Question EB Refret Question

[Kenji20022]

Hey everyone! I might be getting my first Ball in a bit! It's a JP6, I'm very excited but I have a question it's an old model and it still has the original nickel frets, but there is a bit of wear on it. The frets still have life so I'm going to get it a fret job and play it for some time before going for a refret of course. But I have a question, since all the JP models now are equipped with Stainless Steel, would I be able to make the upgrade when the time comes to get a refret with EB? I definitely prefer the feel of SS and would love to make the upgrade, but if not I'll have one of my local techs do the refret for me, obvious preference for EB though

Thanks for any and all help guys!

 

[DevRock]

Any luthier can upgrade the frets. I know you can send your axe back to EB and they do refrets (I was quoted just over $200 for a regular job on my AXIS), so I imagine they do SS as well now. Shoot them an email or call them. They've always been very responsive to my questions in the past.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Contact Custom Service, though I would imagine they would only put the same kind of fretwire in that the guitar shipped with originally.

 

[Kenji20022]

Understood! I shot them an email. Either way, I'm extremely excited to have my first Ball! I'll post a NGD once I get it.

 

[Rufedges]

Anyone know if EBMM or someone else can do a stainless refret on an Axis SS?

 

[beej]

Unless something has changed (maybe it will with the PDN guitars), EBMM will only restore a guitar back to factory specs. But you're best to ask the CS team directly.

 

[Kenji20022]

Sadly they can change the frets only to the factory frets that were included at the time. It just seems strange especially if all JP models are getting Stainless Steel frets now, I'd imagine this would apply to older models also. But it's not big deal, my local guy can refret it for me with SS when the time comes, thanks for all the help guys! Really appreciated!

 

[BrickGlass]

Wonder why they won't put on a different kind of fret?

 

[beej]

They restore guitars back to factory specs, that's the way they work.

 

[jvh]

I can't speak for musicman, but I'll give my thoughts on it... It helps to distinguish between the stainless and non stainless steel fret guitars. Someone could claim they have stainless steel on their guitar if musicman allowed this. This just makes it easier to distinguish whether it has them or not based on the year. Also, this is an upgrade and in all reality musicman wants to sell guitars. If you release a new guitar with an upgrade it would not be beneficial to retrofit your old guitars for example adding the gamechanger to the old reflexes. You would most likely get flooded with orders if you didn't price it high enough and then if you priced it high people would complain. OEM manufacturers aren't really interested in aftermarket work. It's something they do, but it's not ideal and they are in business to make money. Their money is made in production work. So I may be completely wrong, but I completely understand it. I hope you understand as well. I think musicman makes a quality guitar and it's not typical of any manufacture to upgrade... It's industry standard. So I would not get upset over it... Like someone said take it to a luthier. Anyways, I hope my comments have been helpful.

 

[Kenji20022]

Definitely jvh! That makes perfect sense, it's no big deal really. I would have been willing to pay the upcharge for SS also, I definitely wouldn't want to get away with a refret for the same price haha. But in a business sense it makes perfect sense like you said, and they do make an amazing product. Ever since laying eyes and playing on a Musicman I've been saving up and on the lookout on my first ball and I have no doubts that I'll do anything but enjoy this one! And yeah my tech treats me super nicely, his prices are extremely fair so I'm sure he'll gladly take some more work to his shop

The Reflex thing is absurd, but I'm sure more than a fair share of people have attempted that haha. Thanks for the help and insight guys I can't wait to have my first Musicman.