In The Shop: Re-fretting and Dealing with Nibs | Elderly Instruments

In this week's edition of In The Shop, Joe Konkoly and Mike Hoenerhoff talk about re-fretting and what to do about nibs on a Gibson Les Paul Custom Guitar.
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[@Trombonology]

Thanks for this illuminating look at re-fretting and, in particular, how to deal with nibs. I have them on my Epiphone "Elitist" Broadway (a 2008, which was the last year for the Elitist line in all models, save the Casino) and have discerned no smoothness benefit in comparison with my other electric jazzbox, a Gretsch Country Club with a bound fretboard and no nibs. My aesthetic view of them is "big deal."

[@Livelaughlimpbizkit]

Trombonology Erstwhile that’s crazy! An Epiphone either fret nibs? I know the elitists are too end models but I didn’t realise they went that deep on them! Must be a great player!

[@JohnVieto]

Very interesting discussion guys.

[@renmad0078]

In fact the nibs on the frets makes the work more easy to the manufactory. With this they do not have to sanding as much as if it's without binging the ends of the frets to make them softer for the hand touch. But at reverse i does make more work for the luthiers if the customer want to preserve them if he want to refret all his guitar. Nice video thank you👍😉

[@blackbirdpie217]

Excellent point about truing the board while the frets are out, and you can't do much, or anything to improve the geometry of the board if you leave the nibs. I think they look slick when new but overall I am definitely not a fan of them.

[@mikeym4597]

Doesn't removing the nibs devalue the guitar, say for a Les Paul Custom?

[@Guitarczar68]

That's what I was told. This is my 71 Custom in the video. I will never sell it so I don't care about what it's worth to someone else. I guess that makes me a dirt merchant. The guitar plays a million times better now and I wouldn't hesitate to do it with any of my Les Pauls.

[@shoestringplayer106]

Either you can or can't do the job Either you want to or dont want to do the job Simple yes or no I see more skills with excuses rather than showing skills with keeping fret nibs.

[@williammacdonald9154]

It’s actually extremely easy to keep the nibs, just finished a Lespaul refret, kept the nibs! Takes an extra 2 min’s per fret. I like nibs, so I keep them...

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

If I paid $4,000 for a Custom and it came back from re-fret without factory nibs, I'd 'have some questions'

[@renmad0078]

Yes it's clearly better to get rid of the nibs when you have to refret all the neck. Clearly it help to level well all the imperfections of the radius neck.The big work is when there is only few frets to change in a part of a binding neck. 👍😉

[@grangerousdesigns4678]

Getting rid of the nibs makes sense if your gonna have to refret.So that's what I'll do.Thanks.

[@rob2999]

Hi Elderly - What size frets are vintage correct for a 1958 Goldtop? Thanks.

[@sniper666hell]

So you recommend people don’t get it done right because you don’t like doing it? 😒 sounds like you aren’t the person for the job.

[@chazjr2390]

I HATE fret nibs. Worst idea ever. I had 3 Les Paul Standards and on every one of them the high e string would get caught between the fret nib and the fret. That's why I got rid of them and went to a custom shop and a studio. I should have had my first Standard re-fretted and had the nibs shaved off.

[@finoroverato7640]

What does preserving the nibs add to the price of a refret?

[@renmad0078]

Probably it doble or add 40% more because it takes more work and much more if it's stainless steel fret

[@Wargasm644]

I keep my nibs. If you own a Gibson, you have a responsibility to fellow beard strokers 😂. Only dirt merchants refret without nibs. 👊🏻

[@thetoneknob4493]

it was a time saving process the fret ends just need to be squared up instead of each fret end needing to be sculpted individually.and it looks nice. if i wer to need a re fret ide avoid anyone who wines about keeping or just re doing the nibs or charges an extra 200$!

[@yoheff988]

Please remind me, who was the drunk that came up with this nibs idea?

[@MarkTurner-vs7uc]

The strings catch between the fret and the plastic. Its a stupid thing to do. I hate them .

[@buskman3286]

Never had that happen on a factory guitar, some of them 30 years old. From my experience it only happens after a refret because the refret didn't take the time (and it takes a lot of time) to precisely insert the new fret to fit between the nibs.

[@iwokeupthismorning2]

I’m about to refret my 69’ 175. Getting rid of those nibs and level the fretboard.will never sell that one so Bye plastic nibs

[@nasticanasta]

Hate nibs...stupid idea...

[@renmad0078]

It just help the manufactor to have a lower coast to get rid from all adjusments of the ends of the frets to make them softer at the ends They don't cares of the luthiers and the customer who will have to do more job to it and who will charge more the customers to refreting like this. Most of them when they see the real prices to refret with binding says ok get rid of the nibs.🤣👍😉