Tech: Good luthier required

Subject: Tech: Good luthier required
From: GUEST,Mike, Halifax UK
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 08:53 PM

Hi
Does anyone know of a good (very good)luthier that can re-fret my Martin D41 (at least the first 5 frets. ) After some solid use, it is now beginning to buzz mainly on the top E and B string especially when I capo on the second fret. They look very well worn and need to be done but I would only like entrust my guitar service to a really good Luthier especially in the north. (I live in the Leeds UK area) I would be grateful for any names, contacts or advice from Mudcatters.

Thanks
Mike

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 09:33 PM

UNITED KINGDOM         Westside Distribution         Glasgow         44-141 248 4812

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 09:42 PM

Glasgow isn't so very near Leeds! Offhand, I can think of Oakwood Instruments in Leeds itself; there will be plenty more in and around the area. Mind you, you don't need a "luthier" to do a simple re-fret job, though it can be handy bread-and-butter work, being much more profitable than instrument making.

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: GUEST,Mike, Halifax UK
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 09:49 PM

Thanks for that Malcolm. Good starting point

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: burntstump
Date: 05 Dec 04 - 04:35 AM

Try Steve Clarke in Nottingham, he his by far the best Luthier I have come across, done work on several of my guitars and each time done a brilliant job. He's in the yellow pages.

PM me if you want more details

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 05 Dec 04 - 11:08 AM

As Malcolm says, you don't need a "luthier" to do a partial refret, you need a good repair man, which is a different pot of bouillabaise altogether.

Hint: ask your prospective repairman for a detailed description of how he intends to go about removing the frets. If he fails to make any mention of the application of heat to each fret, smile politely, make your excuses and leave ...

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 05 Dec 04 - 12:12 PM

I used Terry Docherty for work on my guitar after it's visit to the floor in Belgium. he's really good. It came back even better than before.Do you play in any of the Leeds sessions?

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: GUEST,Mike, Halifax UK
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 04:26 AM

Many thanks for that information. Really helpful. Just a couple of follow ups...

burnstump - thanks, do you have an E mail or contact No? for Steve Clarke?

Murray - Also thanks, I'm intrigued by the 'heat' treatment on the frets.. and also it seems to me that re-fretting is a seriously precise job since its critical to get the height, action etc set up perfectly. Why would a luthier not particularly be the right person as apposed to a repair man...

Eric the viking - more thanks, Have you a contact for Terry Docherty and I play in numerous sessions and FC's in and around the Halifax area and festivals but I would like to play in any good session over in Leeds, any details, pubs, nights etc

Again thanks for all the help.
Mike

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 05:07 AM

Mike, try Peter Blythe in Queensbury or Bill Dinsdale in Haworth, Peter is in the phone book and I can get Bill Dinsdales number if you want it.

Bothe are excellent.

eric

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 05:12 AM

You could try PMing Ned Ludd here, he's a luthier and a very nice bloke and lives near Huddersfield, which isn't so far as Glasgow.

Tell him I sent you and will claim my commission next time I see him...

LTS

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: BanjoRay
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 05:24 AM

Dave Gregory in York is an excellent builder of guitars and mandolins, and does repair work. He plays in the session in the Golden Ball, Cromwell Street, York every sunday night, and made nearly every stringed instrument in the session.
Ray

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: GUEST,Mike, Halifax UK
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 05:56 PM

Thank you again (this time Eric, Liz and Ray) for some more helpful contacts. I'm still in the dark about how easy/complex it is to re-fret a guitar but I now have a starting point. It's strange that in all my years of playing, I've never had a conversation with anyone about a guitar re-fret?? Do any other guitarist have a re-fret story?
Thanks to all who have given names and advice
Mike.

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 06:08 PM

Mike, I suppose it all means what you mean by "luthier". It is a word which has travelled long and gotten tired along the way IMHO.

I prefer to call a guitar maker a guitar maker, and a repairman a repairman, and I wouldn't let a violin maker (some of whom also call themselves luthiers) within a 100 yards of my guitar, but if by "luthier" you in fact mean professional guitar maker rather than full time repairman, then all I am saying is that you are narrowing your area of choice unnecessarily.

There are many repairmen who have never built a guitar but who are expert at set-up work and refretting.

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Ned Ludd
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 06:29 PM

Thanks liz! Bill Dinsdale taught me by the way. The heat treatment helps to facillitate easy removal of the frets, but it's not the only trick.I'm only in Hudds.If you do contact Bill say hello, I havent seen him for years now!

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 07:11 PM

Thanks Murray, Its starting to make sense now. I'm beginning to be come embarrassed by my ignorance. As I mentioned earlier, I've been playing a long (long) time and this is the first time I've had to venture into sorting out (fret wise) what is a really nice guitar. Its a bit like driving a car for thirty years and never looked under the bonnet! I'm also intrigued why in my travels no one has every talked about re-fretting. Its a mystery....
Cheers
Mike

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 07:47 PM

Anay time Ned.... will obtain my commission soon....!

LTS

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 07:46 AM

Sorry, I never got back on this thread. Are you still needing help?

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Willie-O
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 08:13 AM

A luthier's main line is, normally, building instruments. Any competent luthier can of course, do a refretting or other minor or major repairs...but a skilled full-time repairperson is a specialist worth his/her weight in platinum, knows all the tricks in regards to taking fine instruments apart, and won't regard your repair job as a distraction.

My own experience is that my O-18's value as an instrument to play was greatly enhanced after I finally took it to the right specialist to correct its intonation, action, occasional neck movement, and persistent cracks. These were details that had defeated several skilled luthiers who had had a go at it...

W-O

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: burntstump
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 11:31 AM

Steve Cark tel [phone]

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Blissfully Ignorant
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 10:02 AM

How can you tell if your guitar needs re-fretting, anyway?

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 10:05 AM

Grooves.

eric

Subject: RE: Tech: Good luthier required
From: Blissfully Ignorant
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 10:10 AM

Oh...no grooves on the frets, but there are some on the wood just under the strings. But the guitar is second or third or fourth hand, and i suspect it's at least twice my age. Doesn't bother me much anyway. :0)