Refret...

[clmazza]

How much does a refret change the value of a guitar?

I've had this debate for quite some time with a few friends.

What are your opinions?

Here are some assumptions:

production guitar (value $2K)

non-collectible

mediocre fret job to begin with

no fret binding

[silentman]

IMO, doesn't effect it at all unless someone fukks it up. It's a maintanence thing for me... Would you want to buy a car that never had an oil change when it was needed?

[Travis]

If there's no fret binding then I wouldn't think it would hurt the value at all. Since it's a non-collectible guitar to begin with, you don't have anything to worry about.

[Steve Haynie]

Yup. If the refret is done correctly it should not hurt the guitar's value.

Think about this: if the guitar needs a refret how much is it worth? Divots in frets will get worse over time. Buzzing noises at certain frets are irritating. After a while, the guitar becomes kind of useless and worth a little less.

[Greg G]

I can't answer the value question but would agree if it's done right it wouldn't make a difference. I would ask you if you're sure it needs a refret. If there's enough height and you're satisfied with the size of the wire, a fret dress (level/crown/polish) will do wonders. A partial refret can get rid of problem frets. I just replaced the first 2 frets only on a G&L. They were heavily grooved but the remainder of the frets had .050 height left. Monster wire, .110 wide.

[clmazza]

I have a guitar that just went to the local shop for a fret dress.... I have some severe divots that he claims can be dressed out. We'll see. I've been playing with this thing in this shape for close to a year... I finally couldn't take it any more!

I'm hoping the frets aren't going to be miniscule after the file has it's way with them!

Worst case scenario... after he does the first four (which are the most severe) and it's "not lookin' good," I'll opt for the full refret.

[Disturber]

It should not affect value if the person buying the

guitar buys it because he wants to play it.

If it is a collector then it might... but if the guitar is

in need of a re-fret then it will probably not be

in mint condition when it comes to other parts either.

Personally I think it's just bollocks to hesitate to do

re-fret just to keep the value. Its an instrument damn it.

It should be played. And if it is a good instrument then

it has been played much. And if it is played much it

will eventually need a re-fret. I've refrettet two of

my old 79 Sunbursts. They were okay guitars before,

now they are killer guitars. Better for me!

[Luke]

The alteration to value is only if you sell and if you choose to disclose the refret.

If you keep the guitar for your own use, there is no change in value.

If you sell, especially via a venue like ebay, you can forget to mention such an item. It is very easy for people to claim ignorance and say "that's the way I bought it, I thought it was all original". It may not be ethical, but I feel it is the norm on ebay.

I cannot see an economic upside to doing a refret on a Hamer prior to selling it. If the frets are real bad, have them dressed so you can honestly say "no buzzes, frets in great shape". Great shape does not necessarily mean unplayed, undressed.

If a person e-mails and asks you directly, be honest and answer correctly. Do not post the answer on the Q&A and someone else will bid and win without having all the information. Every bidder has the option to ask you any questions they want answered, what they choose to not ask is not your problem.

[cmatthes]

I would ALWAYS disclose a refret if selling.

I am not of the "Buyer Beware, so Tough Shit" school. I know that there are shady people out there, but that's just wrong to even suggest doing that!

[elduave]

"Buyer Beware, so Tough Shit"

Now THERE'S a store slogan!

[BCR Greg]

The alteration to value is only if you sell and if you choose to disclose the refret.

If you keep the guitar for your own use, there is no change in value.

If you sell, especially via a venue like ebay, you can forget to mention such an item. It is very easy for people to claim ignorance and say "that's the way I bought it, I thought it was all original". It may not be ethical, but I feel it is the norm on ebay.

I cannot see an economic upside to doing a refret on a Hamer prior to selling it. If the frets are real bad, have them dressed so you can honestly say "no buzzes, frets in great shape". Great shape does not necessarily mean unplayed, undressed.

If a person e-mails and asks you directly, be honest and answer correctly. Do not post the answer on the Q&A and someone else will bid and win without having all the information. Every bidder has the option to ask you any questions they want answered, what they choose to not ask is not your problem.

You, sir, just showed me exactly what sort of person that you are.

[sw686blue]

Why not disclose it? A refret is a normal part of owning a guitar that has been played.

[Luke]

You, sir, just showed me exactly what sort of person that you are.

No I showed you exactly what hapened to me the last time I purchased an item on ebay and why I will not do so again. I failed to send the seller a list of 20 questions to cover every possible issue and learned that was a mistake. While my seller claimed complete ignorance, he claimed ownership time frame versus the year of manufacture makes it impossible to believe the guitar saw enough wear prior to his ownership to warrant a refret previosu to his ownership. When you purchase an 11 year old guitar the seller says he's had for over 10 years you have to ask, how much use did this thing see in its first few months? Even if the guitar shipped on Jan 2nd, you have to figure it took time to ship to the dealer and time for them to sell it. I have never seen a guitar wear out and need a refret in 10 months of use.

All the seller has to do is avoid the truth and claim ignorance and you have no avenue of recourse, and it sucks when you realize you've been had.

[BCR Greg]

So screwing someone else is okay, then.

Shame on you.

[Guest pirateflynn]

A refret is a part of life. Aside from museum pieces, guitars should be played........right?

[Dasein]

So screwing someone else is okay, then.

Shame on you.

You're being "cute" here right?

I read his post as a "Devil's Advocate" - here's what some do, semi-cautionary kind of thing. In no way did I interpret it as an endorsement of such a practice, nor as a statement that should impugn his character suggesting this practice would be acceptable to him.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt Greg and allow that you're just making fun here -- anything else would really disappoint me.

[Luke]

So screwing someone else is okay, then.

Shame on you.

You're being "cute" here right?

I read his post as a "Devil's Advocate" - here's what some do, semi-cautionary kind of thing. In no way did I interpret it as an endorsement of such a practice, nor as a statement that should impugn his character suggesting this practice would be acceptable to him.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt Greg and allow that you're just making fun here -- anything else would really disappoint me.

I believe he is showing his "holier than thou" attitude.

My response was very tongue-in-cheek, it obviously went right over his head.

The lay of the landscape has changed. The concepts of integrity and honesty have fallen to wayside, ebay is just the microscope. For some reason people believe caveat emptor is a passe concept, but at no time in history has that theory need to be considered more strongly. We use to be proud and "ignorance" was for idiots, now it is a catch all excuse to facilitate any deviate behavior. I truly believe this is a result of populace seeing the leadership, private and public, use ignorance as their get out of jail free card. How can you expect absolute honesty on an internet flea market when you cannot get the same from your employer or government?

So my advice is make your maximum bid to factor in the worse case scenario and if the item arrives better, great. Unfortunately the entire feedback issue has been diluted. If you leave a legitimate negative, you can expect to receive a retaliatory negative. Now that ebay allows you to pay $20 to have a negative removed, it just shows how you can manipulate the truth one way further. If you do not enter a sight unseen transaction using caveat emptor, you as the buyer are the one exhibiting the ignorance.

[BCR Greg]

"Holier than thou"?

I think not.

If that was "tongue in cheek", I'm the Pope, though.

[Guest Buck Dharma]

I have had over 40 Ebay deals and never once had a dishonest person. I'm not saying it doesn't happen but you have to be careful. I did have someone not ship my stuff for 2 weeks once, but once I tracked down who he really was and gave him a call at home he shipped the next day. Ha Ha.

[Steve Haynie]

Luke, reading your initial post I got the impression that I should not do business with you, but it did occur to me that you might have been sarcastic. You have clarified your position.

The problem with board posts and e-mails is that no one can see your facial expressions or hear the inflection of your voice. It is always a good idea to add a disclaimer to some posts.

And now an aside story... I know someone who bought a B.C. Rich Gunslinger with a broken truss rod. So, what did he do? He sold it to someone else for a "no problems" price and never mentioned the truss rod problem. That is why those of us who are considered "friends" do not trust him on guitar deals.

[BCR Greg]

I thought about it driving in to work.

If your post truly was sarcastic, I apologise. I get wound up when people bring me guitars that were buggered and they were not told. Therefore, I am sensetive to anyone recommending dishonesty on ebay. It happens alltogether too much, but we can try to counterract that by NOT adding to it.

Back to your regularly scheduled Saturday.

[DaveH]

I believe he is showing his "holier than thou" attitude.

My response was very tongue-in-cheek, it obviously went right over his head.

Luke,

There are inherent dangers in online communications, most noteably the lack facial expressions and body language. It's very easy to be taken in the wrong light because of this. You need to be extra careful how you word things in this environment so that you don't come across wrong.

"Holier than thou? Right over his head"? I don't think so....your written communication was just a little careless. Count me as another who came away from reading your initial post with the impression that you were a liar/cheat. Honestly, I'm glad to find that this is not the case afterall. I feel your pain about dishonest sellers, I've had several encounters with them on ebay myself over the years. The positive side is that in contrast to those several incidents, I've had nearly 400 transactions that were trouble-free. Anyway, maybe everyone needs to be quicker to give the benefit of a doubt, AND choose their words more carefully.

[Guest pirateflynn]

A little too much parental advise going toward Luke in my opinion.

How about those refrets?

[DaveH]

A little too much parental advise going toward Luke in my opinion.

You know what they say about opinions.

I was just saying it in a nice way, 'cause he came across wrong in the way I read it....I wasn't being 'parental'. Now quit taking things the wrong way!

[sw686blue]

Alright, everyone to their room!