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Old 11-26-2022, 02:33 PM
gibpicker gibpicker is offline
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Default Question about Plek

I'm sure it's been asked before, but does it help all that much in a setup? It sounds very accurate and just want to hear other opinions.
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Old 11-26-2022, 03:06 PM
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You’ll hear a lot of opinions. Many shops say that they will fine tune the fretboard after PLEking - is it needed? Who knows? And you’ll also read that a PLEK is only as good as the person running it.

But a PLEK machine is very effective at keeping workers away from repetitive stress disorders over many years of leveling, filing and dressing frets. I believe I heard Adam Buchwald (Circle Strings\IRIS guitars) remark in an interview, that after being the ‘fret guy’ at Froggy Bottom for three years, he was ruined for life. Coincidentally, a PLEK machine was one of the first big purchases (after the CNC) for Iris Guitars.

That being said, I will be visiting Iris\Circle Strings\Fairbanks Guitars in the next few months. I plan to bring my Fairbanks F35 and have it analyzed on the PLEK. And if work is needed, give it the go ahead. I believe in the PLEK - it’s an amazing beast and very accurate.
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Old 11-26-2022, 03:45 PM
Russ C Russ C is offline
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I have not yet had a pleked guitar for a set-up that I couldn’t improve but I must say they’re a lot better than I was used to seeing.
I still believe that a skilled luthier or tech who sets-up a guitar as an individual instrument and takes pride may well do the best work.
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Old 11-26-2022, 04:24 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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I had all my Collings flat tops pleked by the main asuthorised Collings repair man for the UK, after which he did a few tickles on each one.

I believe that a PLEK machine is only as good as the operator.
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Old 11-26-2022, 07:07 PM
PetesaHut PetesaHut is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gibpicker View Post
I'm sure it's been asked before, but does it help all that much in a setup? It sounds very accurate, and I want to hear other opinions.
I have purchased about 15 guitars from a shop online because they Plek every guitar that comes through the shop. They also double-check every guitar for issues, and all of my guitars have turned up pristine and playing like a dream.

I think having a guitar Plecked or set up by someone who is experienced and takes pride in their work is all the same at the end of the day.

The bottom line is to have either process carried out rather than a guitar shipped to you still in its original box and unopened, which may result in a situation where the guitar needs to go back for attention in some form.
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Old 11-26-2022, 09:35 PM
EZYPIKINS EZYPIKINS is offline
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Plek does good, still have to cut your own nut and saddle to suit your style.
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Old 11-26-2022, 09:41 PM
Brucebubs Brucebubs is offline
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I do know he was a great actor.

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Old 11-27-2022, 04:26 AM
Robin, Wales Robin, Wales is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EZYPIKINS View Post
Plek does good, still have to cut your own nut and saddle to suit your style.
That's not strictly the case. SCGC get the Plek to do nuts and saddles. Most importantly, they have the machine profile the fretboard before the frets are installed, and the frets are Plek'd after installation too.

Guitar companies that install the frets before fitting the neck (Martin, Gibson et Al) can't use the machine to its full potential. Basically, the Plek only has the frets to work with. I think that you can see how this can be problematic - and not ideal.

Regarding the toll on the technician. I can vouch for that. I was doing fretwork every day and my elbows, forearms and hands were in a shocking state. I had to give up as it really wasn't doing my health any good at all. A bespoke luthier will only be doing a fraction of the time on frets that a shop tech will handle, so I'm all for any solution to this aspect of guitar work.
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  #9  
Old 11-27-2022, 06:39 AM
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Bob Womack Bob Womack is offline
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The Plek machine is a wonderful innovation for guitar purchasers in that it pretty much guarantees that the frets will be playable from the factory. That is wonderful, because before the Plek, even guitars from excellent manufacturers could arrive with the frets in a sorry state, necessitating all sorts of work.

Now, there are all sorts of things other than frets that determine overall playability of an instrument, and all sorts of little changes can occur in an instrument between the factory and your home, some due to environmental factors. There are some reasons that guitars can be optimized after being Plek'd:

1. The guitar may encounter new environmental factors at its destination and need to acclimate, throwing off the setup.
2. The manufacturer may have a target playing style that they set up the guitar for. A dread may be set up with nut and bridge high and lots of relief in anticipation that the owner will thrash it with a heavy pick and it will need a tall setup to cope with that playing. But what if you play lighter?
3. Let's face it: there can be levels of "Plek-age," even within one manufacturer. One way to make a less-expensive guitar hit its price point is to spend less employee time working on it, so the manufacturer might spend less time Plek-ing a guitar that will be sold at a $700 price point than he does on his $3700 guitar. That could mean fret ends that need dressing and a nut with sharp corners on the $700 guitar.

I have never taken a Plek'd guitar to my luthier that he hasn't greatly improved, so I simply reserve the money to take every guitar I buy to him.

Bob
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Last edited by Bob Womack; 11-27-2022 at 08:32 AM. Reason: speeling
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Old 11-27-2022, 11:36 AM
mrjop1975 mrjop1975 is offline
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I think it makes a difference. I had a Gibson and Martin plek'd while having set-up (having bought them new) and honestly, it was a good investment. Now if it was a budget import I probably would not be inclined to, but those 2 truthfully benefited from being plek'd while being set up.
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Old 11-27-2022, 12:09 PM
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I have never taken a Plek'd guitar to my luthier that he hasn't greatly
improved, so I simply reserve the money to take every guitar I buy to him.


A good tech with a plek (song title) might be a good alternative to either or.

These guys say it is a good tool to have available but not a magic cookie...



-Mike
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Old 11-27-2022, 05:54 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Womack View Post
I have never taken a Plek'd guitar to my luthier that he hasn't greatly improved, so I simply reserve the money to take every guitar I buy to him.
There are things that my luthier does that no Plek job I've ever seen has done that take the job just that much further. Like cutting the nail slots on a 3+3 headstock so that the strings don't bind and pull out of tune, even when you bend like nobody's business. Like rounding the fret ends with twelve cuts from a file. Like re-setting loose frets, raising low frets, and lowering high frets. Like rounding off sharp points on the nut. Like cutting the springs on the saddle of Gibson ABR-1 bridges to get them to travel far enough to intone. The result is that the guitar feels broken in, very comfortable, and familiar.

Kenny has been doing it for nearly forty years and I've been going to him for thirty of those years. He's done several refrets for me and lots of setups. The last group I took to him included three Plek'd instruments that he set up to my needs.

Bob
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Old 11-07-2023, 09:44 AM
Skydog Skydog is offline
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Bumping this thread because I’ve read quite a bit on the plek process but I’m still not sure how much plekking involves the nut and saddle. Specifically, I have a 4 year old Collings that was factory plekked. I recently had to add relief as the fretboard was very flat under string tension. When fretted @ frets 1 & 12, a piece of paper wouldn’t fit under the 6th fret. Now that I’ve obtained ~0.010” gap, I’ve eliminated the buzzing, “sitar” sound, but I believe the saddle is too high. I’d like to reduce the saddle height, but don’t feel right about undoing the plek job. I’ve probably done that already with the truss rod adjustment, but it was needed. I think the nut height is fine. Looking for some thoughts/knowledge on this please.

Last edited by Skydog; 11-07-2023 at 10:06 AM.
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Old 11-07-2023, 10:09 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skydog View Post
Bumping this thread because I’ve read quite a bit on the plek process but I’m still not sure how much plekking involves the nut and saddle. Specifically, I have a 4 year old Collings that was factory plekked. I recently had to add relief as the fretboard was very flat under string tension. When fretted @ frets 1 & 12, a piece of paper wouldn’t fit under the 6th fret. Now that I’ve obtained ~0.010” gap, I’ve eliminated the buzzing, “sitar” sound, but I believe the saddle is too high. I’d like to reduce the saddle height, but don’t feel right about undoing the plek job. I’ve probably done that already with the truss rod adjustment, but it was needed. I think the nut height is fine. Looking for some thoughts/knowledge on this please.
After 4 years of playing, humidity and temperature changes, going in and out of the case etc.... the setup of the guitar is bound to be different than when it was Plecked.
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Old 11-07-2023, 10:18 AM
Skydog Skydog is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Osage View Post
After 4 years of playing, humidity and temperature changes, going in and out of the case etc.... the setup of the guitar is bound to be different than when it was Plecked.
I realize that, for sure, and didn’t think twice about tweaking the neck, but the saddle itself shouldn’t have fluctuated. I would consider the saddle and nut to be a constant in this equation, although their relationship to the neck relief has somewhat changed. I’m wondering if they leave the factory on the high side to allow adjustment.
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