Quasimodo Les Paul Query

HarrySeven

Probably one for @WezV, @ICBM, @SteveRobinson, etc...

Been offered a nice-quality ‘70’s MIJ LP which is right up my street. However, it’s suffering from a hump in the neck (post-body joint). Seen this many times before on a variety of guitars.

Previous experience tells me this is either a quick fix (fret dress) or a proper job (frets out, level the board and refret).

Any idea re. a current ballpark figure for either of the above strategies?

Funkfingers

HarrySeven said:

70’s MIJ LP

From the Bell's Catalogue?

ICBM

Partial fret dress over the affected area if the rest is OK - £50
Full fret dress if it's better to do the whole thing - £100
Defret, level board, refret - £300 or so

(Shop prices - a one-man workshop might charge a bit less.)

HarrySeven

Ta!

SteveRobinson

ICBM said:

Partial fret dress over the affected area if the rest is OK - £50
Full fret dress if it's better to do the whole thing - £100
Defret, level board, refret - £300 or so

(Shop prices - a one-man workshop might charge a bit less.)

I really must revise my pricing structure!

ICBM

SteveRobinson said:

I really must revise my pricing structure!

I know... I typed that and then thought "What? That's far too much!" But actually it isn't. It's 2019... when a decent pint in a pub or a cup of fancy coffee costs about a fiver.

I charge £40 per hour which I think is about standard these days, and although technically the 'work' in the partial fret dress should only take about half that, by the time you've added in the initial playing/measuring assessment, done the work, probably re-strung it, a set-up at the end and a final playing assessment it's going to be an hour from case open to case closed even on a good day. And a shop will have to add VAT on that as well, even assuming a sole trader isn't VAT-registered.