Dreading Replacing Frets:

syscokid said:
If a fretboard has binding with nibs at the fret ends, how are the frets removed without causing extra damage to the binding?
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One option I’ve read about is simply to eliminate the nibs entirely. They would be sanded off during the fretboard leveling after the frets are removed. Then, the fret tang is notched so that the fret ends overhang the binding. Of course, this would create a non-original appearance, as the nibs would be gone and you’d end up with fret-over binding. But, it would alleviate any potential problem of the high E string getting caught between the nib and the fret.

Some players choose to have their Gibsons refretted this way when it’s time to refret so that they can avoid the string-catching issue.
 
smitty_p said:
One option I’ve read about is simply to eliminate the nibs entirely. They would be sanded off during the fretboard leveling after the frets are removed. Then, the fret tang is notched so that the fret ends overhang the binding. Of course, this would create a non-original appearance, as the nibs would be gone and you’d end up with fret-over binding. But, it would alleviate any potential problem of the high E string getting caught between the nib and the fret.

Some players choose to have their Gibsons refretted this way when it’s time to refret so that they can avoid the string-catching issue.
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Nibs never appealed to me. I've played them and just never understood the fascination with them.
 
Robert Herndon said:
Nibs never appealed to me. I've played them and just never understood the fascination with them.
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My Les Paul Custom and my 2014 SG have them. But, my Jackson and my former Washburn HB-30 don‘t have them. I’m personally fine without them. Though it doesn‘t happen often, I have had the high E get caught on my Lester.

If I was to refret one of my nibbed guitars, I’d probably choose to do fret-over binding and just eliminate the nibs.
 
Robert Herndon said:
I have an old Hohner acoustic...a HW400N I think. The frets used to work loose and had to be pressed back down and finally, a couple fell out. I pulled the frets out of it 20 years ago.

Maybe I will start on that one and see how it goes.
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That seems like a good (and mainly safe) strategy for practicing refretting, Robert. I'm guessing the slots should still be narrow enough to fit the fretwire snugly, even on the ones where the frets fell off?
 
syscokid said:
Ditto... (y)
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Not me. I love nibs. I realize they serve no functional purpose whatsoever but I friggin' love the way the look and my own corksniffing self feels like any Tech that pushes the "lose-the-nib" rhetoric when you are getting your guitar refretted is just lazy, so there!

Also, since I learned to play guitar on a benibbed instrument I learned early on to never pull the strings off the edge of the fretboard and into them so that has never been an issue for me.
 
Well , I change my own strings , shine up my frets and oil the fretboard, that's it, when it comes to setups or if i needed a refret I take it to my guy who is experienced in doing these things.
 
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