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Why Plek a brand new bass?
- Thread starter Clark W
- Start date
Yep. For what they charge, 7ender ought to be pleking at the factory. Last bass I bought from them about ten years ago, had fret issues galore.
I bought a new bass from a music store for $1500. When I got it played fine burst I really wanted the action quite a bit lower so I returned it. I spoke with Sweetwater about it and they said with a Plek they could get the action very low with no fret buzz.
I ordered one from them and they were correct. The action is super low with zero fret buzz. It was worth it for me.
I have a Benavente, SCD I think, and a 78 P Bass, both pleked by Mike Lull. They are my two best. The Benavente is absurdly stable despite how thin the neck is. But maybe not worth it for every instrument.
My second bass is a Yamaha BB234 that I paid $300 for. After a few months, a fret lifted (11th fwiw). I could have had that fret fixed, but was curious about PLEK in general. Put up a poll here whether it would be worth it for a cheap bass. Came out “Yes” 7-6. So I brought it to the Lull brothers. I would definitely rate that bass now as being every bit as good as basses in the $1500 range, excepting the factory pickups, which are good but not special. (Replaced them with Dimarzio Sixties, which are amazing. )
I haven’t felt like I needed a PLEK on anything else yet (though I’m considering it for one jazz bass). But unless the bass is already fabulous, I do think getting one will improve the playability much more than the cost. The better the bass, the less improvement obviously.
I haven’t felt like I needed a PLEK on anything else yet (though I’m considering it for one jazz bass). But unless the bass is already fabulous, I do think getting one will improve the playability much more than the cost. The better the bass, the less improvement obviously.
I'd be interested in the comparison between a $500 bass that's had a PLEK job and a $750 bass without.
I got 2 basses that costed just about around 200$ each from new (Ibanez, if you ask), and they got absolutely dead on perfect leveled frets right from factory.
It isn't about price, it's about luck.
Fact is that nothing particular is done from manufacture's side to ensure the the frets are perfectly leveled after they have been slapped on on by far most, even higher end, basses.
Should it be this way, in my opinion absolutely not, even the cheapest basses ought to be perfectly playable right from you buy them, almost no other products works this way.
Imagine buying a new car, no matter what price point, that couldn't go into max gear without first being fixed, or needed new tiers, to be able to drive properly (I am not a car guy, but seems to be a popular analogy, and I assume you get the point, even if this might be a bit off).
No one would accept that.
It isn't about price, it's about luck.
Fact is that nothing particular is done from manufacture's side to ensure the the frets are perfectly leveled after they have been slapped on on by far most, even higher end, basses.
Should it be this way, in my opinion absolutely not, even the cheapest basses ought to be perfectly playable right from you buy them, almost no other products works this way.
Imagine buying a new car, no matter what price point, that couldn't go into max gear without first being fixed, or needed new tiers, to be able to drive properly (I am not a car guy, but seems to be a popular analogy, and I assume you get the point, even if this might be a bit off).
No one would accept that.
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I always find it humorous when browsing the basses at Sweetwater's website. They add "get it Plek'd for only $$" to each one. My thoughts are always.. "why, don't you guys sell completed basses?"
It has been stated that it is very difficult for a tech/luthier to do as well as a plek as they generally have to remove more material from frets than a plek machine. A plek machine can work in smaller increments in theory...
No exactly, a setup is equal to adjusting the height of the saddle and handlebar, and inflating the tires, on a new bicycle, to fit your personal preferences, size and weight, which only requires a few simple tools, and adjustments that the bike is totally made with in mind, a plek would be equal to having to fix broken gears on a new bike.
Totally get your point of view. But Lutherie is a dying art. In
I’ve on a city with 450,000 people.
I have six Gibsons. No qualms about finishes on mine. But I have seen a couple that never should have shipped. I love the smell of nitro in the morning.Now if they could figure out how to get rid of finish flaws…
I don't think this analogy works. Maybe a setup doesn't include fret level and crown at most places, but that's pretty much what happens on a plek. Setup with fret level and crown. And with new guitars/basses a setup and if needed a fret level and crown is good.
Nothing is getting "fixed" on a setup or on a plek. If there are problems with the instrument, they'd probably have to be separate fix. Loose fret, bent tuning key, loose connection, or poor jack etc. would be fix broken gears on a new bike.
It not a simple setup, it is physically modifying the bass, removing material, or in other words a repair, that should not be necessary on a new bass, as far as I am concerned.
And yes, something is indeed being fixed in both a setup (that is why a bass bridge and neck is made adjustable though), but in particularly and plek/fret leveling job.
If nothing was getting fixed then what would even be the point of doing it?
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Most necks are wood. And change with age and climate. Most manufacturers can’t afford to age wood for years on end. It’s incredibly costly to buy and store and properly maintain a warehouse full of wood. Imagine the cost of any major manufacturer having to buy and store and season 5 years worth of neck blanks until they are perfectly stable.
Once machines and fretted that neck leaves the climate controlled environment and moves to wherever. Where it’s subjected to all sorts of climate change.
It’s gonna move. No manufacturer can account for what happens after it leaves the shop. No manufacturer knows your setup preferences. It’s about getting it to you so you can dial it in to what you like.
1800 is by no means cheap. It should not come out of the case full of buzzes and rattles. But the acclimation process starts the second it’s left the shipping dock. And continues until it’s reached its destination. And then continues.
Ideally all instruments should be fretted and then leveled under tension and use well seasoned wood. Thats not the reality of MI manufacturing. Once that case is latched and it goes into a shipping box it’s on its own forever after. And nature will take its course.
A skilled luthier can dial in a setup to someone’s personal preference. But even then it’s important to realize you can only achieve what the neck is going to give you at that particular time.
This is the beauty of an older instrument that’s settled in. They tend to be more stable and while the relief may change seasonally they tend to hold their setup year after year.
A plek on a new instrument can help immensely by getting things perfect. Again. At that particular moment. The machines themselves are incredibly expensive so the cost of the service reflects that. And the fret grinding aspect is just the start. You still need to pay for setup fees.
Only the largest manufacturers can afford these machines and maintaining them and training personal. So even large companies with big budgets need to include this in the final cost. Nothing is free.
Now whether it’s more cost effective to buy a cheaper or less expensive instrument and have it plekked vs buying a more expensive instrument and expecting more and hopefully getting that. Thats up to the player.
Luthiers. Skilled ones do not work for free or cheap either. And instruments change over time until they really settle in. That takes time.
Just because it’s plekked today doesn’t mean that 5 years down the road as it ages things might not shift slightly.
A better question is. What is it worth to have an optimal set up? Today.
The system does work. And it gives a good baseline for the future.
If your picky its an investment in your own happiness. What’s that worth? It’s also not going to necessarily add any if much resale value unless someone likes your exact setup. But of course a bass that plays well is a much easier sell.
Even the most boutique small builder can’t control what happens once the instrument leaves the shop. Regardless of cost.
Woods gonna do what woods gonna do.
It’s about expectations vs cost vs benefit.
Something only the player can decide.
Once machines and fretted that neck leaves the climate controlled environment and moves to wherever. Where it’s subjected to all sorts of climate change.
It’s gonna move. No manufacturer can account for what happens after it leaves the shop. No manufacturer knows your setup preferences. It’s about getting it to you so you can dial it in to what you like.
1800 is by no means cheap. It should not come out of the case full of buzzes and rattles. But the acclimation process starts the second it’s left the shipping dock. And continues until it’s reached its destination. And then continues.
Ideally all instruments should be fretted and then leveled under tension and use well seasoned wood. Thats not the reality of MI manufacturing. Once that case is latched and it goes into a shipping box it’s on its own forever after. And nature will take its course.
A skilled luthier can dial in a setup to someone’s personal preference. But even then it’s important to realize you can only achieve what the neck is going to give you at that particular time.
This is the beauty of an older instrument that’s settled in. They tend to be more stable and while the relief may change seasonally they tend to hold their setup year after year.
A plek on a new instrument can help immensely by getting things perfect. Again. At that particular moment. The machines themselves are incredibly expensive so the cost of the service reflects that. And the fret grinding aspect is just the start. You still need to pay for setup fees.
Only the largest manufacturers can afford these machines and maintaining them and training personal. So even large companies with big budgets need to include this in the final cost. Nothing is free.
Now whether it’s more cost effective to buy a cheaper or less expensive instrument and have it plekked vs buying a more expensive instrument and expecting more and hopefully getting that. Thats up to the player.
Luthiers. Skilled ones do not work for free or cheap either. And instruments change over time until they really settle in. That takes time.
Just because it’s plekked today doesn’t mean that 5 years down the road as it ages things might not shift slightly.
A better question is. What is it worth to have an optimal set up? Today.
The system does work. And it gives a good baseline for the future.
If your picky its an investment in your own happiness. What’s that worth? It’s also not going to necessarily add any if much resale value unless someone likes your exact setup. But of course a bass that plays well is a much easier sell.
Even the most boutique small builder can’t control what happens once the instrument leaves the shop. Regardless of cost.
Woods gonna do what woods gonna do.
It’s about expectations vs cost vs benefit.
Something only the player can decide.
Some necks can not be plek'd as for example a twist too great or a ski slope too steep.
It's necessary on every new bass. You either pay the manufacturer to do it, pay a tech after you've bought it, or you do it yourself. Any of the ways, every new bass needs it.
If you're saying every customer should be forced to pay for it to be done by the manufacturer, yuck. I'd rather the most qualified to do the work do the work.
A well made bass should play well out of the factory. If you Plek it right away, you've taken off a bit of your frets, and the thing hasn't settled. What I do is live with basses I've made for a few years, then I level the frets - once. And yes, after a good leveling, with a settled neck, they play really nicely.
I wouldn't level (with or without a Plek machine) a new bass unless it needs it. Honestly, I wouldn't buy a new bass that needs it.
I wouldn't level (with or without a Plek machine) a new bass unless it needs it. Honestly, I wouldn't buy a new bass that needs it.
