Refrets don't normally include leveling, crowning and polishing. As far a sprout that's something you feel not necessarily see.
Professional (last series) are great. I would imagine that the Professional II ( new series) is even greater since it's very close in features to an Ultra.
I have about 40 years experience building and repairing guitars. If you have a rough, sandpaper feel when bending notes the frets were not properly polished. The other issue in 'dead' spots is bad leveling and crowning of the frets; poor leveling will limit the string vibration and if they have not been rounded properly the string can sound dead or have a slight rattle because the flatness of the fret causes the string to actually rattle against the fret. A proper, leveled, crowned and polished fret job should allow any string on any fret to ring out true if new strings are used.
Any refret I have done always includes leveling, crowning and polishing. Usually the amount of material removed is minimal when compared to a fret dressing on worn frets but there is always a slight discrepancy on fret height when installing new frets that needs to be corrected through leveling. I have seen brand new Fenders and Gibsons run through a PLEK machine and almost always a slight amount of material is removed from marginally high frets.
Those strings have a bit of rust on them for sure....but the re fret was not completed....those are not beveled or polished at all.... I have 195 American Standard Strat and it doesnt look like yours and those frets are original.... my tech here in Pa did some very minor touchup and polishing when I bought it new and its been fine ever since... I have replaced the strings may times and I only use some XXXXX steel wool on them between changes and they are as smooth as silk... take it back and have it finished.
Those strings have a bit of rust on them for sure....but the re fret was not completed....those are not beveled or polished at all.... I have 195 American Standard Strat and it doesnt look like yours and those frets are original.... my tech here in Pa did some very minor touchup and polishing when I bought it new and its been fine ever since... I have replaced the strings may times and I only use some XXXXX steel wool on them between changes and they are as smooth as silk... take it back and have it finished.
Not sure if you've already been and back... but the second fret looks like it has divots under the high E and B strings. Could be the photo, but look specifically there. If it does, there was no refret. All frets should look like perfect surfaces with new frets. Even if there was some crowning, filing,etc, all the surfaces should be flawless across the fret.
It sound It sounds like an inferior fret job. No guitar would ever leave our shop from getting a refret without playing perfectly first.
This picture shows older frets with some wear, but the neck polished with Howard’s & frets were very recently cleaned and polished up to 0000 steel wool. I think the shop managed to sell you the proverbial Bridge. Perhaps reinserting those popped out frets would have been enough ... Me
these frets were recently cleaned and polished to 0000 steel wool. The rosewood conditioned with Howard’s. Even though there is obvious wear there are no divits & the frets gleam from the polishing. I really don’t see what I would consider someone’s pride in their work in your photos. What work was don, if any, is half assed BS
So far great news. He took it back he says he polished again, and intonated it, adjusted action a bit . I just got it back will be playing for aa few hours an let's say how she sounds and plays!
Ok So most of the Friction on the fret board when i bend on the b string is basically gone ! The guitar rings much better. Also bends slightly better. This is how i would expect it to play! He didn't charge me more money! So thats good! I'm satisfied for now! Looks like he did some setting up also! Now onto the next problem lol tha amp! haha. So Once i get all of this sorted out i will make a video so you guys can hear the guitar! Thank you guys for everything!
If I were you I would be very leery of taking back to a guy who it seems didn't do it right the first time. I'm thinking there is a significant risk that he will botch the job even more. I'd get a second opinion from a more experienced guitar tech.
Just play your guitar for a while, enjoy it and stop chasing shadows. Lesson learned, your local tech isn't great at refrets. But it's clearly improved the guitar and no damage done.
