How Can You Tell if a Guitar has been Refretted?

[LtKojak]

I assume by "nibs" you mean the bumps of binding material that terminate the fret ends.

That's correct.

Does that mean these fat frets on the Super 400 are original?

Without close inspection of hi-res pics, I can't answer that.

Why nibs?

That's what Gibson calls it.

On one of my '57 ES175's I can see the tang of the fret end embedded in the binding, on my other '57 ES175 I can't see the tang. Does this mean that the one showing the tang is a refret? My '70's Gibson flat top shows the tang through the binding and I am pretty sure I had it refretted about 25 years ago. So is a tang showing through the binding an indicator of a refret?

Not necessarily. It all comes to the fretting technique used. You can put the fret from above and from the side. However, under no circumstance I'd let the tang show through the binding. It makes me think of "job rushed out the door".

HTH,

[jazzbow]

Hi Roy,

Hope your summer goes well. Is it possible to still actually "Ferry 'Cross the Mersey'?

Chris

Yes la, and cruise ships dock too. And there's this...


For the benefit of Mr Kite

[helios]

Yes la, and cruise ships dock too. And there's this...


For the benefit of Mr Kite

I'm sure that it was an accident that you omitted this: