Silver Sky refret - anything to know before I get it done

[tildeslash]

I love everything about the Silver Sky except the frets.
While I have grown to love it I have been so used to taller frets that I want to get it refretted.
PTC is not doing any work on these right now and I understand that.

But before I send it out to a tech - I am thinking of the following.
- Refret with slightly taller stainless steel frets.
- While it on the bench perhaps flatten the radius to 10 inches like all other PRS.

I know that would be taking away from John's specs/vision.
But John did make the guitar to his spec but also for the future of music with a nod to the past.
While my future of music lies with larger frets and while the opportunity is there flatten the fretboard a little.

Anything I need to tell my luthier/tech before he attempts this?
Not sure if the construction of the fretboard for this model is different or special?

Thank you.

 

[garrett]

Nothing to say but, DO IT!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

ha, you'd be making the guitar that many said is what it should have been from the start. And given all the other things it has going for it, and FOR ME, you'd be improving an already great guitar. So another...

DO IT!

 

[tildeslash]

I read someplace that frets were installed in a way to be never replaced?
The fret slots were flooded with super glue?
That's my concern, that the tech might have a hard time removing frets and that in the process might rendered the neck useless.

Anyone know or confirm this?

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Actually, Paul has said that in a video.

 

[tildeslash]

So does that mean a refret is not possible?
I mean I hate to think that if the frets do wear out - then what?

 

[pac90]

Dont they always do that anyway, with sglue? I imagine that a good luthier would know what agent to use to soften/remove it

 

[pac90]

Ps do it!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

This is the most likely way that they would be removed -

 

[Buildermike]

^^Interesting method of removing frets. I'm assuming there wasn't much tear out of the wood adjacent to the slots.

I'm with the OP, I'm not a big fan of small frets.

 

[Rider1260]

If it makes the guitar better for you go for it !!!
its the reason I have a DC3 not a Silver Sky ( Shorter case, flatter radius )

 

[bodia]

So does that mean a refret is not possible?
I mean I hate to think that if the frets do wear out - then what?

Nah, it can be done. I had a well respected luthier refret an early PRS Singlecut. No issues at all.

 

[BrianC]

do it

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Refret = Go For It.
Heat the frets to reactivate the glue before attempting to pull them.

Sanding the fretboard to a flatter radius = Do Not Go for It
Do not try to flatten the fretboard, you will probably sand the inlays completely out or you'll sand them way too thin.

 

[alantig]

Refret = Go For It.
Heat the frets to reactivate the glue before attempting to pull them.

Sanding the fretboard to a flatter radius = Do Not Go for It
Do not try to flatten the fretboard, you will probably sand the inlays completely out or you'll sand them way too thin.

That answered my question (sort of) - I wasn't thinking about the inlays, but I wondered if there was enough fretboard wood to make that much of a change in the radius.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Already answered now by the authority, but yes you can refret a PRS and some here have done so. I'd use someone who had one one before.

Paul was very clear on why they glue frets in and I totally buy in on that. He's also clear that they use the hardest fret material they can get (shy of SS) so that you never HAVE too refret. And yes, I should edit my post after what Shawn said... With dots, why not. But you'd be sanding the birds off if you attempt to flatten the board. Agree with Shawn. Do the frets, not the board. Wonder how long it will be before someone starts making custom necks for these.

 

[garrett]

That answered my question (sort of) - I wasn't thinking about the inlays, but I wondered if there was enough fretboard wood to make that much of a change in the radius.

There's plenty of wood there. It really doesn't remove much material when you re-radius.

How thick are the inlays? Based on what I've seen of PRS inlays, there should be plenty of material there too, unless the inlay material is super thin to start with on these. I'd think 9.5" would be fine, but I might get scared going to 12" or higher. I'd definitely take Shawn's caution very seriously, though. I'm just a dude on the internet who doesn't work for PRS.

 

[HANGAR18]

I love everything about the Silver Sky except the frets.
While I have grown to love it I have been so used to taller frets that I want to get it refretted.

Thank you.

Or you could just have the fingerboard scalloped like YNGWIE or Steve Vai or KK Downing.
Inlay would disappear and you'd have the same effect.

(YouTube video search "scalloped neck".)

 

[tildeslash]

I think going to do 9.5 or 10 and that should be fine. If the inlays go out so be it - I am sure it can be filled in with something.
I mean once I do a SS refret I probably won't ever be refretting again so doing the fretboard at that time should be fine.
I will get it plekked and I hear the plekking can do a compound on the frets.

I'll call Joe Glaser and see what he says.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

^^Interesting method of removing frets. I'm assuming there wasn't much tear out of the wood adjacent to the slots.

I'm with the OP, I'm not a big fan of small frets.

Not my video, one retrieved from the tube. They looked like they came out pretty clean.

The solder seems to help transfer the heat fairly evenly over the fret as it’s removed.