I’ve never refretted my 66 Tele, I think the time has come, thoughts?

[Boreas]

I spoke with my guy, my luthier who I worked with for many years, I took his recommendation, and all is good now.

I know George, I have a funny George story, there used to be a guitar show outside of NYC, and I would go every year. One year, I brought a Very Old Gibson L-5 guitar. As I was walking in, George stopped me and offered me twenty thousand dollars without even looking at the guitar. He told me he knew the case, firstly, I had no idea at the time he was George, and who would offer that kind of money without even checking it out. George would, I took the check, all good.

George has standing orders for particular vintage guitars from collectors & players around the world. He knows where to sniff them out - and also knows he who hesitates or haggles often loses the opportunity! Great story!

 

[Bandboy]

You can’t find a first class luthier or tech in NYC?

 

[backalleyblues]

I won’t make any recommendations as I know nobody in NYC-Roger Sadowsky certainly would know who to call, glad you got through to him!

As for me, I recently did that with my ‘83 Telly that I’ve had since new-Mike at Chips Music in Jacksonville FL is who my wife and I take our instruments to-stellar work and he did a great job on mine, which is a maple fretboard. That guitar was my main guitar for most of my career (if you can call it that!) so I know of the trepidation you’re going through.

As for stainless frets, I wouldn’t worry too much about it-50+ years on the originals sounds like you shouldn’t have to worry about fret wear for another 20 years…mine lasted almost 40, and I’m a ferocious string bender!

Good luck, man!

Franc Robert

 

[RickatAscap]

...all that and no pics...

 

[RickatAscap]

 

[RickatAscap]

You can’t find a first class luthier or tech in NYC?

Its all taken care of, I was able to reach,my Luthier who moved on to making basses, all good.
Thanks
Rick

 

[RickatAscap]

George has standing orders for particular vintage guitars from collectors & players around the world. He knows where to sniff them out - and also knows he who hesitates or haggles often loses the opportunity! Great story!

Thanks for sharing that, this guy knows his stuff. He's ta good guy to know.
Thanks
Rick

 

[pippoman]

I would do it if it's a player-grade guitar. I, too, would go with the same wire it came with if you like the feel (most likely vintage 6230 wire, I'm guessing, but I'm not an expert on '66 teles). And I, personally, would spend the extra dough for stainless frets <runs, ducks the thrown objects from vintage purists>. You'll likely never have to refret it again and will enjoy buttery-smooth feel. Make sure the tech you use has a reliable reputation, especially with working with vintage instruments, and is willing to work with stainless (hopefully without a terrible upcharge)...not everyone is.

+1 on stainless. Apperio Guitars in Georgia does wonderful work. I had them refret my favorite Strat a few years ago and have never regretted it once. Turnaround was pretty quick as I recall.

 

[RickatAscap]

+1 on stainless. Apperio Guitars in Georgia does wonderful work. I had them refret my favorite Strat a few years ago and have never regretted it once. Turnaround was pretty quick as I recall.

Thanks for that, I've been in touch with the guy I worked with for over 25 years, and he gave me a recommendation I'll take. He's no longer doing luthier work.
Thanks
Rick

 

[ddewerd]

I know those guys, however, I was in touch with Sadowsky today, and he recommended someone with whom I feel very confident. His recommendation to me is priceless.
Thanks
Rick

Glad you found someone you can trust!

Hope the outcome is better than you imagined!

Although it's a bit nerve wracking to have some (relatively) major work done on it your vintage guitar, at some point you have to bite the bullet and trust the best expert you can find.

A year or two from now, you'll (hopefully) look back at this and say, man I was all worried about nothing. These guys know their stuff, and I should have done this years earlier!

Don't sweat it, it'll all be good!

Cheers,
Doug

P.S. FWIW, when I had my '63 refretted, when I got it back, it seemed a little rough feeling. I spent about 15 minutes doing a quick bend on every string on every fret, and after that, it was all good (actually Fantastic!)

 

[skypilot]

I’ve had my Telecaster since 1966, and I’ve never refretted this guitar, which happens to be my go to guitar for the most part, depending on the work. The time is now, although I’ve been doing a lot of work on my guitars as of recent, this one, I don’t want to try my hand at something so important, which could make or break the guitar as I see it. I’m not a metal player, I do a great deal of finger style work, dropping the pick almost fifteen years ago. I’m not looking to radically change the guitar, I’m looking for it to feel good in my hands, not seeking to change the feel of the 66, Any thoughts? I’m well aware people have their own preferences, i’m looking to restore the guitar to the way it was when I first purchased it In 66. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Rick

Send it to Dan Erlewine. He refretted
my 1965 SG perfectly. It’s good for another 60 years.

 

[Grandfunkfan]

I took my 25 year old strat in for a refret and was surprised to find out they only needed to be file down and recrowned. They were way past due for fret work and I had what I thought were super deep grooves in it. The money was a big consideration, I was relieved that the recrowning was less invasive. I heard some horror stories about refret jobs.

 

[benderb9]

there's a pretty well known luthier in NYC, Mark Knopfler uses him.

Our Story

Rudy and his wife, Fran, opened “Rudy’s Music Stop” on 48th Street in New York City in 1978 and began turning his passions into tangible artistry. It wasn’t long before “Rudy’s Music” became a well-known and highly respected guitar shop to guitarists around the world. Rudy’s love and enthusiasm...

rudysmusic.com

 

[redhouse_ca]

Hi,
Actually, I first got it in 66, I was a kid, and it wasn't my main guitar at the time. I started on an SG, then a Les Paul, Firebird(Reverse) then I pulled out the Tele and began to learn how to fingerpick, for which I have yet to find a better guitar for that kind of work.
Thanks
Rick

Sorry, meant refret, I hope that was clear

 

[RickatAscap]

Sorry, meant refret, I hope that was clear

It was totally clear, thanks

 

[RickatAscap]

Ask sadowsky who he would recommend. or ask at Retrofret. I’m sure they’ve had a few vintage teles come through the shop that needed the same.

also,if you haven’t already, make the effort to find a tele or similar style guitar which has ss frets and play it. Some people really don’t get along with them for whatever reason. It’d be a shame to have to refret your guitar twice.

I did just that, Roger told me in no uncertain terms, this guy is the absolute best, his name is Noio Imai, he's in NYC on 22nd st, if anyone needs a great tech to work on an old tele. For the life of me, how I never thought to call him, Thank you, much appreciated.
Rick

 

[RickatAscap]

George has standing orders for particular vintage guitars from collectors & players around the world. He knows where to sniff them out - and also knows he who hesitates or haggles often loses the opportunity! Great story!

He bought the my old 58 L-5 guitar and case, for $20,000.00 without opening the case. That takes balls, even with those collectors backing him up. T

 

[Monoprice99]

I'd do the math on a replacement neck for cost, keeping the original neck. Just keep your options open. If you still want to refret it, you will still be playing the guitar with the new(er) neck. You can do so at your convenience. Who knows how long the lead time is on a refret ? A Warmoth currently available or Mighty Mite (more affordable ?). And you can give Maple fretboard a tryout ? YOu'll still have your Rosewood neck. Maybe it just needs a fret level & crown depending upon the condition ?

 

[don mare]

welp.. they will sand the fretboard back to its stock smoothness and radius -
so why don't you do it and then slightly level the fret not much at all -
then Crown an polish -
remove the amount of wood on fretboard needed to still have stock Fret Height after the leveling -
the depth of the dents is what amount of wood you remove -
when I'm really careful I do not level at all _
I Only crown away the dents then scrape away the wood so the newly crowed fret is suddenly,
like brand New Fret Height thanks to removing a tiny amount of wood from fret-board -
the guitar if Rosewood will still apear as totally stock with lots of fret life - teh Maple will loose some finish and or all of it them just lightly spray it with Amber or Clear Lacquer - As lengthy as this sounds Ive done them in ONE HOUR. the results are pricless as its the same guitar and its stock just teh Fret-board was treated like what a Wood Plainer and Radius sand would do - I do it all With Single edge Razor Blades and its easy to keep teh radius with a Pack of Stew-Macs Radius Gauges.

 

[Terickson]

I'm curious why you feel the need to refret with Stainless when the old ones have lasted 57 years? If you're planning to be around that much longer care to let us in on your secret?