jamison162 Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 Even though "Pleked" gets a lot of hype these days, I've yet to buy into it. It is no substitute for quality hand fretwork. I had a G&L that was pleked and the fretwork as a whole was prety shotty. Even my H-150 isn't all that. The frets are pretty flat like they have been leveled but not re-crowned. Guess this is due to the plek? Has anyone re-crowned your frets yourself? Or done any fretwork for that matter?
brentrocks Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 My Gary Moore was not pleked, but it is smooth as glass!!! ;D I had a 137 that was pleked and it was nice too, not perfect, but still good.
tulk1 Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 My 157 was plek'd and was very nice! The H535 is plek'd and needs no attention. The Millie ws manufactured before they got the machine, yet it seems to okay as well. So, how's that? Like no help at all? :wink:
PollacksStogies Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 Speaking of the Plek... During the tour I overheard someone ask someone (probably Ren) if we would see the plek machine / operation, he said it wasn't there. I didn't hear if it was broken or loaned out or what. Then the guy asked the guy, "you mean you're doing the fretwork by hand?" and the guy said yes, said he's been doing it for so many years that he's better, bla, bla. Since they're building mine, I asked my dealer about it when I got back, whether I should worry that it wasn't going to be like I expected since they had bragged on the Heritage plek machine. My dealer didn't think it would be a big deal and kind of talked down the plek... Anyway, I'm waiting to find out how mine will turn out (beautiful I'm sure). Anyone else know about this? Is the plek not such a great thing anyway?
wingnut1 Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 I have three Heritages and they have all been pleked and they all play great. All of the frets have been properly crowned, so I would think it might vary from manufacturer to manufacturer as to how well they finish the frets after the plek.
Paul P Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 The frets on my Plek'd H535 (2007) are so rough they wear through the coils on my wound strings. There were not polished in the slightest, just the marks of grinding. I wasn't overly impressed. Going to have to get around to polishing them myself sometime... Paul P
Dick Seacup Posted August 14, 2008 Posted August 14, 2008 From a mechanical/engineering standpoint, I like the idea of the Plek. It's just plain cool, too. From a guitar player standpoint, I really don't care how they achieve properly leveled and crowned frets. As long as they're "right" when I get it (and if I bought new, I would expect the dealer to CHECK THEM FIRST and fix them if they needed it), I don't care how they get there. That being said, my understanding was that the Plek at the factory was under blankets because it needed to be re-programmed or upgraded.
GuitArtMan Posted August 15, 2008 Posted August 15, 2008 I'm begging to sound like a broken record... broken record... but all three of my pleked Heritages had issues: 535 Antique Natural - Dead fret at the 15th fret. 137 - Extreme buzzing off the nut on the low E, and A and D strings and some random buzzing up and down the neck. 535 Dark Almon Burst - High nut and random buzzing up and down the neck. FWIW I would say overall they played better than my non-pleked Heritages, but no where near Tom Anderson, Don Grosh, PRS, etc.
Dick Seacup Posted August 15, 2008 Posted August 15, 2008 Who was the guy who did the sausage-style fret job? Someone should post those pics again.
Gitfiddler Posted August 15, 2008 Posted August 15, 2008 Who was the guy who did the sausage-style fret job? Someone should post those pics again. Michael Tuttle Guitars...Best Frets. Here ya go! 8) http://www.bestfrets.com/flash/index.htm
GuitArtMan Posted August 15, 2008 Posted August 15, 2008 Who was the guy who did the sausage-style fret job? Someone should post those pics again. That would be my H-535 I had re-retted by Michael Tuttle of bestfrets. http://www.bestfrets.com/ http://home.san.rr.com/renkluaf/Frets1.jpg[/img] http://home.san.rr.com/renkluaf/Frets2.jpg[/img] http://home.san.rr.com/renkluaf/Frets3.jpg[/img] Michael has also re-fretted two Les Pauls for me as well as performed his signature set up on my other H-535 and my H-137. I can't recomend him highly enough. I'm thinking seriously about having him custom build me a guitar.
Dick Seacup Posted August 15, 2008 Posted August 15, 2008 Those were the ones (the guy!). Great looking frets, especially the ends.
jamison162 Posted August 15, 2008 Author Posted August 15, 2008 What fret sizes has Michael done for you Gman? He is highly regarded.
OldCrow Posted August 15, 2008 Posted August 15, 2008 If you don't mind me asking how, how much was the best fret refret?
GuitArtMan Posted August 16, 2008 Posted August 16, 2008 What fret sizes has Michael done for you Gman? He is highly regarded. I've had one with SS6105, one with SS6100 and one with 6100.
GuitArtMan Posted August 16, 2008 Posted August 16, 2008 If you don't mind me asking how, how much was the best fret refret? $375
valirossi Posted August 17, 2008 Posted August 17, 2008 The Plek might not do any better job than a skilled human. It probably just does it faster.
Dick Seacup Posted August 17, 2008 Posted August 17, 2008 The Plek might not do any better job than a skilled human. It probably just does it faster. QFT. Maybe faster and with more consistency (repeatability).
GuitArtMan Posted August 17, 2008 Posted August 17, 2008 The Plek might not do any better job than a skilled human. It probably just does it faster. I'll take Micheal's (or Tom Anderson's or Don Grosh's or early PRS) fret work over the Plek any day of the week. With a great fret job most of the work is done before the frets are installed, not after.
GuitArtMan Posted August 17, 2008 Posted August 17, 2008 QFT. Maybe faster and with more consistency (repeatability). I've yet to play a Pleked guitar that could hold a candle to Michael's fret work, or Tom Anderson's, or Don Grosh's. I'm not saying they don't exist, I've just not played one.
jamison162 Posted August 18, 2008 Author Posted August 18, 2008 I've yet to play a Pleked guitar that could hold a candle to Michael's fret work, or Tom Anderson's, or Don Grosh's. I'm not saying they don't exist, I've just not played one. No doubt. That's why I started this thread. My Heritage, even, pleked, is miles away from my Grosh.
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