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Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25

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Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 Empty Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25

Post by Adey Fri Dec 23, 2016 4:55 am

So, I bought an old Vox 25 recently. Mainly because I have a Vox 24 Custom, and I just fancied having the pair!


It had been modded in the past with a humbucker installed at the bridge position in lieu of the original Dimarzios and the other Dimarzios switched out too – now all Kent Armstrong equipped. The previous owner(s) must have really liked this guitar as the frets were extremely worn down. They had also been levelled a few times as they were very flat and badly worn. Also, the fret board had a lot of wear too. I didn’t really think that the frets were up to another levelling, so I decided a re-fret was the order of the day.


And just for posterity, thought I would record the job…


The general state of the frets and fretboard.
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 1_zpsjnf1sbtv
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 2_zpsf74ylqye" />
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 3_zpsbsefs6ml" />

Removing the old frets with some specially ground nips to allow them to get in / under the old frets to allow them to be pulled out. Even though I was going to sand down the fret board, I protected it anyway. The soldering iron is used to melt any glue that might be there, and to help prevent chipping of the edges of the slots. I also used the split fretboard protector to help get under the frets to lift them out rather than rotating them out and damaging lacquer at fret ends
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 4_zpsgv7pstwk" />
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 5_zpstyl9qf1s" />
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 6_zps2tjao3zu" />
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 7_zpsk5sp3h59" />
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 10_zps2tv179fc" />

I tried to be careful, but still chipped out the odd bit of lacquer at the ends of a couple of frets
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 11_zpst5qrc81n" />

No frets left!
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 12_zps20rqpqlv" />
Pic 12
Adey
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Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 Empty Re: Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25

Post by Adey Fri Dec 23, 2016 5:05 am

Sanding down the board to remove the divots. In the end, I didn’t get rid of all of them as I would have had to re cut the fret slots, and I didn’t really want all that grief with all the fret ends needing lacquer repairs
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 13_zpszvyets19" />Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 14_zpselv2fsin" />



Ready to start installing new frets. I bought them ready bent and cut. For a few quid, it is the least bother.
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 15_zpshxmgcyk5" />



New frets going in
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 16_zps0jboauqn" />Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 17_zpsu8yfjxaf" />Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 18_zpsewuflacl" />Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 19_zpskj1kfzkh" />Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 20_zpsoyna06ho" />Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 21_zpspu8jf8yd" />
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Post by Adey Fri Dec 23, 2016 5:11 am

Straightening up the neck using the truss rod in readiness for leveling.
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 22_zpstmxxwb4q" />



Protecting the fretboard with tape before I level and crown the new frets.
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 23_zpsw44q7mn7" />Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 24_zps13v0vqog" />



Marker pen on top of each fret so I can see when I have removed material from them
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 25_zpsdxr6d5qg" />



My fret leveler – a length of extruded aluminium with sandpaper glued to it.
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 26_zpsxfbhmxzf" />Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 27_zps6qlwkcxy" />



Leveling in progress. Black marker being sanded away
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 28_zpscp5ka3sa" />
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Post by Adey Fri Dec 23, 2016 5:14 am

All done

Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 29_zpsapoyq0ys" />Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 30_zpsthpuxqjb" />



Marker pen on the tops again in readiness for re-crowning of the frets as they are all now flatted off on the tops, rather than a nice curve.
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 31_zpstpxlqvsc" />



This is my usual fret crowning file. It has a curved filing surface on the two edges
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 32_zpsesmpppv4" />


Here I am partly through the crowning process, trying to get all the marker pen removed other than a narrow strip up the centre of the fret, taking it back to a nice curved profile
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 33_zpsmqo4tp6u" />
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Post by Adey Fri Dec 23, 2016 5:19 am

And then beginning of the polishing process using grit from about 800 to 2000. Three separate passes with varying grits
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 34_zps64xru4j3" />



Finally, I get a bit of jewelers rouge on them to finish off using a dremel.
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 35_zpsgtvvavec" />Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 36_zpsswnt14dy" />



All the protective tape stripped off and a quick oil and buff
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 37_zpstll0fd6d" />Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 38_zpsgiqcmisq" />



It would be rude not to put new nylon washers in the tuners, as a few had cracked and fallen out
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 39_zps2dzrc9oh" />



And back together again!
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 40_zpslvg3hiql" />



And on the wall with a couple of her close relations!
Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 <a href=Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 P1014550_zpswqhdafhv" />
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Post by corsair Fri Dec 23, 2016 6:11 am

Nice photo essay, Adey and well done!! I know I was a bit hesitant on the first fret job I did but in the end, if you approach it slowly and methodically, it's not terribly difficult!!
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Post by Barry Fri Dec 23, 2016 9:48 am

Thanks very much for the pix Adey. They make a nice reference for anone else considering doing the same.

Beautiful job!

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Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25 Empty Re: Re-fret of my Vox Standard 25

Post by Adey Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:08 pm

I've done a few re-frets, and as you say, not really difficult. The whole thing took me about 6 hours.

It is a nice sounding instrument too.

I've had a few strat type guitars but never held onto any of them for long. This one seems like it'll say a lot longer.

It's also wired a bit differently to most strats as the tone works on the bridge pup, but not on the neck. But as you can switch in the middle and neck using the 5-position switch there is plenty of sonic variation available.

I haven't any experience of Kent Armstrong (anyone else familiar with them?), but they do seem to make this a mighty super-strat!
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Post by The Chad Fri Dec 23, 2016 1:14 pm

Thanks for that, it's like guitar porn to see repair and resto close ups.  Great job, too!
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Post by corsair Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:31 pm

I put a set of Kent Armstrong P-90s in a guitar ealier this year and they're good; other than that, I got nothing... Laughing
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