REFRET:
After protecting the body, I carefully remove the frets after heating them slightly. I prefer to take virtually no wood off of the board, as it changes the structural integrity of the neck. I clean the slot thoroughly., then measure the depth and width of each slot. Client’s fret choice are hammered and glued in on request. Frets are then leveled, crowned, ends gently rounded, and polished to a chrome-like luster. The fingerboard is cleaned and conditioned with oil.
LEVELING, RECROWNING, AND DRESSING FRETS:
Given that there is enough meat to the fret, frets can leveled and recrowned (rounded) a few times before a refret is needed. This process involves leveling the frets with specialty tools that are accurate to 1/10,000th of an inch. The fretboard is then taped off and files are used to create a smooth and uniform cut across the back and front side of the fret, yet never touching the fingerboard or the extreme tops of frets. The ends of frets are rounded to give a smooth feel, yet allow maximum playing surface. Frets are then buffed shiny smooth, and the board cleaned & conditioned.
SETUP:
My basic setups include cleaning and conditioning the fretboard, polishing the frets to a glossy shine, cleaning the body, back of neck, and head, tightening loose screws and tuners, restringing, adjusting the truss rod, and setting the intonation. The focus here is making a guitar look, feel, and sound new again. Any replacement parts, electronic work, or other fretwork is extra.
NUTS AND SADDLES:
High quality bone is used for most jobs. On select high-end instruments I can use woolly mammoth tusk ivory. I am an authorized Buzz Feiten retrofitter, which installs nuts with a fingerboard overhang to solve the age-old problem of lower fret positions being sharp. Nut slots are tapered at the middle strings (unless otherwise noted by the client) towards the tuners for tuning stability. Intonation is set into the saddle at player’s desired string height and string gauge of choice. Intonation is not guaranteed with different string tensions, or even with different brands from the setup.
POLISHING:
High speed cotton wheel buffers are utilized to bring out the original shine and luster of faded nitrocellulose, french polished, and laquer finishes. 3M and Menzerna polishing compounds (as used by Fender and Gibson Custom Shops) acheive consistent results with electric and acoustic guitars alike.