Worn Frets... How Low Can You Go?

[Hamerhack]

Artist Custom doesn't buzz, I just tweaked the truss rod.

How worn can frets get before crown and level?

[murkat]

fret play wear "usually" looks worse than it really is. (angle / reflections of).

your play divot saddles in the frets are not too bad.

I have seen worse.

you have plenty of fret there for a crown, level, polish.

J

[FrankieIII]

I would say you can go until the intonation down the neck seems to be effected and/or the grooves become annoying when bending.

[crunchee]

Word is, is that Neil Young refuses to have his main LP, "Old Black" refretted...and he's played it for YEARS. But that's a VERY extreme case.

[tbonesullivan]

usually i've been told the G string (if unwound) usually makes the largest divot in the frets. Also if you don't play much up the neck, or just do more heavy riffing on the lower frets, you'll get more wear there. If you have bad intonation on the lower frets or buzzing, time for a level and crown.

[Hamer Dave]

When only the first position gets that cowboy chord wear going too far, I'd consider a 'partial refret' (only replacing the first few frets that are worn). Many times > 75% of the frets show 'no' wear! Though you don't get benefit of planing the fingerboard, etc. If it's intonation is fine, and playing clean, I wouldn't take any material away.