Getting started on learning to refret a guitar. Seeking advise

C

CoreyW

Member
So, here is the story, I have a 91 RG770 that is in desperate need of a refret, those who know these guitars know... thin neck and neck binding.

I have checked with every place I can find within 3-4 hour drive.. Atlanta, Birmingham, havnt tried to contact anyone in Nashville yet but...

Every place seems so backlogged some are not even taking refret jobs because they are a year + out on waitlist, the most reasonable I found was 10 month wait and you have to bring your guitar in and just not have it, too many refrets to take appointments I guess, and the charge was 800 for SS frets.

So, where I am at now, it seems it might be worth it to give this a shot not only for me but maybe able to develop a side gig down the road if I can do this well.

I have been a tradesman most of my life, so I am use to fine detail work and working with my hands and tools. Ive been buying the tools needed and I am pretty sure I have everything I would need at this point in time except fret wire. Oh, I am also able to set my guitars up pretty well.

So, I am now at the point of put up or shut up, and I am looking for advise on either rooting me on or talking me out of it... is it best to try out on some cheap pawn shop or market place guitars, even though they may be crap that would be very hard if not impossible to do a good job on, or dive into doing this on my RG?

A lot of videos I have watched seem to gloss over or completely skip what to me seems like the most critical step... getting the neck as perfectly straight as possible and getting it sanded completely flat. (not removing the radius). I am a bit more worried about the crowning than any of the other steps I have watched.

So, anyone have any advice or words of encouragement?
 
I'd start on a cheap neck and get some practice but I think you should go for it from everything you've said. I bet if you take your time you'd do a better job than most of the techs out there.
 
I'd start on a cheap neck and get some practice but I think you should go for it from everything you've said. I bet if you take your time you'd do a better job than most of the techs out there.
I appreciate the vote of confidence.
 
I have a soldering iron and lots of solder and good with my hands. If any of my guitars needed it, I'd go balls deep and do it. All I need to do it is fret pullers and then nippers to clip off the excess fret wire. Also, I could use radius gauges so I make sure to order the proper pre-radiused frets, and then one of those files that run along the side of the neck and have the file installed at the proper angle. I've done several fret leveling jobs on my guitfiddles with great success.

You don't HAVE to get Stew Mac tools. I'm happy with some of my Skyscraper Guitars tools and my Music Nomad tools.
 
Back
Top