Technical Challenges
Frets by Mail is a Gold Standard service, however, we cannot perform miracles or meet unrealistic expectations. Below are some examples that will make certain expectations difficult or impossible to meet and more costly to resolve. In some cases, finding a compromise might be the only reasonable option.
Please note, we are fret specialist and if you need to service a neck that has any of these issues, longer than usual discussions might need to take place, before any services are done. These discussions can be time consuming and while we truly wish to take care of all customers' needs, we do need to charge for any additional time that it takes to resolve issues or find solutions. In those cases, we might need to charge an additional consultation fee, through a paid consultation, if it takes longer to find a solution.
Finish Over Frets
Many Fender maple necks have finish sprayed over the frets. Only a small sliver of the metal fret is exposed at the top. This makes some services challenging and sometimes even impossible.
With finish over the frets it is impossible to nicely polish the entire fret crown, because the sides of the crowns are covered with finish, which often even crackles and peels off.
When refretting such necks, it is impossible to fully preserve the original finish around the frets, and finish touchup work is not practical. One option is to strip the finish, entirely, resurface the fingerboard and refinish it, or to install wider fret wire, to conceal finish chipping.
Fret End Gaps
When frets aren't fully seated in the middle of the fingerboard, it can be tolerated. But when they are not fully seated at the edges, the only solution is a full refret.
Those are under radiused frets an that's a sloppy factory defect. These frets will feel sharp, no matter how much anyone tries to polish them and the high E string will get stuck under those frets.
Please do not ask us to try polish those fret ends. There is nothing that anyone can do, other than a full refret, to fix this problem. So, if you know that your guitar neck has this problem, you will know in advance that the only service option is a full refret.
Chipped-off Side Finish
When Fender sprays a thick layer of poly finish over the frets and the frets consequently start sprouting, due to the shrinking of the wood, the fret ends tend to push the plasticized poly finish away form the wood. There is no elegant solution other than fully stripping the finish and fully respraying.
But, please note that we do not offer refinishing services.
Finish Peeling Off
When applying finish to wood, surface prep is key. When that's not done properly, or when the finish is not mixed right, or wrong temperature, or other details are not right, the finish will start peeling off, after a while.
Please do not expect miracles from us. This is how Fender made these necks.
However, feel free to call Fender directly and voice your grievances directly to them. They always look forward to hearing from people who are having these kinds of issues with their guitars.
Fret Cheese Removal
Frets by Mail is a gold standard service. Every guitar neck will be thoroughly cleaned and returned to you in it's best possible condition.
In some cases fingerboards are covered with fret cheese. Every dirty fingerboard will be fully cleaned. If the condition is severe, it takes longer to clean the fingerboard, which adds to the overall cost of service.
Please do not ask us to just leave the cheese on the board - this is not an option at a shop that provides high standard services.
Sideways Fret Extraction
Prior to 1082/85 Fender installed their frets sideways. These bolt-on necks were made to be replaced, not refretted. No surprise there, Fender doesn't make money from refrets done by repair shops.
While it is possible to extract these frets sideways, to prevent chipping of the fingerboard, it is not a good idea to install the replacement frets sideways. A sideways install worked OK on fresh fret slots, but new fret barbs would not have much to hold on to, inside of the stripped fret slots.
A sideways fret extraction is doable, but takes more time (and adds to the cost), but even on those fretboards, the recommended way to install the frets is from the top.
Veneer Fretboards
Vintage rosewood Fender necks produced from mid 1962 till late 1960s have veneer fretboards.
Those present several technical challenges when refretting, or even when other services are needed.
Please consider that the idea behind a bolt-on neck was easy replacement of the entire neck. When those guitars were built Leo Fender did not think of them as valuable vintage guitars, so serviceability was not considered.
Services on such necks will be considered on a case per case basis, after a full evaluation.
