The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #51

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    Quote Originally Posted by ruger9
    Old thread, I know...

    I find this very interesting, as I took my old #1 tele to Lark Street last year for a re-fret, and they called me a week later and gave it back to me... they didn't want to touch it. WTH? I had heard they do amazing luthier work, that's why I went there. All it was was a '93 MIA tele with a maple neck... I can't figure out why they didn't want to do it??? I didn't even want a refinish job on it, just pull the frets and put in new ones, leave the neck looking as old as the rest of the guitar....

    Ended up taking it to Oldschool Guitar Repair in Hopewell, NJ. Curt Wilson does fantastic work, and is a great hang as well. He's a buddy from the Grestch Discussion Pages.
    I'm sure you asked them "why", what was their response? They had to say something.

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  3. #52

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    Quote Originally Posted by Max405
    ruger9,
    Im sorry to hear this. I feel partly responsible because raved about the job that Ian did. Im sorry man.
    Did it even get back to the tech? Or did smiley at the front desk reject it immediately?
    JD
    I dropped it off, talked to both the owner (Duke Levine's brother, I can't remember his name now) and some kid who worked there. They had it a week, called me and said "come get it, we don't want to do it"... it's an hour drive for me... I was very surprised. I have heard nothing but RAVES about Lark Street for years. I didn't make any unusual requests.... I just wanted a refret with the same fret wire. They really couldn't explain to me why they wouldn't/didn't want to do it, it was very weird.

  4. #53

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    Quote Originally Posted by DMgolf66
    I'm sure you asked them "why", what was their response? They had to say something.
    It was weird. They hemmed and hawed, I never got a real explanation, they seemed wary of attempting a refret on a maple board... maybe THE KID was in training and HE didn't want to do it? IDK, but it was bad business on their part- turned me off of Lark Street FOREVER (for luthier work, if I'm ever looking for vintage pieces, I'll still go there). They seemed to be willing to level/crown it, but wouldn't do a refret.

    When I took it to my Gretsch luthier buddy, he said "no problem." And it was indeed no problem. Fantastic job. No damage (other than the relicing I've done over 25 years LOL). Couldn't be happier.

  5. #54

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    Quote Originally Posted by ruger9
    I dropped it off, talked to both the owner (Duke Levine's brother, I can't remember his name now) and some kid who worked there. They had it a week, called me and said "come get it, we don't want to do it"... it's an hour drive for me... I was very surprised. I have heard nothing but RAVES about Lark Street for years. I didn't make any unusual requests.... I just wanted a refret with the same fret wire. They really couldn't explain to me why they wouldn't/didn't want to do it, it was very weird.
    The owners name is Buzzy.

  6. #55

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    I cant comment on why they didn't want to do the fret job for you. I can say it is kind of messed up that they took your guitar and held it for a week and then had you drive an hour back to the store to come and get it with nothing done to it. I would have been pissed and I probably would have broke something that they would have had to fix when I left..

    I have been getting work done at the Sam Ash store in Springfield NJ. The tech there is Brian and is a GREAT guy. His prices are extremely reasonable and he does really nice work. If you go there, tell him I sent you. If he promises you something, he does it. He is a real stand up guy. The whole store is top notch. Brian is a young guy who will set up your nice Jazz guitar exactly the way you want it. If you want it made into a shredder, believe me, he will do it.

    Joe D

  7. #56

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    Sounds great, looks great!

    Sometimes the new fret wire is a tighter fit in the fret slots due to a slightly thicker tang, and that actually improves tone by virtue of the new wire absorbing less string energy because it is a better fit in the fingerboard. From my understanding, some of the newer alloy fret wires are designed to wear the string instead of the string wearing the fret; meaning the fret wire is a harder and denser alloy than older fret wire; again, more tone and volume are retained.

    I'm looking for a guy who can actually re-fret a Gibson and retain the nibs, as I like the way they feel as opposed to feeling the large blunt ends of the frets. The only way I know to do this is to remove the edge binding, re-fret, and install new binding and scrape it and then touch up the neck finish........but finding someone who is competent and willing to do this is the problem.

  8. #57

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    Quote Originally Posted by jaymen

    I'm looking for a guy who can actually re-fret a Gibson and retain the nibs, as I like the way they feel as opposed to feeling the large blunt ends of the frets. The only way I know to do this is to remove the edge binding, re-fret, and install new binding and scrape it and then touch up the neck finish........but finding someone who is competent and willing to do this is the problem.
    I hope / think I understood correctly. You want a refret and then binding over the fret ends.
    I don't know whether it's a competency issue or an emissions / compliance issue or just a willingness, or lack of it to do the work.
    I do know players here ( Milwaukee area ) would have the only guy in town who'd do that, do only the treble side - - - -and it doubled /tripled the shop time and cost $700. - $800. over the cost of just the standard fret job. That was ten plus years ago.
    But if you can locate a capable guy to do it, just get in line knowing that when he finishes it, you'll be set.

    Good luck !!!

  9. #58

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    To keep the nubs is way more work and I think you are not as well off better going to the end. The cost is much more and I add a $200 charge to the refret to keep the nubs, believe me even then it really is not worth the effort but at least I get paid for the additional time.

  10. #59

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    Deacon Mark, I cant imagine how it could even be done. To cut 22 pieces of fret wire PERFECTLY and have the nubs line up perfectly on each one (ground and polished) BOTH SIDES is about as much work as it would take to build a spaceship that could get to Neptune in a day and a half.
    The GREAT Tommy Doyle was able to do fret jobs with nubs intact. I spoke to him once and asked him how he did it. He told me that he replaced the binding most time.. He said that was actually easy.
    JD

  11. #60

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    Quote Originally Posted by jaymen
    Sounds great, looks great!

    Sometimes the new fret wire is a tighter fit in the fret slots due to a slightly thicker tang, and that actually improves tone by virtue of the new wire absorbing less string energy because it is a better fit in the fingerboard. From my understanding, some of the newer alloy fret wires are designed to wear the string instead of the string wearing the fret; meaning the fret wire is a harder and denser alloy than older fret wire; again, more tone and volume are retained.

    I'm looking for a guy who can actually re-fret a Gibson and retain the nibs, as I like the way they feel as opposed to feeling the large blunt ends of the frets. The only way I know to do this is to remove the edge binding, re-fret, and install new binding and scrape it and then touch up the neck finish........but finding someone who is competent and willing to do this is the problem.
    https://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Onlin...son-style.html

  12. #61

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    I can't imagine being able to feel the difference between nibs and polished fret ends. I certainly can't,
    but ymmv....

  13. #62

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    Absolutely gorgeous, man. What a treasure. Love your playing, too. Your rendition on RM?

  14. #63

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    Quote Originally Posted by Esport
    Absolutely gorgeous, man. What a treasure. Love your playing, too. Your rendition on RM?
    Thank you Esport.
    The rendition was Johnny Smiths, from the Legends Album.
    I just started playing that song again in preparation of some new videos, with a few upgrades here and there..
    Thanks. Joe D

  15. #64

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    Quote Originally Posted by Max405
    Thank you Esport.
    The rendition was Johnny Smiths, from the Legends Album.
    I just started playing that song again in preparation of some new videos, with a few upgrades here and there..
    Thanks. Joe D
    I think you did JS justice, Joe. Some really cool changes in there. Did I read correctly in a previous comment that you no longer have this guitar? Man, I hope not.

  16. #65

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    Thank you very much.
    Yes, I had to part with that guitar. But material things can be replaced. Although, not many can be found in that condition. It’s all good though.
    Joe D

  17. #66

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    Joe your playing is always inspiring to me. Owning two guitars that I bought from you gives me a very nice feeling of connection every time I play them. They are the cream of the crop.

  18. #67

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    Quote Originally Posted by lawson-stone
    Joe your playing is always inspiring to me. Owning two guitars that I bought from you gives me a very nice feeling of connection every time I play them. They are the cream of the crop.
    That was a beautiful thing you said there Lawson.
    I wish I could have kept the 18” HJS that Johnny signed and the JP20 that Joe Pass signed. I had that same feeling you mentioned. They touched those labels that were 6” from heart.
    Thank you brother.

  19. #68

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    love it, always a pleasure to hear your work!

  20. #69

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    Thank you Jack.
    I am really glad you and chatted. Thanks for letting me get to know Jack Zucker.
    You are Unbelievably accomplished, yet you still see yourself a hobbiest, which to me is CRAZY. You have some of the smoothest chops I’ve ever heard. My fast lines seem pieced together. Yours seem like your playing them all on one string. Amazingly smooth. You have such a quiet picking hand. And when you play chord melody, you make me want to throw my guitar in the trash..
    The great Doug Martin told me that Warren Nunes totally broke down his picking technique early on and wouldn’t let him proceed until he had it down. Guys like you and him were taught the right way to do it. That is the one regret I have. Not having a teacher show me the right technique set a limit on my ability. Not you. Keep killing it Jack.

  21. #70

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    thanks brother but this thread is about *YOU*. No need to take a back seat to anyone! Love your arrangements and honestly, I would love to be able to play them. We all have stuff we're good at and stuff we're bad at. I want to celebrate *YOUR* solo playing and arrangements.

  22. #71

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    Quote Originally Posted by Max405
    Thank you very much.
    Yes, I had to part with that guitar. But material things can be replaced. Although, not many can be found in that condition. It’s all good though.
    Joe D
    The guitar is important, but it's 98% the guitarist from the audience perspective. You would sound great with a Gibson Melody Maker.

    The guitar makes a bigger difference to the player than the listener. Holding and playing the instrument can be a wonderful, transcending experience.

  23. #72

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    MG,
    You are 100% right. The funny thing is, Stringswinger says this all the time and there is a MEGA amount of truth in it. Nice Guitars inspire me to earn the right to play them. The guitar itself provides a journey for the player. There are many untold stories and emotions wrapped up in a nice guitar. Nothing you can see, hear or verify. When you are playing a new guitar that "inspires you", its just like a door opens and you walk through it and discover a whole new world inside of what the guitar does. I've had 4 guitars that had pathways after the "door opened" that no other guitars had. The 4 guitars were; The 1980 Ibanez JP20, 1935 D'Angelico Excel; 18" Heritage Johnny Smith and this 1974 Gibson Johnny Smith.
    One thing about this Gibson Johnny Smith that was incredible.. Playing the guitar felt NO DIFFERENT if you were playing on the middle strings on the 5th thru 7th fret OR you were playing it on the E, A or D strings on the 10th fret, all the way up to the 16th fret. Just as smooth, just as easy.. Just perfect.

    Joe D

  24. #73

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Grass
    "The guitar is important, but it's 98% the guitarist from the audience perspective. You would sound great with a Gibson Melody Maker."
    MG, Thanks for saying this.
    Honestly, I cant think of what it would be like around here without your contributions. You perspective is unlike any other.
    JD

  25. #74

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    nicely done refret job! i have my korean d'angelico waiting to be refretted with the exact same fret.
    What's the fretboard radius on Gibson JS? from your photos, I think JS have flatter fretboard (flatter than 12''). i've been trying to find the fretboard spec but there's no website i found specify the radius of the fretboard.

  26. #75

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    12" radius IIRC