Fret Replacement and Polishing: Precision for Your Fingerboard

The fingerboard of a stringed instrument is the primary contact point between the musician and the tone. Over years of use, the friction of the strings combined with the natural moisture and oils of the fingers lead to mechanical wear of the metal frets. When deep grooves carve into the fret wire, it does not only affect the feel of the instrument but also compromises the tuning and intonation in the higher registers. A precise fret replacement is a surgical intervention in the instrument's geometry that requires absolute accuracy and specialized tools.

In our Graz workshop, we treat every refret as an individual restoration. We begin by checking the flatness of the fingerboard, analyzing wear patterns, and deciding together with you whether a simple polish with minimal leveling is sufficient or if a complete replacement of the frets is necessary. Our goal is to restore the original precision of the instrument while maximizing the lifespan of the wood by removing only as much material as is strictly required for a perfect result.

Who needs this service?

Fret work is not only relevant for antique instruments but for every active musician who relies on their instrument for daily performance. The following groups particularly benefit from these services:

• Professional Performers: Musicians who practice many hours daily and require an extremely low string action without buzzing.
• Vintage Instrument Owners: Owners of older guitars whose frets have lost their shape over decades, negatively affecting the instrument's intonation.
• Conservatory Students: Those working on precision and clean intonation should not be hindered by mechanical defects in their equipment.
• Collectors: To maintain the material and functional value of a high-end instrument, professional fret maintenance is essential.

The Process: Four Steps to Perfection

What is included in the service

To ensure complete transparency, we clearly define the work packages. Depending on the chosen option, the service includes the following points:

• Fingerboard flatness check using a precision straight-edge.
• Careful removal of old fret wires (for complete replacement only).
• Installation of new, custom-fit frets.
• Precise leveling of the entire fret surface.
• Restoration of the fret crown (crowning).
• Multi-stage polishing with specialized polishing compounds.
• Control of intonation and string height.
• Fingerboard cleaning and light oiling (for rosewood/ebony).

Client Preparation

To ensure a smooth process in our workshop in Graz-Mitte, we ask you to observe the following:

Please bring your instrument in a stable hard case or a well-padded gig bag. If you have specific requests regarding the fret material (e.g., stainless steel instead of nickel silver), please inform us during the appointment booking, as stainless steel requires different processing techniques. We recommend a brief joint inspection of the instrument upon arrival to document any existing damage.

The Result: What you receive

Upon completion of the work, you will receive your instrument in a condition that often feels like a brand-new instrument. You will get:

• An instrument with perfectly smooth frets that cause no friction during play.
• Optimized intonation across the entire fingerboard.
• A detailed report on the specific work performed.
• Recommendations for long-term fingerboard care to minimize future wear.
• Upon request, photos of the processing steps (e.g., before-and-after of fret grooves).

Timeline and Appointments

A complete refret is a time-intensive manual process. The average processing time in our workshop is approximately 4 days. This timeframe is necessary because the wood requires a short resting period after the frets are installed before the final leveling takes place. We coordinate appointments individually to avoid workshop overload and to ensure the quality of every single piece of work.

What is NOT included

We value transparency. The following services are not part of the fret replacement and must be commissioned separately:

• The cost of new strings (these are billed separately but are mandatory for a correct setup).
• Major neck repairs (e.g., fixing a severe twist or truss rod repairs).
• Finish repairs on the body or headstock.
• Electrical work on the instrument's pickups or wiring.
• We do not perform any work on instruments containing protected species materials (e.g., ivory) unless valid CITES documents are provided.

Pricing and VAT

The prices for fret replacement and polishing consist of material costs and the invested manual labor time. In Austria, a statutory VAT of 20% is applied to these services. In the table below, you will find the prices both including and excluding VAT, which is particularly relevant for our B2B clients such as music schools and dealers.

All prices are based on our standard rate. Should extraordinary difficulties arise (e.g., extremely rusted frets or damaged fingerboard wood), a new cost estimate will be provided before the work begins, in accordance with our Terms.