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Posts: 13
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada | I just picked up an Ovation Viper SN E 10855 from an older fellow who has had it for a long time. The frets are quite worn, but other than that the guitar is in excellent shape.
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October 2005
Posts: 4044
Location: Utah | The Viper is a really nice instrument. Congrats on the new old guitar! |
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December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | Nice get. I really like the cream colored ones. You'll enjoy it! |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | And it goes with everything in your home!
Very nice! |
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January 2006
Posts: 1118
Location: NW Washington State | MWoody
And it goes with everything in your home!
I'm going to put couple of white Breadwinners on the wall in our living room. I'll tell my wife that my interior design consultant says they go with everything!
I do like the cream Vipers. Is it very heavy? Maybe the frets could be leveled if they're bugging you.
-Steve W. |
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November 2013
Posts: 13
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada | My viper doesn't seem heavy. I took a good look at the frets. They are so tiny, much smaller that I am used to working with. The ones closest to the neck pick up measure approximately 0.045 inches tall from the fretboard to the top of the fret crown. I may need to replace them all. The divits are probably about 0.010 deep in the worst spots. I don't think that would leave very much fret left.
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Posts: 4044
Location: Utah | It seems that frets were smaller back in the 70's. The ones I've measured are narrower than current medium frets. If the frets were leveled it wouldn't affect the width only the height. |
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November 2013
Posts: 13
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada | I am going to carry out a refret. I removed one of the frets that was in pretty good shape for sizing.
Soldering iron (with a tiny bit of solder added) and my flush ground end nippers and out it came. The slot looks in great shape with no chipping. Hopefully they all come out this easy??
I think I will try to get some fretwire close in dimension to the original.
The fretwire is measuring 0.080" wide, 0.035" high (looks like it has been levelled so I think originally over 0.040" and the tang is 0.050". I will go to a local place tomorrow that sells fretwire.
Edited by Aerostoon 2013-11-13 8:06 PM
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Posts: 7222
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Aerostoon - 2013-11-13 5:55 PM
I think I will try to get some fretwire close in dimension to the original.
Let us know what you find as I believe the frets ovation used on these was proprietary at least at that time. |
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November 2013
Posts: 13
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada | I can order the nickel silver fretwire from Jescar that is 0.080" wide, 0.043" high with a 0.050" tang that would be quite suitable. It will cost me about $40.00 for a 10" radius precut set of 25 pieces. I will see what the local shop has but Jescar is an option for sure.
Aero |
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November 2013
Posts: 13
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada | Well my new frets are installed. I am just finishing up dressing the fret ends. My local guitar shop ordered a complete set of pre-cut and prevent fret wires. They were slightly over bent and went in very well. I used water thin super glue to glue them in and it wicked under the frets well.
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Location: Utah | Did you have much problem with chipouts when you pulled the frets?
How much trimming was there of the length of the frets?
Finally, how did you level the frets? Did you use on of those long sanding blocks, and if so was it radiused to match the neck?
One more question (the last one for now I promise). Is super glue commonly used when refretting?
As you might guess, I am considering refretting a couple of guitars but have never done it before. We have masters locally who could do it safely and perfectly, and for a reasonable cost. Being a tinkerer and tweaker, I am lured by the idea of doing it myself. |
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November 2013
Posts: 13
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada | Hey FlySig
I learned how to do the refret by watching a video series on YouTube titled "Refretting a Fender Stratocaster". There are over a dozen videos in the series and every step of doing a refret is covered. I wish I could thank the author in person as the videos are so in depth and his attention to detail is top notch.
I was quoted $350.00 locally for a refret so I saved a fair of cash. Money is tight for most these days. |
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November 2013
Posts: 13
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada | I will try to answer some of you questions:
Did you have much problem with chip-outs when you pulled the frets? It wasn't bad at all but I did use a soldering iron with a small radius filed into it to apply heat to the frets. The original frets were definitely glued in. The heat melts the glue other wise you will do alot of damage pulling the frets out. I also tinned the end of the soldering iron to ensure good heat transfer.
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October 2005
Posts: 4044
Location: Utah | Ah, excellent tip on the soldering iron. I did not know frets were glued in. |
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November 2013
Posts: 13
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada | Hopefully this answers some of your questions.
How much trimming was there of the length of the frets? This is one area where I would use a better tool next time. Once the frets were seated and glued the next step is to rough trim them. Each end protruded about 1/4" after install. I cut them back just using a set of diagonal cutters. I would recommend using a flush cutting plier as it took a long time to file the excess off.
Finally, how did you level the frets? Did you use on of those long sanding blocks, and if so was it radiused to match the neck?
I made sure the fretboard was perfectly straight by loosening off the truss rod. The fretwire seated really well. I made sure I couldn't slide a 0.002" feeler gauge under the seated fret. When I put a straightedge on the installed frets they are very level so I may not need to level them.
One more question (the last one for now I promise). Is super glue commonly used when refretting?
Some people use it. I have read that in addition to securing the frets it helped to transfer sound to the neck from the fretwire.
As you might guess, I am considering refretting a couple of guitars but have never done it before. We have masters locally who could do it safely and perfectly, and for a reasonable cost. Being a tinkerer and tweaker, I am lured by the idea of doing it myself. You can do it! |
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December 2001
Posts: 7222
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | That was actually a good call on using the soldering iron. As Ovation to my knowledge did NOT use glue on the frets, I would have never thought to do that. Someone may have done a refret, or they changed the way they do things at the Factory... Actually, someone here who may or may not have fretted a few 1000 Ovation necks in his life may chime in on the process. |
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My new old Viper
