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re: Paging Fret Shack... The Luthier's Workshop Thread
Posted on 5/1/26 at 3:47 pm to rexorotten
Posted on 5/1/26 at 3:47 pm to rexorotten
I hate changing strings and never really liked coated strings until Ddario came out with their XS line. I use them on my acoustics and electrics. I can usually get 3-5 months out of a set before they start to lose too much tone. I was getting 4-6 weeks out of non coated strings before.
0
Posted on 5/1/26 at 7:06 pm to rexorotten
I need a set for my sitar.
Posted on 5/7/26 at 5:15 pm to TheFretShack
quote:
What file do you recommend to take the sharp edges off of the frets on a MIM telecaster?
You'll need a fret beveling file, a fret end dressing file, and about a dozen stepped grades of abrasives (I use Norton Black Ice automotive wet/dry sandpaper in dry form, followed by various grit micromesh pads).
You'll also need pawn shop and garage sale cheapos on which to get practice reps ... I cannot count how many botched DIY fret work tasks ended up on my bench so I could attempt to undue it. Two of three times, the DIY F-up required a total refret to correct. Absolutely no less than a $400-500 job in today's market when done by a good tech or luthier.
You will see me say this MANY times on this thread ... regardless of the intensity or ease of the task, DIYers should watch a TON of YouTube videos and look for common denominators, everything from techniques to tooling to even the adequacy of DIYers' workspaces.
This guy makes it look pretty easy...
Posted on 6/2/26 at 12:37 pm to TheFretShack
@Fret Shack- you haven't posted here in 3 months.
You have some outstanding questions needing to be addressed.
Including this new one-
I can find Torino Red from Gibson in spray paint, but any Torino Red I can find as touch-up paint is for cars/metal, not wood.
Do you have any recommendations?
You have some outstanding questions needing to be addressed.
Including this new one-
I can find Torino Red from Gibson in spray paint, but any Torino Red I can find as touch-up paint is for cars/metal, not wood.
Do you have any recommendations?
This post was edited on 6/2/26 at 1:48 pm
Posted on 6/2/26 at 6:36 pm to deeprig9
Fret Shack Jeff is up to his eyeballs in Carondelet work orders, and Fret Shack Patrick in fretted repairs and upgrades. Great problem to have!
Fender's original "torino red" debuted on the Clapton sig models and was inspired by Eric's Ferrari's red color.
It has shown up in the Fender line as both a polyester variant finish (production model guitars) and as a nitrocellular lacquer finish (custom shop, vintage RIs).
As for cars/metal paint vs. wood paint vs. whatever ... you have to match the type of paint. Compatibility is the key, not the canvas on which it sits.
Your Epi (like most MIK, MIJ, MII guitars old and new) is a poly finish. So you will need a poly touch-up pen. Gibson shoots everything in nitro so my hunch is that their product is incompatible for your needs.
Be aware that poly is very difficult to touch up invisibly even for a pro, you will have trace evidence of your spot work. If you want your boo-boos to disappear without trace, you will very, very, very likely have to refin for desired results.
Fender's original "torino red" debuted on the Clapton sig models and was inspired by Eric's Ferrari's red color.
It has shown up in the Fender line as both a polyester variant finish (production model guitars) and as a nitrocellular lacquer finish (custom shop, vintage RIs).
As for cars/metal paint vs. wood paint vs. whatever ... you have to match the type of paint. Compatibility is the key, not the canvas on which it sits.
Your Epi (like most MIK, MIJ, MII guitars old and new) is a poly finish. So you will need a poly touch-up pen. Gibson shoots everything in nitro so my hunch is that their product is incompatible for your needs.
Be aware that poly is very difficult to touch up invisibly even for a pro, you will have trace evidence of your spot work. If you want your boo-boos to disappear without trace, you will very, very, very likely have to refin for desired results.
Posted on 6/2/26 at 6:44 pm to deeprig9
It's time to refret if a.) you have any dead notes, unclean notes and/or buzzy fretted notes; b.) a setup alone doesn't fix the issues; c.) frets are seated properly, so that's not the issue; and d.) if there is not enough fret material left for fret leveling.
String changes are a matter of taste and scenario. If you like the snap and brightness of fresh strings, change frequently. If you perform live and don't want to break strings on stage, change frequently. If you record and want the best intonation you can get on tape, change frequently.
If you like the warm and mellow sound of older strings, and/or are a casual bedroom/den player who seldom if ever performs or records, don't change frequently.
String changes are a matter of taste and scenario. If you like the snap and brightness of fresh strings, change frequently. If you perform live and don't want to break strings on stage, change frequently. If you record and want the best intonation you can get on tape, change frequently.
If you like the warm and mellow sound of older strings, and/or are a casual bedroom/den player who seldom if ever performs or records, don't change frequently.
Posted on 6/2/26 at 8:24 pm to TheFretShack
Hey Fretshack, if you are still on here, I wanted to ask: Have you started winding a splittable mini-humbucker?
I remember a few years ago you weren't doing that, so I bought a cheap one from GFS and put it in my LPjr with a push/pull tone pot for the split.
I like it in general, but I know it could be better.
There are some available out there from Duncan and some others, but I would rather have one from you. Your P-90s in my yellow Telly are so damn good.
Just wanted to ask about that.
I remember a few years ago you weren't doing that, so I bought a cheap one from GFS and put it in my LPjr with a push/pull tone pot for the split.
I like it in general, but I know it could be better.
There are some available out there from Duncan and some others, but I would rather have one from you. Your P-90s in my yellow Telly are so damn good.
Just wanted to ask about that.
Posted on 6/3/26 at 12:15 am to deeprig9
Why touch up those marks? They give the guitar more mojo.
Posted on 6/3/26 at 10:02 am to wareaglepete
quote:
Why touch up those marks? They give the guitar more mojo.
Because they are spreading.
Posted on 6/3/26 at 10:08 am to auggie
I still haven't experimented with voicing great splittable mini humbuckers because of limited demand (you're still the only person who has ever asked me for this).
And mainly because minis were engineered and voiced to sound like hum-free Fender pickups (specifically JM-girth-meets-Jaguar-sparkle single coils) from the get-go.
The only takeaways from a split mini is the addition of 60 cycle hum, plus a significant volume drop because you are effectively shunting 50 percent of the pickup's output to ground.
You can get around that using a compressor to boost the split H signal, but it will also boost the 60 cycle hum. And compressors typically add considerable noise just by the circuit itself and how they are commonly used.
If that is what you want, I will wind a four-conductor mini. E-me at info AT carondeletpickups DOT com to initiate the custom order. And heads up, it will cost considerably more than a GFS.
And mainly because minis were engineered and voiced to sound like hum-free Fender pickups (specifically JM-girth-meets-Jaguar-sparkle single coils) from the get-go.
The only takeaways from a split mini is the addition of 60 cycle hum, plus a significant volume drop because you are effectively shunting 50 percent of the pickup's output to ground.
You can get around that using a compressor to boost the split H signal, but it will also boost the 60 cycle hum. And compressors typically add considerable noise just by the circuit itself and how they are commonly used.
If that is what you want, I will wind a four-conductor mini. E-me at info AT carondeletpickups DOT com to initiate the custom order. And heads up, it will cost considerably more than a GFS.
Posted on 6/3/26 at 10:43 am to TheFretShack
quote:
And heads up, it will cost considerably more than a GFS.
Can I use my Mapco discount card?
Posted on 6/5/26 at 9:52 am to TheFretShack
quote:
If that is what you want, I will wind a four-conductor mini. E-me at info AT carondeletpickups DOT com to initiate the custom order.
That will probably be a couple months from now. Got a couple other things to finish first.
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