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Offline osage outlaw

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Guitar repair question
« on: June 28, 2011, 06:30:29 pm »
A co-worker gave me this guitar.  I think someone was throwing it out and he grabbed it from them.  Anyway, somebody has taken all of the frets out.  I guess they were trying to turn it into a slide guitar.  How hard would it be to replace them?  Would it even be worth trying to fix?  I asked a guy at a fancy music shop and he said he would charge me around $400 to repair it.  No way I'm doing that.  I can't even play the dumb thing.  It looks like it is in good shape other than the frets.  I plugged it into an amp and it seems to play fine.  If I can't fix it up, I think I will hang it in my garage since it has a cool look to it.  I have started collecting old album covers of bands that I like and hanging them in the garage for some manly decorations.







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Offline Cameroo

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2011, 07:09:08 pm »
It would not be super difficult to install the frets yourself, but it would cost you a bit of money for materials (fret wire).  When I was into building guitars, I got a lot of supplies from Stewart MacDonald.  Your can spend a small fortune getting the "proper" tools to do it (a press to install the wire, a fret-wire radiusing tool to match the wire to the neck's curve, the list goes on), but I think it could be done with some basic tools like a rubber mallet, side cutters and a flat bastard file.

It's hard to say if it's worth while, without actually seeing the condition of the neck.  It could be warped or twisted, in which case replacing the frets would be pointless.  You'd have to replace the entire fretboard to get the frets level.  A properly adusted neck should have a very slight bow to it, to keep the strings from buzzing on the higher frets when you play a note.

You might want to replace the fretboard anyway - it appears that there was some tearout when the old frets were removed.  Depends how picky you want to get.

Check out Stewart Macdonald for materials and see if you think it's worth it.  There is a ton of how-to info there too.  I'd look into it a bit more for you, but I'm at work at the moment.  >:D
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Offline Josh

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2011, 07:14:08 pm »
I think I would just replace the entire fretboard myself.  :)  It should just bolt on the back.
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Offline Gus

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2011, 08:37:08 pm »
Its the New (Old) IN THANG... Fretless... Like Stevie...

Looks like who ever did it was unsure of what they were doing.
You could just fill the neck in with Super glue and re sand it, my friends in music choose this option mostly.
Which is what should have been done to make it fretless.
Or you could fill the holes with a wire inlay (Copper, Silver?).
Or you could buy the frets and reinstall them.
But you will have to have the reinstalled frets leveled and dressed, either by yourself or a pro to make it right.

I would use powdered turquoise to fill the fret holes.

-Gus
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Offline skyarrow

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2011, 09:14:46 pm »
I have a friend that is a licensed guitar repairman and he can repair  it for 75$  But he lives here in victoria
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Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2011, 09:47:10 pm »
OK.  Thanks for the advice.  Sounds like it is going to be a wall hanger.
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Offline skyarrow

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #6 on: June 28, 2011, 09:54:27 pm »
Heck if your going to hang it will you be willing to make a trade for it I'd love to have it
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Offline stickbender

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2011, 11:33:58 pm »

     There are a lot of guitar repair and luthier books, and sites, and such.  I used to get stuff from Martin, for kits, and wire, and tools, materials, and books, and such.  But if Skyarrow can get it re fretted for $75.00 go for it.  A lot of guitarist, like the older electric guitars for the vintage sound.
If you are just going to hang it up, trade it to Sky arrow.  From what I can see it is in decent shape, but like they said depends on the neck, but I would think it is ok, from what I can see of it. ;)
                                                                   Wayne
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Offline jeffhalfrack

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #8 on: July 04, 2011, 11:06:16 am »
Hey  double'o  go  to  'grizzly '  tools  gold  fret  wire  is  like  ten  bucks!  glue it  in  and  start  playing  Smoke on the  water!  Jeff W
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2011, 12:34:01 am »
Who cares? ...............stinkin' guitfiddle players anyway.............! :)
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2011, 12:09:43 pm »
Here we are discussing how to add fretting when most of the time we are talking about the techniques we use to prevent fretting.  There is sooooo much to fret about these days!

"Frankly Scarlett, I don't give a d***!"
-Fret Butler
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Offline stickbender

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #11 on: July 06, 2011, 04:56:59 pm »
  J.W. ;
 ::) Groooaaaaannnnn! ;D :P

                                                    Wayne
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Offline Gus

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #12 on: July 06, 2011, 06:07:21 pm »
That was a fretful display... 

Thank Goodness I staid clear of puns...  :P

-Gus
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"I taught him archery everyday, and when he got good at it he throw an arrow at me."

Conroe, TX

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #13 on: July 06, 2011, 10:58:15 pm »
It appears I struck a 'chord' with some of you.  Hope the others don't 'string' me up for it.  And on that note....

(psst, for those that say you can tune a piano but you can't tune a fish, you just go up and down the scales)
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Offline stickbender

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Re: Guitar repair question
« Reply #14 on: July 06, 2011, 11:26:16 pm »

     J.W. Ionian, Blues, or Jazz scales? ::)

                                     Wayne
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