Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Man I hate to single people out, or mention by name, but sometimes Dan Erlewine (who I understand is a really fine person to know, incidentally) is sometimes off the mark IMO. I mostly differ from him in opinions and methods in the finishing department (some of his advice in finishing is really shade-tree stuff), but his constant touting of CA glue (a high-profit-margin item for his employers, Stew Mac) affects the methods of thousands of amateur--and many professional--guitar builders and repairmen. And is still bothers me that CA used on a porous surface like the unfinished wood of a fretboard, has limited strength unless you really load it up, and there's always the danger of staining the wood, and the stains are not reversible.

I remember the world before CA. It took longer to get some things to stick together, but also gave a reversibility factor and time for more care in consideration of methods. When I first started to use CA, it was called "Eastman 910" and cost $90.00 for 1/4 ounce, back in 1970 or so (I was making $200 a week back then, so this was a major purchase). Of necessity, we only used it when nothing else would work, and sparingly.

In this case we would have used fret crimpers--homemade, because Stew Mac wasn't omnipresent back then. This was a part of a craftsman's training back then--learning to make some of the tools that couldn't be bought.

Anyway, enough of a rant on this...bottom line--be careful and try to keep things re-repairable and reversible.

As I get more into it, I am finding that lutherie is as much art as science. Often there are many "right" answers to a single question. Paul, you are a perfectionist and as everyone who as seen your work will attest, it shows. Your standards are very high and you always do what you feel is the right. That is one thing I have learned from you is to not take shortcuts even if it is what you asked to do. It seems that luthiers disagree on the "best" way all the time. Dan has his preferences, Dale his, and you have yours. I just take it all in and try things to see what works for me. Dan got me started I will always refer to him when working out a new problem but you, Dale, John Hall, Sergio, Mark Arnquist, Don Ademek, and a few other people on and off the forum have been major inspirations and sources of information for me. I don't think you were singling Dan out. You just disagree on some points. If we all had the same opinions and methods we would all make the same mistakes and no one would learn anything.

That's why we all don't drive Chevys. One more thing about using a soldering iron on super glue...DON'T breath the fumes..they are toxic. I set up a small fan and push them away....Speaking of tone and tight frets. I've seen it done both ways and I have to say the only difference I can hear is in the type of guitar and pickups used. I always thought the wide slots and epoxy was the easy way but not so correct way to do a refret...To each there own I suppose.

I couldn't imagine not press-fitting frets on a refret, unless it was absolutely necessary to keep an old board in which the slots were too wide, although how this would happen I can't imagine.

Seems to me that every effort should be made to do it "the factory way" or at least in a way to be satisfied with, craftwise.