Update on this:

I showed my guitar to Mudcatter Will Fly at the High Brooms Session last week, by which time I was having problems getting a clean note on the top E string 3rd fret.

Will agreed that the wear looked as if it needed attention and put me in touch with Ian Chisholm, the guy who made his "No 18" guitar.

I went down there today on my way back from moving my daughter into her new student accommodation. When Ian heard that I'm going into hospital tomorrow and won't be able to drive for several weeks he immediately offered to do the fret dressing while I waited, which is something I hadn't dreamed of (I'd been working out ways to suggest to my wife that a drive down to Ditchling to see some of the sights in that part of the world would be a good idea :-) )

An hour or so later, a cup of tea, a short walk, a chat and a look around his workshop and the fret dressing was done. And at a very reasonable price. Ian agreed that the fret material on this guitar seemed particularly soft...he'd initially been surprised by the amount of wear for a 1 year old guitar, but once he got the dressing implements onto the metal, it came away faster than expected.

So I guess that'll be a re-fret in another year or so...hopefully with some of Ian's much tougher fret wire!

Great job, nice bloke, superb service!