When a fingerboard has binding along its edge, there are some considerations that have to be taken during a refret. Because the fret slot-ends aren't accessible preparing the slots and the frets themselves is a little different. Doing it right is the difference between a great refret and a potential disaster.

Check it out…

Guitar RepairGerry Hayes5 February 2018refret, fret, repair, setup, neck, guitar, bass, binding

Fret levels and refrets: Redux

When can you get away with a fret level and when do you need to go all out and refret an instrument? There's a time and a place for both jobs. Read on to get a feeling for when you might need to pull the trigger on a full refret…

Guitar RepairGerry Hayes22 January 2018refret, fret, crown, fret level, setup, neck, guitar, bass

Saving vintage guitars with clever refret techniques

Correcting excessive relief or neck-bow is easy with an adjustable truss rod. What about those vintage guitars made before adjustable rods were fitted, though? Are those wonderful old instruments never to be played because there's too much bow in the neck?

No way. Find out how to use levelling and compression fretting to save these guitars.

Vintage Refretting With Bar Frets

Getting vintage-nerdy with bar frets…

I only get a few bar fret jobs a year here. And, when I’m levelling them, I generally thank the fret gods for that fact. Bar frets are a bit different to modern frets but, if you’re playing, dealing, or repairing vintage instruments, you’ll likely come across them from time to time.

So, let’s get to know them.

Guitar RepairGerry Hayes14 August 2017refret, fret, fret level, bar fret, luthier, repair, guitar, bass, martin, vintage.

Chip Stoppers save the day

I don't have to use these chip stoppers very often but, every now and then, they're invaluable. If you regularly refret guitars, it's worth having them on standby.