[Osage]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

Are you saying a level/dressing on the 1st 4-5 frets? Or on all the frets? If you get only the first 4-5 frets leveled dressed, aren't those frets now lower (not as tall) as the rest of the frets, leading to buzz up the neck??

If it's a level/dressing on all frets, that's a 4-5 hour job by a luthier to get it right, so, notwithstanding that it's possible to level/dress the first few frets, the cost/benefit, relative to the partial refret, might not be there?? On the other side of that one, though, is the fact that a partial refret, with now-taller/higher fret height would mean you'd still have to level/dress the rest of the frets to match the new ones?

I've pondered this issue for a while, so any input appreciated!

No, you have to level/dress all of them. It's pretty simple. I do it probably 3 times a week and any good tech should be able to do it no problem. It will definitely be cheaper than a refret.