ShortScale.org

The one I have was a gift and I play it a ton, but it's got a ton of dead spots and the last time I took it for a setup I was told I'm looking at a refret.

The guy said $10 for standard (I guess nickel) or $20 for stainless steel.

I'm slow to put $240 worth of frets into a affordable guitar.

I'm really just a bedroom player. Would stainless steel be overkill?

Not sure I should be saying this on a public forum, but how far do you trust the guy who told you you need a refret? Last time I thought I needed a refret the guitar store guy said "no, it just needs a fret dress", and he was right.

Find a used but not hammered neck on eBay?

I've had the same (used) neck on a guitar for some 15 years, how in the hell are you killing frets at that rate?

I'd also likely get a second opinion; maybe a fret-level and/or crowning is a more affordable option.

This sounds like someone lying or someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. Don't let either of these people refret your neck!

NickS wrote:Not sure I should be saying this on a public forum, but how far do you trust the guy who told you you need a refret? Last time I thought I needed a refret the guitar store guy said "no, it just needs a fret dress", and he was right.

Hmm, y'know that's actually a good question, I might have to go get a second opinion before I do anything.

The only guitars I've owned that actually needed the frets replaced have been 45-50 years old. Agree with the others that it likely just needs a fret dress.

I’ve never had to have a guitar refretted including my basses that I toured for years. Fret dressing yes but never a refret. This includes my very used and abused Tele that I bought new in 1980.

It's a bass though - you only need to change the strings once a decade.

To illustrate how infrequently guitars need refretting, Brian May's Red Special, that he has been playing for 50 years, and on countless tours, has apparently never had (or needed) a refret.

Haha you guys are giving me way more to think about than I expected.

I can only assume the issue, if it truly needs a refret, is someone did a bad job previously and made them too short, or some other mishap.

NickD wrote:It's a bass though - you only need to change the strings once a decade.

it was the 90's we thought you had to change them every 3 shows and I used Rotosound fret-eaters for a number of years.

now I have half-rounds that are older than my kids.