Re-fret and value of Vintage?

[guitarplayer]

I'm considering purchasing of a vintage les paul with the tiny frets
(fretless wonder). I'm wondering how much it would hurt the value
of the guitar. I realize a '72 may not be considered "vintage" by
most standards but I'm sure the idea is the same. This is a '72
"Custom." Thanks for the advice.

[lexluthier]

You going to play it or look at it? If a guitar I own needs a refret and I know I'm going to play it, then I refret it. When I got my 1959 ES345, the first thing I did to it was yank the toasted original frets and pop in some new ones. I'm sure it devalues the guitar a little, but I don't care. Others may have a different view on this, but guitars are meant to be played, right?

[johnreardon]

I agree that a guitar is meant to be played.

A refret on a vintage (whatever that is ) guitar may affect the value, although collectors do expect that general maintenance such as refrets may have taken place.

If you do play it, then I would at least try and replace the frets with modern equivalents, i.e. tiny frets. If you are not that concerned then change the frets to whatever you want and keep the old ones in case you ever sell it.

[FLICKOFLASH]

Originally Posted by guitarplayer

I'm considering purchasing of a vintage les paul with the tiny frets
(fretless wonder). I'm wondering how much it would hurt the value
of the guitar. I realize a '72 may not be considered "vintage" by
most standards but I'm sure the idea is the same. This is a '72
"Custom." Thanks for the advice.

is it a 72/54 limited reissue
made in very low #'s & rumored to be made from old wood parts left over from the 50's ( also solid Mahogany no maple top)



I had one that was Peter Framptonized Long before his reissues ( funny to note his was a 54 converted as well & Gibson reissues have that same route on the inside..maybe it was originally one of his backups ?)

[ReverendJWblues]

Originally Posted by lexluthier

You going to play it or look at it? If a guitar I own needs a refret and I know I'm going to play it, then I refret it. When I got my 1959 ES345, the first thing I did to it was yank the toasted original frets and pop in some new ones. I'm sure it devalues the guitar a little, but I don't care. Others may have a different view on this, but guitars are meant to be played, right?

I would never buy a guitar I wasnt going to play. Whats the purpose.

[johnreardon]

Originally Posted by jwblues

I would never buy a guitar I wasnt going to play. Whats the purpose.

Depends if you are a collector looking for an investment.


I am the same with buying things to play, but I do understand those who collect.

[thefishingline]

Originally Posted by guitarplayer

I'm considering purchasing of a vintage les paul with the tiny frets
(fretless wonder). I'm wondering how much it would hurt the value
of the guitar. I realize a '72 may not be considered "vintage" by
most standards but I'm sure the idea is the same. This is a '72
"Custom." Thanks for the advice.

don't let the snobs fool you or get to you...of course 72' is vintage and refretting decreases the value far less then a refin...that's for sure..

[ReverendJWblues]

Originally Posted by johnreardon

Depends if you are a collector looking for an investment.


I am the same with buying things to play, but I do understand those who collect.

True I do agree with u john. But myself personally Im not paying 400.000 for any guitar, and hope it will go up in value. To me thats like playing russian roulette with all the bullets in the gun. The player wants to play. i have nuthing against collecting. I think its great. The players that bought them originally didnt think about collecting them I doubt. They bought them to play just so happens they got valuable to some people. But if Iwould have bought one way back when, people like you and I would have played the hell out of it. me I gotta play it. i cant just sit and look at it. If it needs frets Im refretting.

[lexluthier]

Damn straight. The 74 Custom I recently got is going to get some new jumbo frets as soon as I have some time to refret it.

[FrankiePRS]

Originally Posted by lexluthier

Damn straight. The 74 Custom I recently got is going to get some new jumbo frets as soon as I have some time to refret it.

Yeah - My '71 had small frets on it from the factory. I did it a favor by putting on nice meaty ones - made it a much better guitar IMHO. Don;t go by me though - I stuck a Kahler on it too. dilligaf? I play it all the time now!

[BCRGreg]

There are taller frets available now that would drop right into the narrow slots from a Fretless Wonder, making it a great playing guitar that can be restored without much extra effort.