More money to be made doing the full monte.

When I received my well worn and played fender Artist a couple of years ago, the first six frets were pretty well worn. I bought some fret wire of the proper size, and replaced the first nine frets. I already had a set of small files and a plastic head hammer. When I pulled out a worn fret, I just duplicated it and tapped the new fret in. I play this banjo a lot and the new frets are still in solid and work just fine. To me, it was a fairly simple job. To answer the OP's question, partial refrets did not go out of fashion as far as I am concerned.
Robert

I am not a luthier but could it be they are concerned about matching the existing frets with the new ones? Maybe if the upper frets have been dressed a couple times the resulting height difference may pose a problem? Also they will have to try to match the end beveling technique used on the original frets. Again, not a luthier so I’m probably talking out my butt!

In for a penny, in for a pound. It's probably an issue of "overhead" or "mobilization". If someone is going to take the time to set up their bench and get everything ready for a partial refret, it's probably not much more to do the entire thing. Minimum charges being what they are, a half refret probably costs about the same as a full, so you might as well just do it all.

Different scale of things, but we see this in my line of work regularly. Replacing a 12' railroad crossing is about the same price as replacing a 24' crossing, despite being "half the work". This is because over half of the cost is mobilization of equipment. I've seen small piecemeal jobs where mobilization is 75% of the contract. This is one of those things that gets frustrating when the bean counters get involved, cutting corners and nitpicking, and they end up cutting half the scope to save 10% cost. (Sorry for the tangent, it's Friday.)

In fashion or otherwise, I do partial re-frets from time to time...
IF
- the frets are in good shape past about fret 7 or 9
- I have (or can get) matching fret wire
- the fingerboard is in good condition and straight
- in general, things have to be in good shape

In some cases, like bar frets, that is a whole 'nother ball game.

Sometimes I use old frets. An example is old Gibson mandolins, especially Loar-signed, where there is no good match in currently available new fret wire. Matching unworn frets can be removed from old tenor banjo necks and other sources. If I can do a partial re-fret and get away with using fewer that very limited resource, the customer and I are both better off.

I just recently replaced 6 frets in a '30s Recording King guitar with matching frets that I had saved earlier. Now the guitar plays great and still looks like it has all original frets.

Edit to mention that I am not a high volume repair shop. I do custom builds and repairs on a relatively limited basis compared to big city repair shops. Those places need to make enough money to pay employees, maintain their property and such. In other words, when you are in it mostly for the money, it makes more sense to always do full re-frets. It fits their procedures and systems better and makes more money for them.

Also, when doing partials I charge per fret and for a "mill and re-crown". At some number of frets it becomes more expensive to do a partial, so an instrument in need of that number or more costs the price of a full re-fret even if I end up leaving some un-worn frets in place. Saves the c***omer money.

quote:

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Originally posted by sunburst

In fashion or otherwise, I do partial re-frets from time to time...
IF
- the frets are in good shape past about fret 7 or 9
- I have (or can get) matching fret wire
- the fingerboard is in good condition and straight
- in general, things have to be in good shape

In some cases, like bar frets, that is a whole 'nother ball game.

Sometimes I use old frets. An example is old Gibson mandolins, especially Loar-signed, where there is no good match in currently available new fret wire. Matching unworn frets can be removed from old tenor banjo necks and other sources. If I can do a partial re-fret and get away with using fewer that very limited resource, the customer and I are both better off.

I just recently replaced 6 frets in a '30s Recording King guitar with matching frets that I had saved earlier. Now the guitar plays great and still looks like it has all original frets.

Edit to mention that I am not a high volume repair shop. I do custom builds and repairs on a relatively limited basis compared to big city repair shops. Those places need to make enough money to pay employees, maintain their property and such. In other words, when you are in it mostly for the money, it makes more sense to always do full re-frets. It fits their procedures and systems better and makes more money for them.

Also, when doing partials I charge per fret and for a "mill and re-crown". At some number of frets it becomes more expensive to do a partial, so an instrument in need of that number or more costs the price of a full re-fret even if I end up leaving some un-worn frets in place. Saves the customer money.

---

Didn't mean to quote myself, just tried to edit a misspelling and clicked the wrong icon, now it looks like I'm stuck with this.

I think it just comes down to scope of work. Few qualified people want to do small jobs anymore.

I deal with a guy in PA who is considered one of the top acoustic repair guys in the country. Last time I was with him I discussed bringing in a few guitars for minor go overs. Typical tune up, check over and set up. Stuff that 50 and 60 year old instruments need from time to time. Flat out told me not to bother as unless is going to net him a certain amount, it was not worth his time as he is buried in work already. This Is a person I have brought numerous instruments over to and knows what I have, so I was a little surprised by it, but he pretty much said the small jobs take time away from the big restorations on the high end stuff, and seeing his shop and what was in it, I completely understood. Kind of like He didn't want to do an oil change on my Dodge Dart and align the tires on a VW when he has a shop full of Ferrari and Porsche rebuilds. 

that being said, I am now, once again on the hunt for a luthier who will handle minor repairs, amd they are just not out there. 

I guess it’s a sign of the times. I’m of the time when a dollar was a dollar, no matter where it came from.

I just did (another) partial refret on my Vega Tubey with Wildwood neck.
Didn't make me play any better, but now the old banjo notes truer.
Replace them if they're worn; leave them if they're not.

This thread should convince all of us to learn to do minor repairs and set ups ourselves if at all possible.
Robert

I seriously doubt that partial re-frets are gone, and suggest you check around more.

There are problems with "partials," though, as others have pointed out.

Some also depends upon the number of worn frets. It would be ridiculous to just replace 17 frets if there are only 22 frets total, but if it's only five that are worn, it may be fine to do those only.

Even with a partial job, there is risk of chipping, and some filing (sometimes a lot of it) will always be needed.

I think sitting drinking coffee will be out, though. There are insurance issues involved with many shops.

Frank Neat does, but let me add , the banjos he did the work on was banjos he had made . I had one I played the dog water out of ! I took it to get re-fretted. Frank said it didn’t need a full re- fret. I appreciated that . It also lets you know I don’t play as much up the neck as I should . Good luck

I do partials when it is appropriate.
Appropriate means the remaining frets are in good shape, tightly seated, and haven't been ground too low; and that the fingerboard is reasonably level.

But I'm a lot closer to Nashville than I am to Michigan, and shipping to John, Frank, or me is expensive.
I would like to think that there is someone up there who can and will do it well, if appropriate.

Or maybe partials are out of fashion up there, and us poor southerners are just back'ards.
I don't care much about what's in fashion. I care about what's practical and works.

So I s'pose some folks might look at my jeans and t-shirts and my beat-up old van and decide that we indeed are back'ards. That's ok. Most of us around here do have indoor plumbing, and shower every morning.

I do hope you'll be able to find someone up there.  I wish I knew who to refer you to.

Is it possible that people have resisted a partial re-fret because there are issues with the rest of the neck?

You have indicated getting partial jobs in the past, and perhaps the original frets have already been filed as much as they can be.

I do partial refrets as well if the remaining frets are good and the fingerboard doesn't need work. I have more work than I can handle and a partial refret is quicker than a full refret. It is less time for me and less expensive for my customer as I charge by the fret. That's a win-win in my book.

I see that there are people willing to do partial jobs, but most appear to be distant from you. I would suggest a "member search" to find a BHO person in your area, or to add your general location to this thread so that perhaps a luthier close by might be able to help.

I think partial refrets went out of style never , the people might have changed "frequencies"

If I've got no wear and tear in certain places it's because the guy don't play no Django.

So setting up for 4 or five worn frets because of habitual playing styles is a lot easier to get to playing again. I haven't had anyone demand a full refret just for the extra time it takes to dress each fret by hand, like 22 frets and 44 ends ain't my favorite except for new necks.

Come on! I've had people promise not to bug me and then text the next day: "So how's my banjo coming along?"

I do want to offer, though that showering before bed is sometimes recommended in social situations. "All of summer, all of fall, I spent sleepin' in my overalls.":)

He was just broken hearted, that's all.  

Well, this morning I re-read the email from a highly respected luthier near me and he did IN FACT offer me a partial refret.

So, I will visit him and will try to read more carefully in the future!