Jack's Instrument Services:
This lovely '77 hardtail Strat needs re-fretting Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Check out the colour mismatch between the fingerboard and headstock...? bit weird! - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
There's that hardtail bridge in all it's glory. I do think that many Strats could come with a fixed bridge considering how little most people tend to use them - Jack's Instrument Services
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Funky finish discolouration on the back of the body too - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Super thick polyurethane welled up on each side of the fret work! - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Some of the frets are only .52mm high! - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Mega fret wear. Looks like someone has been putting off a re-fret for far too long - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Here's the marking under the neck. You can clearly see the "micro tilt" neck adjustment system here - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
CBS era neck pocket - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Heres the neck side of the Microtilt neck adjustment system - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
While I'm here lets have a quick look under the scratchplate eh? - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Onto removing the frets. Very strangely, the frets were installed sideways using a special jig in the Fender Factory. I'm removing them sideways too so that the fret's tangs don't tear up the fretboard - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
The frets are coming out very clean! You can see there's no chipping to the fingerboard too. Interestingly when the frets were installed they ended up at different depths depending on how hard the jig used was pressed down. So sometimes the fret tops
Jack's Instrument Services:
Nearly removed all the frets from the fingerboard. Each fret has been a different story, each is seated slightly differently by accident! It's very satisfying as they come out though - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
I found hammering the frets towards me felt the best. Sometimes the nail set I was using slipped off the fret upwards but i'd rather that then slipping downwards into the fingerboard! - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Here's the worst two frets. Check out how deep the strings had worn down the frets - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
The neck is attached to my special neck plate that I made. Just makes it loads easier to work on - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
'77 Strat ready for new frets! - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Flattening the thick poly finish on the front of the neck so the new frets will seat ok - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Board flattened and marked for fine flattening. Got to be careful to remove as little timber as possible top get it flat - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Fret slots are deepend as needed and cleaned then cleaned again. Here I've filed off the tangs of a piece of the gauge of fret wire I'll be using, this allows me to test the fit of the new frets. It's essential that the frets have a perfect fit other
Jack's Instrument Services:
Blank fretboard is radiused with a 7 and a quarter sanding block up to 320 grit. Only a small amount of material needed removing at this stage - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Frets are cut to length and stored in my hi-tech fret block. I'll be hammering the frets in as I prefer the feel of this lovely Stewmac hammer! - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
A little CA glue to the fret slots goes a long way and, although I'm confident the frets will be well seated on their own, will bridge any differences between any frets fret might be looser and hold the frets in securely! - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Frets went in a treat. All that preparation really pays off - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Big nasty fret ends need a-trimming - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Roughing down the edges of the frets carefully. I'm keeping a nice steep angle on this one - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Frets in, fret ends dressed time for lacquering! - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
While I'm waiting for the new nitro paint to dry though I'd work on the guitar's body. This bridge definitely needed some attention - Jack's Instrument Services
Jack's Instrument Services:
Not shiney enough! Here's the Strat's fretboard after 12 or so layers of plain clear nitro lacquer, just needs some more buffing - Jack's Instrument Services
