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Started By
Message
Vintage guitar fret job - Is it worth it to spend $$ on an older guitar?
Posted on 9/25/25 at 8:40 am
Posted on 9/25/25 at 8:40 am
Here the situation. I have what I think is a 1975 Aria Pro II LS500B. (Aka a quality Japanese Matsumoku built Les Paul copy in black). This was my first electric guitar that I bought in early 80's and played the frets off it back in the day. The headstock logo is unique to 1975 only and this is not in any catalogs from that era.
Its been sitting on a case for a long time because I have others guitars and it it has fret buzz/dead fret starting at the 11/12 fret. I was told it needed a full fret job and at that time I didn't want to spend $300 on a guitar when I have others to play.
I picked it up the other day and damn it just plays nice and now I think it's worth fixing. (Bonus - It would keep me from thinking about buying a real Gib$on LP too)
Q 1) Would you spend $300-350 on fret job on a guitar than probably not worth much more but is a real players guitar?
Q 2) It apparently has Alina 5 pickups that seem hotter/louder than any other stock humbuckers I have. If I do not get the fret job, would these be a big upgrade over a stock humbuckers' on a newer Epiphone 335?
Its been sitting on a case for a long time because I have others guitars and it it has fret buzz/dead fret starting at the 11/12 fret. I was told it needed a full fret job and at that time I didn't want to spend $300 on a guitar when I have others to play.
I picked it up the other day and damn it just plays nice and now I think it's worth fixing. (Bonus - It would keep me from thinking about buying a real Gib$on LP too)
Q 1) Would you spend $300-350 on fret job on a guitar than probably not worth much more but is a real players guitar?
Q 2) It apparently has Alina 5 pickups that seem hotter/louder than any other stock humbuckers I have. If I do not get the fret job, would these be a big upgrade over a stock humbuckers' on a newer Epiphone 335?
6
Posted on 9/25/25 at 8:58 am to Crow Pie
quote:
I picked it up the other day and damn it just plays nice
Maybe you should think about this.
You don't need it to be a player for other people, it's just for you and frick everybody else.
Posted on 9/25/25 at 9:03 am to auggie
quote:
Maybe you should think about this
Just needed affirmation. (plus I need some info to show my wife that fixing an old guitar isn't crazy. Hell, she keeps asking why do I have to have more than one guitar since "they all have 6 strings"
Posted on 9/25/25 at 9:17 am to Crow Pie
Probably not from an economic perspective, but it apparently is a good guitar and holds sentimental value to you, so I would say yes.
Posted on 9/25/25 at 9:36 am to Bjorn Cyborg
Can anyone recommend a quality fret job person in the Lafayette area?
Posted on 9/25/25 at 9:42 am to Crow Pie
quote:
Hell, she keeps asking why do I have to have more than one guitar since "they all have 6 strings"
Use the golf or hunting or fishing analogy.
You have to have different clubs/guns/rods for different things.
Posted on 9/25/25 at 9:46 am to Crow Pie
quote:
Can anyone recommend a quality fret job person in the Lafayette area?
Bring it to Fret Shack in BR and let Jeff work his magic
Posted on 9/25/25 at 10:04 am to Carson123987
2nding Jeff at the Fret Shop. Dude's a wizard.
Posted on 9/25/25 at 10:17 am to Crow Pie
quote:
Bring it to Fret Shack in BR and let Jeff work his magic
This! Set my bass up this week.
Posted on 9/25/25 at 11:14 am to brsa
Yeah, I just went and ripped on it...its going to be restored. They just made things better 50 years ago. Apparently the Japanese were really doing a good job when Gibson sued them
Posted on 9/25/25 at 11:38 am to Crow Pie
you'll be glad you did. Keep us posted. :cheers.
As another poster mentioned, It's what you like, not others.
As another poster mentioned, It's what you like, not others.
Posted on 9/25/25 at 2:34 pm to Bjorn Cyborg
quote:
Probably not from an economic perspective, but it apparently is a good guitar and holds sentimental value to you, so I would say yes.
This, if you ever sold it, you may not get back the dollars you put in. But it sounds like a guitar you really like and really want to play, so yes, that would be worth $350 to me.
Posted on 9/25/25 at 7:22 pm to Crow Pie
If it plays and sounds good, I'd definitely do it.
Posted on 9/25/25 at 8:20 pm to Crow Pie
Bring it back to life baw.
Posted on 9/26/25 at 4:54 pm to Crow Pie
That $300-350 ... is that for a refret or for a level, recrown and polish? I ask because $350 would be considered very cheap for a refret in most reputable shops, or very expensive for a LCP (even via Plek) in most reputable shops. If the tech to whom you spoke at whatever shop didn't specify more than "fret job," get that question asked before you hand your guitar over. FWIW a $350 refret would have me personally as leery as a $1.99 steak dinner. Don't know if I wanna roll those dice.
It needs fretwork because you played the OEMs down to nothing. Guitars that suck don't get played to that extreme. So it is a no-brainer that you love playing the guitar and that alone makes it worth the investment in the fret bed. Especially if you throw in the sentimental/heirloom value, it's a Matsumoku build (superb), plus any and every other significant factor I could go on and on about.
If you want The Fret Shack to take a look at it, call 917-789-3371 and talk to Patrick Welborn to set up an appointment for inspection, diagnosis and cost estimates. All that is free of charge. He is our new full-time luthier and tech at Fret Shack and he is GOOD. I still own Fret Shack but my focus nowadays is Carondelet.
If you come to see Patrick, you can also talk to me about pickup upgrades.
It needs fretwork because you played the OEMs down to nothing. Guitars that suck don't get played to that extreme. So it is a no-brainer that you love playing the guitar and that alone makes it worth the investment in the fret bed. Especially if you throw in the sentimental/heirloom value, it's a Matsumoku build (superb), plus any and every other significant factor I could go on and on about.
If you want The Fret Shack to take a look at it, call 917-789-3371 and talk to Patrick Welborn to set up an appointment for inspection, diagnosis and cost estimates. All that is free of charge. He is our new full-time luthier and tech at Fret Shack and he is GOOD. I still own Fret Shack but my focus nowadays is Carondelet.
If you come to see Patrick, you can also talk to me about pickup upgrades.
Posted on 9/26/25 at 7:22 pm to Crow Pie
quote:
Hell, she keeps asking why do I have to have more than one guitar since "they all have 6 strings"
Set her up to spend the rest of her life in prison.
Posted on 9/26/25 at 7:28 pm to Crow Pie
quote:
Can anyone recommend a quality fret job person in the Lafayette area?
Fret Shack in Baton Rouge like the other guy said.
Posted on 9/26/25 at 7:37 pm to TheFretShack
quote:Thank you for the advice. I will bring to the shop next time I visit my sister in Baton Rouge. Turnaround is not an issue and I will have a solid body LP in my future!
If you come to see Patrick, you can also talk to me about pickup upgrades
Posted on 9/27/25 at 9:11 am to Crow Pie
quote:
Can anyone recommend a quality fret job person in the Lafayette area?
Jason Soileau at Rockin' Guitars in Lafayette
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