High Quality Stainless Steel Refrets

[Even Bigger D]

Anyone have a recommended shop for getting a stainless steel refret? I used to use Best Frets, but they're not taking repair work any more.

 

[Code001]

Joe Glaser and Philtone are the two I'd recommend. Both have lots of experience with SS, both use Plek machines, both are well-known.

 

[Even Bigger D]

Thanks - Philtone looks like exactly what I need.

 

[rcm78]

Cant go wrong with philtone!!!

 

[nevusofota]

Philtone. He's close to me so I get to his shop often. I take all my guitars to him. He did an amazing job on my jumbo SS Tele refret.

 

[Mizati20]

Philtone is excellent... I will tell you straight up he rarely meets his timelines if you are shipping him the guitar from out of state...

 

[nevusofota]

Philtone is excellent... I will tell you straight up he rarely meets his timelines if you are shipping him the guitar from out of state...

This is correct. If you need the guitar by a certain day you better get it in writing and make sure you give him a call a few days ahead of time to remind him of the time restraints.

I think the reason for this is because he doesn't let time get in the way of him doing a superb and complete job. Kind of like you wouldn't tell your surgeon to speed it up. Once he gets into a job he begins to find little details that should be addressed. Stuff he couldn't see during the initial assessment.

The guy is not a slacker though. If he is late on a job it is for a reason. Every time I've been in his shop he's been hard at work. He also has to cater to the people that come in to drop off guitars unannounced.

He recently moved into a much larger shop and I believe may now have more help with the peripheral duties.

 

[Anonymous]

Glaser is the same way. They'll quote 2 weeks but its usually more like a month IF you remind him to get his ass in gear. Its not like he's a slacker though...its just he takes every job that comes his way and is back logged. Don't know why he can't be honest about turnaround. No matter what he says plan on at least a month.

 

[Even Bigger D]

Good to know about the wait time issues - I suppose I will just have to deal...

 

[mniel8195]

I had Mike lull put ss frets on my latest guitar. Plek is where it is at.

 

[FourT6and2]

I had Phil @ Philtone do a SS refret on my '79 LP Custom. Did a great job. But yes… his lead times tend to be long. I think mine took like two months? He won't give you the runaround, though. He's just super busy. And busy for a good reason. He does great work.

 

[PeteLaramee]

Philtone is excellent... I will tell you straight up he rarely meets his timelines if you are shipping him the guitar from out of state...

This is correct. If you need the guitar by a certain day you better get it in writing and make sure you give him a call a few days ahead of time to remind him of the time restraints.

I think the reason for this is because he doesn't let time get in the way of him doing a superb and complete job. Kind of like you wouldn't tell your surgeon to speed it up. Once he gets into a job he begins to find little details that should be addressed. Stuff he couldn't see during the initial assessment.

The guy is not a slacker though. If he is late on a job it is for a reason. Every time I've been in his shop he's been hard at work. He also has to cater to the people that come in to drop off guitars unannounced.

He recently moved into a much larger shop and I believe may now have more help with the peripheral duties.

I was just in Phil's shop a few weeks ago. He now has two guys working for him. Phil made me an aluminum shim to fit in the neck/body joint (aftermarket body made to fit an Ibanez RG7620). Guitar is perfect now. He always does great work. I was in and out in about an hour and he only charged me $20.

Plus he's a huge Orioles fan.

 

[LWD]

Id use Mike Lull. Kind of expensive but flawless work. My brother had him flatten the fingerboard on his PRS to 14" radius and install jumbo SS frets. Flawless job. Lull made sure to contact PRS about the thickness of the board and inlays before starting the job which was good to know. I wont mention them by name but my brother had used one of the other guys mentioned in this thread and the work wasn't in the same league as Mike Lull's.

 

[dwizted]

Gutierrez ask Mike ( juggy) to hook you up. He does the most amazing fretjob I have ever seen on any guitar...

 

[Even Bigger D]

Thanks to everyone who recommended Philtone here. I got the les paul back safe and sound, it did take a month like everyone said, and the 6100 stainless fretwork is very well done.

 

[xzyryabx]

Thanks for the update.
Care tosh are the cost?
Doesphilltone do the hot-dog (semi hemispherical ) fret ends?
Was the plek job included In the price?

 

[nevusofota]

Thanks to everyone who recommended Philtone here. I got the les paul back safe and sound, it did take a month like everyone said, and the 6100 stainless fretwork is very well done.

That's a great looking LP!

 

[Even Bigger D]

Thanks for the update.
Care tosh are the cost?
Doesphilltone do the hot-dog (semi hemispherical ) fret ends?
Was the plek job included In the price?

Prices are listed on the site: http://www.philtone.com/refrets.html

Phil threw in for free some additional work (a minor modification of the bridge) that I was fully expecting to pay shop rate for.

Shipping was $50 or so (don't remember exactly).

The fret ends appear to be more angled than "hot dog" once they get over the binding. They are definitely cleaned up and feel smooth. No complaints from me. The plek was included and really does work.

 

[Even Bigger D]

That's a great looking LP!

It's got a lot of history too - my main axe for every rock gig I've played for about 8 years. I was scared shitless UPS would trash it.

 

[rupe]

Shannon Huss at HEL Guitars