JEM77FP Refret - not happy

[Fusionman]

Hi all,

Just had my JEM77FP Refreted. It's an '89 model and it's had a hard life. A very reputable guy and I trust his work and advise (mostly)

I need to run something by you all. The neck and frets now are in the ballpark of what it would have been when it was new. I have low-ish action set up, about 0.5mm - 0.6mm relief and about 1.8mm for the high E on the 24th fret.

... but it doesn't feel like a new guitar (like I was hoping). In fact, It's a long way from leeling like a new guitar

A friend of mine purchased a brand new JS-1200 not three days ago and the difference is black and white. I'd actually be happy if my Jem felt like his crappy old S series Ibanez (which has similar stats as mentioned above), but it's not there either.

As you can guess, I'm a bit frustrated. What am I missing here? Perhaps someone can give me their thoughts and it might spark some ideas.

FM

[Jason Stone]

You need to be more specific about what doesn't feel right. What about the "new guitar feel" do you think is missing?

[Fusionman]

Thanks for the reply Jason.

Yeah, there in lies the battle. This is going to be difficult to describe what it feels like and I don't think we'll get anywhere.

I guess the first thing I notice is that the action 'feels' higher, although when measured (and compared to another axe) it's not. So fast scales (for axample) at 12th - 18th have my fingers 'interupted' by the strings. The cheap s-series comparison guitar, scales are smooth and no problem.

I was actually probing here for some not-so-specific information. I've addressed:-

- neck relief
- string height vs buzz/sustain- measured (accurately) against similar guitars
- my trem (which has been reconditioned and (still) ceases to amaze me how well my beast stays in tune with the most brutal abuse)

Fret shape?

I dunno. It's kind of a last desperate attempt for new avenues before I just accept that my refret has gone not quite as well as I hoped.

FM

[EvoGiant]

i think that a total refret just changes everything about how it feels and plays. just gotta get used to it. or get em filed a little lower....

[Jason Stone]

Action is measured from the top of the frets, not from the fretboard, so after a refret the strings will be higher off the board even if you have the same action as before. Otherwise, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe the crowning and polishing wasn't done correctly?

[TAorama]

If you're used to feeling the fretboard when you fret, you'll feel it a lot less after a refret, especially if you had really worn frets to start with. Maybe that's the difference you feel, like Jason says. What fretwire did you get? The JS1200 has what, 6105 wire?

[IbanezFreak777]

Yeah if you had really used frets before and you have a brand new set, it will take some getting used to. Your playing will adjust..... You just need to play it heaps....

get cracking.....

[Fusionman]

Yeah, I thought about the fret height and fret shape, and I though about the fact that it just might be different and I should just shut the frack up and play. But the evidence is overwhelming...

I went into the music store yesterday lunchtime and played just about every Ibanez there was on teh shelf (about 10), from the cheap end to the expensive end. This included necks with jumbo frets and neck with the smaller fret wire (dunno what size). Yeah TAorama, the JS-1200 had smaller fret wire. The kid gloves were off, the test was some tapping and sweep picking apeggios - done on every machine. Most felt better than mine (You know that feeling when you use a guitar that just it plays itself?) and I could play them better than I could play mine, as I confirmed when I got home.

It's so frustrating that I can have my axe and another one right next to each other, play them both, feel the difference, but not be able to inspect and discover what the difference is.

Thanks all, I think I'll take them both to somebody and get a " hands on" opinion and go from there.

Great forum here BTW. Looks like some guys are living and breathing Ibanez! Great source of info.

FM

[Ayrton]

Unless there is something specifically wrong with the refret, it sounds like a set up issue. You need to pinpoint what it is you are not happy with, and then have the guitar set up by a pro.

[EvoGiant]

take it back to the guy that did the refret and say "Wassup wit dat?"

[frankfalbo]

I would like to see good, close-up pictures of the frets. There is a chance they are poorly crowned and polished. You could be feeling resistance against scratchy frets. There's obviously more to it than that, but it's a good place to start. Also the width of the frets is important to the feel. I like the grip and accuracy of playing on narrow frets sometimes, but if you're used to wide jumbos, a narrow fret can feel hard to play.