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What is Plek service?
- Thread starter Tapout73
- Start date
funkybassplayer
Commercial User
Oooooo. I just read about this somewhere. It is apparently a machine which your instrument is inserted into and it is able to set up your bass using much more accurate mearsurements than could be done by a human. I haven't seen any pics or vids of it in use but i am very interested in trying to find a dealer/tech that could hook me up with the plek treatment.
funkybassplayer
Commercial User
Check the link I posted, they have listings of shops with the PLEK machine.
It's biggest advantages are it's fast, it measures everything with the strings tuned to pitch, and it's laser accurate (within .001 of an inch or something rediculous).
I myself am debating sending my basses in for a PLEK treatment.
funkybassplayer
Commercial User
jive1
Commercial User
I get basses PLEKed all the time.
The PLEK dies not do setups, although it can scan and take measurements to make it easier to see relief, string height, etc. They only do fretwork (levelling, crowning, polishing), and some of them will cut nuts as well. What the machine does is take measurements of the instrument at tension, and uses those readings to optimally level the frets for playability. Prior to a bass getting PLEKed, it usually has the relief, and string height adjusted along with any nut work if neeed. PLEKs will not do fret edges, just the tops.
I've been offering PLEK service for while now and PLEKing makes a big improvement to playability, especially on inexpensive instruments. I love the results, and my customers do too.
The PLEK dies not do setups, although it can scan and take measurements to make it easier to see relief, string height, etc. They only do fretwork (levelling, crowning, polishing), and some of them will cut nuts as well. What the machine does is take measurements of the instrument at tension, and uses those readings to optimally level the frets for playability. Prior to a bass getting PLEKed, it usually has the relief, and string height adjusted along with any nut work if neeed. PLEKs will not do fret edges, just the tops.
I've been offering PLEK service for while now and PLEKing makes a big improvement to playability, especially on inexpensive instruments. I love the results, and my customers do too.
jive1
Commercial User
I doubt it, as the saw that shaves of the frets run horizontally, and probably do not have the capability to work at the angle needed for a fanned fret bass.
I brought my Roscoe Beck V to be Plek'd last week, they told me it requires two sets of strings as the Plek machine "destroys strings". It remains to be seen if it will actually be Plek'd as the frets may have worn too much. I'll post here again after I get it back.
I would think that a neck woud have to be perfectly level (no bow) to do the grinding properly. They don't mention the effect of neck bow. And, what happens as the neck changes as they always do. We know that an instrument must be set up several times a year to maintain the clearances. A short neck acoustic would not be as much of a problem as a long neck bass with a truss rod. ??????
jive1
Commercial User
I'm not sure about that, especially with bass strings. The strings are placed at tension, and then loosened and taken out of the way, and then the guitar is PLEKed. The main issue is with coated strings, as sometimes the cutting blade can mess with the coating. But, as far as it wearing out strings. The main issue is with unwound guitar strings which break more easily at the tuner when it is tightened and untightened repeatedly.
I am not a luthier and I don't play one on TV. I am, however, a big fan of the plek process. I have had 2 basses plekked. These where top quality instruments that played well. After the plek they are flawless. It is a fantastic tool for the luthier.
Nope - the instrument literally measures the fret height at each fret, under each string, with the strings tuned up under tension. It calculates the amount to take off of each fret based on how much relief you need, then after the strings are removed it measures the frets again and removes just the right amount from each one.
Then once you have the proper relief milled into the fret tops, you tune up again and adjust the action during setup to fit your playing style.
I am curious as to how the machine "destroys strings". Seeing as how @ Lakland the same set of strings have been used nearly hundreds of times when Plecking instruments, I can't see how that's possible. The grinding (cutting) head never actually touches the strings. Eh, but what do I know!?!
The video shows that the measurement phase lightly touches the string. During grinding, the strings are pulled off to the side. I don't think strings are damaged during the process. The height of the fret is determined by it's distance from the string. The frets are ground down as necessary to make the distance from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string to be the same.
