Fret leveling and refrets in Charleston, SC

If your guitar buzzes in one spot, chokes on bends or needs high action just to play clean, the frets are worth a look. Adam does fret level, crown and polish jobs from $205, partial refrets from $195 plus $15 per fret, and full refrets from $415. The level and partial refret prices include a setup.

Loose acoustic guitar fret being clamped and pressed back into place — A loose 13th fret on an Alvarez, clamped and pressed back into place. It did not need replacing.

Fret work prices

Fret work

Fret level, crown and polish Includes full setup; $220 for locking tremolo or 12-string $205

Partial refret Includes fret level, recrown and setup; add $5 per fret if bound $195 + $15/fret

Full refret Unbound board; $440 bound, add $25 for stainless $415

Prices are labor estimates. Parts are quoted separately unless noted, and complex or vintage instruments may need an in-person quote. Working and gigging musicians get 10% off labor, so just mention it.

How to tell a fret is the problem

A high or loose fret can be hard to see, because the difference in height can be very small. These are the clues Adam looks for:

Buzzing concentrated in one small area of the neck
A fret that sits higher than its neighbors
Movement or a slight click when you press on the fret
A high point on a fret rocker or straightedge
A small gap between the fret and the fingerboard
Buzzing that stays even when neck relief and action look reasonable

You may not need a refret

Frets should sit firmly in their slots and make one consistent surface along the fingerboard. When one lifts even slightly, it acts like a high fret and the string can hit it instead of clearing it.

That was the problem on the Alvarez. Its 13th fret could be reseated, so Adam glued and pressed it back into place, let the adhesive cure, then rechecked the fret plane before moving on to the setup. After the setup, the action came down about 1.7 mm.

Adam prefers to fix the cause first. Setting a guitar up around a bad fret can hide the real problem and leave you with higher action than you need.

Frets and dry guitars

On acoustics, sharp fret ends or fret sprout can be a sign the guitar has been too dry. Have it looked at if you notice that along with sudden changes in action, raised inlays or cracks. A guitar that is left too dry can keep moving.

How long fret work takes

Full refrets take longer than the usual 5 to 7 business days. Adam will give you a realistic timeline at drop-off.