Fret Dressing

Gordy Smiff · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:21 pm Post subject: Fret Dressing

Anyone here have any experience of it?

My favourite guitar, a Gordon Smith G60 (hence the nic), is getting to the stage where it could benefit from one.

I've spoken to few luthiers over the years, and to be honest I got the impression I was treading on their toes asking about this kind of thing.

lee_UK · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 9:07 am Post subject:

if its your pride and joy then get a luthier to do it, better still find someone with a 'Plek' machine, a little expensive but well worth it.

I did a fret dress about 3 years ago, i used a flat piece of board (kitchen worktop-an off cut) and glued 3 pieces of varying very fine grit paper to it.
set the neck (mine was bolt on) so it was dead straight, and started to gently stone the frets. got some good results but i wouldn't try it on any of my favourite guitars, but i have got a guitar that has had a Plek setup with fret dress and it plays like a dream.

Gordy Smiff · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject:

Thanks Lee, I think it is probably best I do use a luthier for my pride and joy. A few years ago I re-built and set up and old Columbus Les Paul copy (I hear you laughing BTW) for a friend of mine. It was a Tesco bag full of bits when I got it and even though it would be best described as a ''plank'' the end result was something relatively playable. The action was ok, and the intonation was spot-on. I come from an engineering background, but I think luck played a major part geting that thing right.

lee_UK · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 6:43 pm Post subject:

Gordy Smiff wrote:

A few years ago I re-built and set up and old Columbus Les Paul copy (I hear you laughing BTW) .

Don't get me started on the Columbus debate, they are a pet hate of mine, i have yet to see or play a 'good' Columbus, the problem we have nowadays is, people believe that if they were made in Japan in the late 70's early 80's then they must be worth a few quid and also be something special, so they get rescued from the local rubbish dump (we call them Cash Converters over here) , get a polish up. new set of strings and stuffed on ebay with descriptions that beggar belief, people actually compare them to Tokai, Burny and Squire etc.
Then some poor unfortunate thinks they are getting a bargain, bid and win a piece of what they think is Japanese rock history (if there is such a thing) but in fact they get a tub of Japanese Pot Noodles , they then try and get their money back by stuffing it back on ebay...with another fresh set of strings, and an even better review!!
And on it goes..

Sorry about the Grammar 1Bassleft!!

Gordy Smiff · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:21 pm Post subject:

^LOL ! I think all of us with a few years under our (ever-expanding) belts know that anything Columbus should never be taken seriously by anybody. Which reminds me, what about Avon guitars, or the things Woolworths used to sell in the mid-70's?

1bassleft · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 9:37 pm Post subject:

As a 6th-former (about 17), I went with the guitarist mate to check out a guitar for him. Can't remember what, but it was quite decent (maybe Antoria). Suddenly, the seller claimed it wasn't for sale, he'd forever regret it etc, then pulled out an Avon with a vague LP look to it that he would sell for £45. I pretty much pushed him into buying it - need a guitar quick. Of course, it was a complete set-up (as in rip-off deal; a setup wouldn't have made the plank any better) to offload his unwanted duffer.

At the time, I owned a Kay "4001" bass (from Woolworths) and a Satellite "Strat" so what did I know? Kids can't really go wrong for £70 these days.

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