Partial Refret on 105 year old Gibson L1
 

Looking for advice on what to do with my 1918 Gibson L1. Part of me wants to do a partial refret on the first 5 frets, and part of me says just leave it alone. It’s playable, but the first position frets are all very deeply grooved - this thing was played a lot.

Anyone have an idea as to what I would use as fretwire? Mandolin frets? Size and source?

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/4xN7JCX.jpg[/IMG]

Luthiers often save the wide fret wires on the upper
end of the fretboard when they do refrets, the luthier
here in South Carolina I go to does. He did a partial
refret on my 57 Country Western with "new old" bits
of fret wire and my frets are all good and all the same.

-Mike

If your frets are the same size as Gibson early mandolin frets, which I understand is common, Jescar sell a replacement. Of course you or your repair person should measure to be sure

https://www.jescarguitar.com/shop/je...et-wire-39040/

If this guitar was a strong running otherwise drivable 105 year old Model T with crusty tires and worn out brakes...

I would have an actual luthier (not a tech) replace worn frets with period correct fret wire. It deserves to be played. Think of it as extending its useful life. Even rare valuable and violins get serviced. But that's me and it's your guitar.

Measure them and use the size that best matches from Stewart MacDonald's 18% nickel silver choices. Make sure the wire is the same or slightly taller in the crown dimension if you are doing a partial re-fret.

What a great looking vintage Gibson. That guitar deserves proper maintenance to keep it in top playing shape, which is what fret work is - routine maintenance. I watched a recent interview with the CEO of Gibson who owns many vintage Gibsons. His attitude is to do the maintenance required to keep the guitar running and not worry about keeping things like old frets. A good luthier at a Gibson authorized shop should be able to refret that guitar for you and make it as good as new.

+

Agreed. OP if you don't do guitar repair for a living then it's best to take something like this to one who does. A fret job is not DIY unless you have junk you want to learn on. Lots can go wrong and on a beautiful old instrument it deserve top notch treatment. IMHO of course.