Flat Top Frets on My New Les Paul?

[mudface]

Thanks for letting me know

And I’m glad I saved your first response before you edited it.

 

[Roxy13]

My 2014 LP Traditional also had very flat frets and I crowned and polished them.

My 2017 SG Standard had great frets out of the box.

My 2018 SG Special was totally screwed up from the PLEK and I refretted it as a brand new guitar.

 

[danzego]

That’s just how production Gibsons are. They’re not the only manufacturer doing it, either. If you don’t like the shape, get it crowned and be happy.

It’s worth the added expense or work for what the guitar is. I spent a lot to have it done to my 50s Standard, being that I got the thing rePleked (I wasnt happy withGibsons one size fits all job). 300+ bucks later, I have a guitar that feels absolutely amazing to play. The frets are so smooth and glassy. I’ll pay it again if I ever get another production model. I won’t be thrilled to do so, but I do so love how it feels.

 

[bum]

Keep waiting for it and looking!

A good 335 is a thing of beauty!

No I bought this online. I know...but I had done extensive research on this guitar. To be honest even if I had tried this out in a guitar shop I would not have looked at the frets but the guitar as a whole and the feel of it, it's only when you have been playing for a while that you notice the fine details and stuff you would not have noticed on the day, I mean it's a Gibson right? I cannot get out anyway these silly days, so I thought what the hell, my Harley Benton was bought online and it'sOK (not great frets, but ok for the money) Everything else is imaculate on the LP. I have not got a good enough camera otherwise I would send some pics. Looking at fine luthiers on youtube, they crown the frets and polish and say that otherwise the tuning is not accurate, I agree, flat frets may be a Gibson thing but only because they dont bother to crown them properly, at least that's my experience so far. I may even crown the frets myself, I have done it before, I have a good eye. It's just the principal of the thing, but even if I send it back I could get another with a different fault, it seems 2020 is not a time for skill or best practice in the market place.

OK, so reading your reply in a purely logical way and throwing emotions out of the window I am getting this:

You bought a guitar without trying it
You prefer frets one way, the guitar has them another way, instead of accepting that this is the way it is for this brand it's seen as an 'issue'
You seem to be browsing youtube to confirm your own bias and have found validation there

My take is this:
My car uses diesel, if I were to buy my car sight unseen and convince myself it should use petrol, no amount of me filling it up with petrol would change the fact that it is a diesel car.
I would not go onto forums complaining about this.
'Other cars on youtube use petrol' would not cut it.
I think you need to accept that you bought a guitar that you do not like the frets on, and that Gibson may not be the brand for you.

As I say, pictures would help and if it really is an issue or manufacturing defect I will be the first to support you, as would everyone here.

Until that happens I would put this down as a lesson learned, and wish you all the best on finding a guitar brand that works for you.

 

[Bill Miles]

No surprise that you saved my first comment, in fact reading your initial comments I was sure you would, and also would make a snide comment about it, do you wear a senior member uniform?
First of all my comments are not complaints, there is a difference between an issue and a complaint. Second of all I really do not care for your personalised and targeted attitude, all other comments have been helpful and kind, I suppose you regard youre status on this forum to be a weight aginst your comments, not with me though. Yes I have been playing the guitar...to be exact..61 years. And I would definately not be seeking your help nor do I need it. I thank all commenters who had advice and it helped me. I can do without prying comments and self assertive ego. My Les Paul's frets are not finished to an acceptable standard, you can give me as many takes as you like, I should know I'm the one that's playing it. How dare you assume that I am browsing youtube in any fashion!! that's purely my business keep your opinions to yourself.

 

[bum]

You said:

Looking at fine luthiers on youtube, they crown the frets and polish and say that otherwise the tuning is not accurate

That is why I mentioned Youtube, because you yourself brought it up.
As for the rest of your post, I am unsure if it is directed at me or not.

 

[Bill Miles]

Your comments amongst other things have been intrusive.

 

[bum]

How so?
I have only commented on things you yourself have brought up.

 

[mudface]

You said:



That is why I mentioned Youtube, because you yourself brought it up.
As for the rest of your post, I am unsure if it is directed at me or not.

Mostly at Me....Me thinks.....and a little bit at you.

Oh well.... I can smell stinkers even through my monitor......i lit a spark..... and it flamed up. My apologies.

 

[Classicplayer]

I think if it were my guitar and considering I paid a pretty penny for it, and it being excellent in every other aspect, I would strongly consider having a good tech get the frets crowned and polished. To send the guitar back for a replacement, may cause more aggravarion than it's worth, especially in the Covid times we are in now.

I just had a 20-year old Classic I bought new, in for its third leveling, re-crowning and polishing. The $180.00 I spent was well worth it and it turned out so well in turning a good playing guitar into a better playing one, I am thinking of sending by 2018 Trad to my tech soon for a similar fret job. Both guitars are worth the money invested to do this because both are perfect in every other aspect.

Classicplayer