a defret - step one - slowly heat up each fret with sodder iron 40 watt, pull with fret puller, don't chip fret board. Step two - replace with shim add superglue if going fretless, polish fretboard. For refret - do prior mentioned step one. Step two - bend wire , cut to length, hammer in, flush cut sides,fret rock, hammer to sit flush, bastard file bevel about 1/32-1/16 pending. Step three level crown polish. It'll take the same amount of time as 5-7 setups or about the same amount of money. Just do it yourself. Or bring it to someone who can, no complaining it's a standard price everywhere , I would add a fee for complaining. If you can't afford to maintain a guitar then you shouldn't own one, or care about what it sounds like.

 

[gidbass]

Out of curiousity, I asked the guy how much he charges for a defret of my used Rockbass Corvette Basic.
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Wait for it......









$375

$60/hr for labor isn't out of the realm of possibilities and being in NYC, it would probably be on the low side.

But, that would equate to about 6.25 hrs for the defret, and that does seem a bit long...although I have never defretted a neck myself.

Thats why I learn to do stuff my self...

Good Luck!