sheetsofsound Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Unfortunately, i'm 3 for 3 in this area. It's still a good deal. Even with the added expense and trouble it's 1/3 the cost of an L5... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 did you buy it used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitArtMan Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Two words: Michael Tuttle. Tell him Bob Faulkner sent ya. You can thank me later. You could find a cheaper fret job but you wont find better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheetsofsound Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 I use rainbow instrument repair (ken lesko). I've been using him for years for repairs and he's fabulous. George Benson uses him too. Through kenny, a planing / refretting is only $200 on unbound and $250 on bound fingerboards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoslate Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I use rainbow instrument repair (ken lesko). I've been using him for years for repairs and he's fabulous. George Benson uses him too. Through kenny, a planing / refretting is only $200 on unbound and $250 on bound fingerboards. Good luck with the work! And I checked out some of your videos yesterday; you're all over it. A busy boy! Nicely done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I got really lucky this year when I took my strat in thinking it needed a fretjob. I had more fretlife than I thought and only needed a $40 fret dress. You never know unless you take it to a qualified luthier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zguitar71 Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I am on 2 heritages and they both needed fretwork and one was new and the other almost not used at all. Heritage does not do a very good job with the fret work. It seems they put the frets in and file or bind the edges and that is it. My Super Eagle was new and required a fret leveling and recrowning and the 150 I just bought has slight rise in the board but I think I can get away with a fret leveling and not have to plane the board. I knew after my Super E. experience that my next Heritage would need work if it was basically new and no one else had done it. But like you said they are 1/3 the cost of a Gibby and fortunately I have been doing my own fretwork for the last 7 years. If Heritage could get the frets as nice as the rest of the guitar from the factory it would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheetsofsound Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 in all 3 cases it wasn't the fretwork, it was the fingerboard. I think they may be using wood that isn't as aged as it should be. On the eagle, my repairman gave me a choice of a fret level and a refret. He said he could get it playing ok with a fret level but if I wanted super low action I would need it planed and leveled. Since it's my most expensive instrument I went ahead and told him to plane it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheetsofsound Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 and yes, all 3 were used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 If you get them all fixed, even one at a time, it will be a great collection of guitars you'll love to play just as much as looking at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitArtMan Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 in all 3 cases it wasn't the fretwork, it was the fingerboard. I think they may be using wood that isn't as aged as it should be. On the eagle, my repairman gave me a choice of a fret level and a refret. He said he could get it playing ok with a fret level but if I wanted super low action I would need it planed and leveled. Since it's my most expensive instrument I went ahead and told him to plane it. My understanding is that they still do it the old school way - they install the frets and binding BEFORE the fingerboard is attached to the neck. And yes, I'll agree the fingerboards are often not properly leveled or radiused - just like the Gbrand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheetsofsound Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 My understanding is that they still do it the old school way - they install the frets and binding BEFORE the fingerboard is attached to the neck. And yes, I'll agree the fingerboards are often not properly leveled or radiused - just like the Gbrand. much more frequent than gibson and my repairman confirms this in his experience. However, the guitars sound great so even with the added hassle/expense i'm still very happy and it's still way cheaper than gbrand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoslate Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 much more frequent than gibson and my repairman confirms this in his experience. However, the guitars sound great so even with the added hassle/expense i'm still very happy and it's still way cheaper than gbrand. This has to be pretty frustrating for you! +10 for not kvetching about it, and deciding just to get things right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Sorry about your luck. I have 10 Heritages and have chosen to have 6 of them Plek'd here locally. The computer analysis showed that some slight fret leveling was needed, but all the fingerboards/necks have been dead on. This luthier/friend of mine that owns the Plek machine has stated several time how impressed he is with the quality of Heritage. All of my guitars are set up at 3.5/64ths. And I agree they sound incredible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheetsofsound Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 This has to be pretty frustrating for you! +10 for not kvetching about it, and deciding just to get things right. I look at it as an investment in the guitar. All 3 are great sounding instruments. I'd rather have a great instrument that needs a couple hundred dollars of maintenance than something that has the "correct" headstock and possibly requires no work to get it right but either doesn't sound as good or costs 2x - 3x the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbp810 Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I look at it as an investment in the guitar. All 3 are great sounding instruments. I'd rather have a great instrument that needs a couple hundred dollars of maintenance than something that has the "correct" headstock and possibly requires no work to get it right but either doesn't sound as good or costs 2x - 3x the price. That's a great attitude to have, and in my book, the correct way to look at the situation I've always felt that any factory will get you 95% of the way there, and that the extra 5% to perfection requires the personal touch of a qualified luthier. I look at it as expected maintenance, and as you have put it, part of the investment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I look at it as an investment in the guitar. All 3 are great sounding instruments. I'd rather have a great instrument that needs a couple hundred dollars of maintenance than something that has the "correct" headstock and possibly requires no work to get it right but either doesn't sound as good or costs 2x - 3x the price. ABSOLUTELY!!! +100000000 Some peolple expect the set up to be perfect right from the factory. This isn't going to happen. Spend a $150-200 to get your guitar Plek'd (or fret leveled by hand), get the nut checked, relief measured, ect... and for a smal investment you have (what I consider) some of the best guitars produced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheetsofsound Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 i haven't played a plek'd heritage but I would say that prior to the plek machine, gibson did a better job on factory setups but as you say, just get the setup done locally. I think fretting the fingerboard prior to gluing on the neck may be the cause of some of the issues but I play with a lot of precision and like no relief and the action very low so YMMV... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I had a plek'd Gibson and it really didn't make much of a difference to me because the rest of the guitar lacked quality. Wasn't much of a guitar even being plek'd. Now having the "correct" headstock and being 95% of the way there sounds just right for me. Some people may want high action anyway if they are slide players.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitArtMan Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 You guys made me do it! All this talk of Plek - plek schmeck! My Michael Tuttle refretted H-535: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheetsofsound Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 don't get me started on plek'ing. I think it's a waste of money, frankly. A good luthier such as Ken Lesko does as good a job as a plek for way less money. The fact is that guitar necks are wood and change over seasons and over time. Additionally, a plek can't fix a hump or valley in the fingerboard past a certain point. And a couple years down the road as the neck dries further and changes, your plek job doesn't help. Best bet is to wait 10 years 'til the instrument stabilizes and then have a fret level or planing/refret done if it needs it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 You guys made me do it! All this talk of Plek - plek schmeck! My Michael Tuttle refretted H-535: NICE! does he always dress the ends like that? they look cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zguitar71 Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 The proper way to fret a bound neck is the way Tuttle did in the pictures. It is cheaper and faster to cut the fret at the edge of the board and then bind it and leave the binding next to the fret to function as a fret like Heritage and Gibson do it. But the fret tang should be cut and the fret should overlay the binding and go to the edge of the fret board and binding, but it takes more time and money so the big companies do not do it. I refretted my Gibson that way and I can tell you it takes more attention to detail doing it that way, getting the fret overhang to lay flat and does not snag your fingers is not easy at first, it takes time and experience. That is why someone that can do a great job like in the picture is worth every penny paid to them. I had to refret my Kalamazoo 2 times to get it right and even then it is playable but not a beautiful job, the 3rd time was a success when I did the Gibson but it is still not a pretty as Tuttle's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitArtMan Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 NICE! does he always dress the ends like that? they look cool. Always, unless it's on a finished fingerboard (like maple). Then the rounding process would damage the finish and so he doesn't do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoNameBand Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 much more frequent than gibson and my repairman confirms this in his experience. However, the guitars sound great so even with the added hassle/expense i'm still very happy and it's still way cheaper than gbrand. I have to say, I think most guitar manufactures build their guitars for the normal people and some of us (me especially) are fanatics about our guitars and want them perfect. I have never bought a perfect instrument new from any brand. It's part of the deal, the first thing you do is have the frets dressed and what ever else they need along with a proper set-up which also never comes from the manufacturer. I believe if they did do proper set-ups, they would catch the fret flaws. I just think it's part of the deal, get it the way you want when it's yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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