Mick’s 1961 Fender Stratocaster Gets A Refret [During A Fascinating Chat With Matt From Monty’s]
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- Опубліковано 14 тра 2024
- A full refret and new nut in a single morning - see how it’s done and learn some tips and tricks
Life too short for long UA-cam videos? Please see the ‘Interesting bits and go-to sections’ information below.
Welcome to the show - Mick here, hello! I wanted to document the fascinating process of a professional guitar neck refret on my 1961 Fender Stratocaster.
Two warnings: First, there are no pedals nor any guitar playing in this video at all; second, it is a very long video containing graphic real-life depictions of guitar repair! Please excuse the diversion from our usual content.
This lovely old Strat (body refin) has lived with me for most of the last three years but just recently I was able to actually buy it, meaning I can get it to exactly where I want it in terms of playability. To whit, the nut had worn down to basically unplayable and the frets - replaced at least once before - were in need of some TLC after some years of playing.
Armed with a couple of cameras I set off to Monty’s Guitars in Cheltenham, UK to see our good friend Matt Gleeson. Matt has two decades of experience in professional guitar repair and setup under his belt and, to my great surprise, he was totally happy to let me film the whole thing as it happened. This video is what happened next - you might want to tackle it in a few sittings!
Massive thanks to Matt, George and the whole team at Monty’s for making us so welcome. Check out Monty’s stuff here: www.montysguitars.com/
I just want to add a personal thanks for - and acknowledgement of - Matt and team’s dedication to the art, craft, ethos, working practices and environment that surrounds everything their company does. It is truly inspiring.
Please enjoy the video!
And please visit That Pedal Shop www.thatpedalshop.com/
Interesting Bits & Go-To Sections
0:00 Good morning!
0:50 Hello Matt…
1:35 Initial assessment
3:58 Common issues on an old guitar
5:30 How much rosewood left?
8:00 What about the vibrato?
10:20 Strings off, old guitar chat
14:25 Woo - neck date!
14:55 Tuners off
18:00 Problem of worn frets
19:00 Removing the old frets
20:58 Matt’s first customer job!
23:35 What fretwire?
25:47 Matt’s gran got him started
27:40 Cleaning the fret slots
31:10 Jescar Evo Gold?
32:45 Setup affects sound?
35:10 Radiusing the fretwire
38:35 How many refrets has Matt done?
40:30 The hardest refrets?
44:00 Putting the new frets in
47:47 Removing the excess fret
51:15 Filing the fret ends
54:00 Matt’s fave file
56:40 Fret dress begins
58:35 Removing the old nut
1:03:15 Marking up before dressing
1:06:00 First sandpaper pass
1:09:38 Fallaway at the top of the neck
1:11:15 Crowning the frets
1:14:55 Shaping the fret ends
1:21:30 Fret polish begins
1:32:50 Clean and condition the board
1:37:35 Look at that fingerboard!
1:38:20 Making the new nut
1:44:25 Shim under the old nut
1:48:00 Glueing the new nut in
1:49:45 Nut material?
1:51:30 Nut slot starting point
1:53:35 Which nut files?
1:55:35 Strings winds on the tuners?
1:58:00 Cutting the nut
2:00:00 Nut slot depth?
2:03:00 Final nut shape and polish
2:07:00 Setting action height
2:10:10 Mick’s initial reaction
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SCAM ALERT! Hello to everyone watching this. Please note we will NEVER promote competitions or prizes in UA-cam comments sections. There are parties pretending to be us. So if ANYONE asks you to contact them saying you’ve won a prize and asks for details, please ignore them. Better still, please help us report them to UA-cam. You have not won a prize, and it is not us. It’s happening right across UA-cam, with collective apologies! Mick & Dan
Over 2 hours of vintage strat content featuring Matt from Monty's!? Is it Christmas!?? :D
Seriously!! I’m going thru withdrawal two weeks into no VCQ!! 🤣
Well I’ve just spent two hours and a bottle of wine in the kitchen watching this, my wife called me a “sad bellend” for doing so. I disagree. She will have another birthday next year and she needs to understand the importance of these videos. Top work chaps. Also if anyone knows of a reasonably priced bed and breakfast around Merseyside let me know.
Skating on thin ice there mate 😂
The ‘sad bellend’ part is heavily in her favour - very funny and hard to argue with. Bit much to put your birthday ahead of a guitar video, though. Nothing you can’t correct, I’m sure. Might want to plan your main points of debate, though.
I saw how long this video is and thought: "Hmmm.... I'd better save that until I'm in work..." Just point my laptop away from colleagues and look busy... I may even get a promotion. :-)
I'm staggered by how generous Matt is to explain his process in such detail. EXCELLENT video guys 🙂
I love that he has that connection with his Grandma through the tools. That's lovely.
wasnt that awesome
That reaction from Mick at the end...that's what we are all after with our gear. Delighted for you, man.
Thank you Gary! It’s a wonderful thing!
@@ThatPedalShow got mine back a few month ago. fretjob + PLEK, amazing. i wish i had chosen steel frets but i was afraid of treblely noise which i had problems with before where my baby had to suffer a lausy fretjob and i wasted 280 bucks.
It was also Matt’s face when he saw Mick’s face too! That was a thoroughly enjoyable episode - thanks guys!
@@ThatPedalShow Best of Luck Mick with your new-baby. Nothing like that Feeling.
@@ThatPedalShow i
Mick, you are so humble about your guitar repair knowledge as well as being considerate of different peoples opinions and beliefs. All without loosing your sense of humor. If the whole world was as nice as you we would be a far better planet.
What a lovely thing to say, thank you Tom. That means a great deal. Thank you!
I'll second that!
@@ThatPedalShow definitely one of many reasons why I love Mick as well. Enjoy the gem of a Strat, mate, you deserve it : )
I would agree with that statement Tom. (ah-what the heck) I'd throw Dan in there too. Also seems like: a hell-of-a nice guy too.
@@michael_caz_nyc oh without a doubt, Dan of course; it’s because of him that I got into Telecasters. Love them both sincerely. : )
I find that folks who are incredible at what they do have no trouble whatsoever explaining their process and all their “secrets.” They’re confident in what they do, not mention it takes years and years to get even close to that level of expertise, and tremendously generous. Wonderful video
Exactly that Justin. It’s where your ego says, “Yep, I don’t really need to be here any more” and leaves. In all aspects of life I think wisdom steps in when the ego steps out forever. I’m glad to be on that path - hopefully we’ll all get there one day. Matt is absolutely there in his work. It’s joy to experience!
What a beautiful way to honor your grandmother - She would be so happy to know the impact she had on helping you build a beautiful life.
Matt is such a humble guy... so down to earth and lovely. He seems to be such a balanced guy that spreads his light onto others.
As a fellow luthier, I can attest; the look on Mick’s face at 2:10:55 is priceless and is one of my favorite parts of this trade. Always fun (and useful) to see how different folks go about doing certain parts of this process. Thanks for sharing!
Fantastic episode Mick. I love watching someone who is a true master of their craft perform their trade. Whether it's Matt or Jonny working on a guitar, or Andy playing guitar, it's inspiring to see the effortless that comes from their 10,000 hours. Enjoy the guitar! Hope you're well.
Cheers.
What a journey to watch… Matt sounds like a proper legend and is incredible to watch at work
Wait until you want to pay him to work on your guitar and you don’t have a big UA-cam channel to advertise his work. The picture changes.
matt has such a calming voice..
This video will be solid gold for generations to come, thanks guys!
Wow - Matt is super skilled and the quality of work done is stunning; big thumbs up for him sharing the process. Respect.
I admire your spirit about this guitar, Mick. It’s a vintage guitar and it should sound like it but it has to work or what’s the point. Spot on. Cheers from the Big Apple.
100%...when I got my dream guitar...an old 54 Les Paul, I played it for about 3 months with original skinny worn frets...then I had 59 style put in. ZERO regrets. Plays like a dream, sounds even better
I just had my 1984 MIJ 62' reissue Fender Strat done. It had huge holes in the board and many frets were almost flat with the board. I had it flattened, and the sawdust filled back in the holes. Stainless steel frets, 7.25" vintage size accurate. It made a barely playable guitar play better than most new. Worth every penny. Would not hesitate to recommend to anyone if you have a good luthier to do the work.
I can gladly watch guitar repairs like this all day! Lots of great bits of wisdom shared here👍👍👍
When he said that he bought his tools with the inheritance money his grandmother left him….wow. As a grandparent myself, I can honestly say he absolutely honored her and her wishes with all the love and respect possible.
Thanks Matt! That was awesome to watch!
What a great advert for Matt and his work. Shows his love for the job and how good he is!
Yeah.... after watching the entire video end-to-end, this has got to be the BEST Masterclass-level tutorial on the whole refretting process. I've done a few myself.. and planning several more; I've watched dozens of UA-cam vids on this topic and this HAS to be the best! Thanks so much Matt and Mick.. a great show! So many "insider" tips!!!! I'm ditching my (half-finished) Fret-press-thing-I-was-building tomorrow! 🙂
A satisfying yet scary watch in equal measure & it’s not even my guitar! Big admiration for the skill & patience of guys like Matt who make it look so easy, I can only imagine how badly I would screw this up, not that I would dream of attempting such a process! Great video, really interesting and informative!
Loved this...so interesting! Nothing better than watching a craftsman at the top of his game. Really happy for you Mick!
Thanks Matt & Mick!
Two hours well spent.
Best refret, renut, and setup video on the interwebs
Hands down for those Mats out there, this is such an unique and incredible job! Thanks for sharing his work. Have fun.
The end result (and Mick’s reaction) speaks for itself! 👏
I love the look of pure joy in Mick's face when he plays it for the first time!
Here in Arkansas, I’m fortunate to have several buddies who hunt whitetail deer and regularly bring me any antlers not worthy of mounting.
This makes a wonderful material for bridges and nuts. I’d be happy to send you some if you like. Just holler.
“Everything makes a difference on a guitar,” is the exact same thing the Tech/Luthier I go to said to me as well. Happy days!
: )
Matt: "What strings are you using?"
The comical inner monolog I thought of for Mick when he tosses the strings on the bench: THE ONES WITH MY FACE ON THEM!
Yeah baby!
There was a very definite “pregnant pause” and I imagined Mick temporarily overloading with possible answers too, but I decided that he was just rooting around in his pocket. I guess we need a director’s commentary.
I would like to thank you both, Mick and Matt. That was a great show and demonstration. I think I'll work on some guitars this fall. I had a hiatus over the summer to take care of my special needs son, but he goes back to his mother next week. I need some guitar therapy and this video has got the amateur guitar tech wannabe bug going again.
Mick, I love love love that you were not to afraid to take that wonderful piece of history and make it play the way that it should once again! You no doubt will fall in love with it all the more because of it! Beautiful work Matt!
Yeah man, totally my main, Number One guitar at this point!
Watched the whole thing, love these vids from you guys! Great work! 👍
I love this kind of stuff. Thank you for taking the time to make this content and for sharing this timeless knowledge. Cheers!
A lovely episode - I enjoyed every minute !
Thank you both.
Fantastic. Thank you both for this!
Its so nice that mick trusts his son matt to work on his 61 strat truly wholesome farther son bonding
Yesssssss! I've been waiting for this ep! Can't wait to watch!
Love this, Mick. Endlessly fascinating. Great work, Matt!
What a treat! Feature length episode!! Incredible job. Experience at work. Fantastic.
That was so fun and fascinating to watch. Great show 🖤
Brilliant, Matt and Mick! Thank you!
Fascinating video. Two lovely and very talented human beings!
Love the genuine elation!
And thanks Matt. Great stuff.
Amazing Mick and of course Matt. Many thanks… 🙏❤️🎸
Excellent. Thanks for this video guys.
What an episode!! Thank you so much for sharing this!
These longer guitar maintenance videos are the best! Good chats and interesting content. Cheers!
I bloody love the workshop videos! What a superstar Matt is. Thanks as always for your great content.
Thanks to both of you for sharing the process and the lovely discussion.
Love Micks little ”very happy and just a little nervous”-laughs.
What an amazing video. So calming to watch. Beautiful work…. And guitar
This was superb. Cheers guys.
You are a wizard Matt 😄
Just great stuff. Thanks a lot!!
Again, great content! Thanks for doing this TPS.
So educational! And I was captivated!
What an amazing video. Best I’ve seen in ages.
Fantastic. Inspirational. Loved every minute.
Such a satisfying watch and beautiful work from Matt! Thanks so much for sharing!
2 hours well spent! Great work x
Utterly fantastic content…… amazing journey.
We’ll done Matt and Mick!!
what a brilliant video! 2 awesome guys and a vintage Strat!
What a video! Such a great watch!
I really admire the experience, diligence and craftsmanship that goes into the process. There aren’t many things that I’m more happy to spend good money on than having my gear set up really well, because good craftsmanship needs to be honoured and paid accordingly.
It is cool to see a thorough episode on this subject. Hope next episode is about testing pedal sounds. Keep rocking.
I watched the whole thing. Enjoyed it very much! Love how zen he is with his tools.
What a precious video ! Learning so much.
Thank you guys.
I'm always envious when I see people with these old pieces of art. But I absolutely love how Mick treats it like a guitar instead of a collectors piece, and plays it. It's at least nice knowing that old strat is in wonderful hands.
There’s still hope because of legends like Matt! Loved every bit of this, great work guys!
Thanks so much for sharing this, I always learn something new from videos like this.
Very cool. Such a nice chap!!
Congrats Mick, I hope you have fun wearing in those new shiny frets! Cheers!
Amaaaaaazing Skills !!!! That was so informative ! Thanks a lot !!!! And congrats Mick !!
Just finished watching the whole thing, time flew bye!
Thanks for documenting this, i love watching people work that know what they are doing.
Props for the filming as well, i really enjoyed this and am glad you're happy with the end result.
Absolutely love these episode's ... thanks Matt for sharing the wisdom ! the force is strong with you 💪🤠
This was great. Incredible results. Thanks
What a great video this is. Watched it 3 times now. wow!
I liked this episode so much I've watched it twice.
Thank you TPS and Matt for this great video.
What a craftsman Matt is, stunning work, loved how you showed the whole process, fascinating watch, Mick you must be a happy chappy !! 😄
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, really enjoyed this.
Another good one, Mick! Matt is such a cool dude! Thanks to both of you for sharing this! Cheers lads!
That was the best guitar related content I have ever watched. Absolutely fascinating. Amazing craftsmanship.
Wow. Sandpaper on the profiling file. That's genius. Getting that round crown on top has always been my most dreaded part of fret dressing. Never thought of that trick. Thank you!
Love the videos as always. Only with guitar and you guys would I sit and watch a two hour video of something like that. That was awesome and Mick’s face when he played it the first time was priceless. Made me smile too from across the pond.
This video made me appreciate and enjoy my own guitar even more! Just seeing the craftsmanship that goes into something as seemingly simple as the frets. Wonderful!
Amazing. Thanks Matt, I definitely learned a helluva lot. Congrats Mick, looks like a winning set up.
Best slow tv ever!
that was fantastic. Thanks guys!!
Loved this episode! Thank you Matt. I definitely learned a thing or two.
What a cool episode, and Matt seems really awesome! 😀
Oh wow, this was what one could call oddly satisfying to watch. I've been sitting through all of the more than two hours, and learning a lot. Thank you so much for pouring out infinite goodness Matt. The immense joy you show after you get to play it Mick, feeling the positive change it made to the playing experience - so good! Cheers, Thor
What a fantastic episode! So much great info. I must visit this shop for my maintenance 👌😎
Empathy. I realized I was smiling just watching Mick’s reaction. Thanks.
👌 well done Matt!
immensly informative and enjoyable! great great job Matt and great video Mick!!