To Plek, or Not to Plek? That Is My Question

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Personally, I prefer plectrums that don't have lazer etched logos on them that can ruin the entire feel and balance. Sharpie applied logos and signatures are just fine.
That would save money, but there could be copyright issues. Ah, who cares. We'll tie 'em up in court 'till we're long gone.
I like the way you think.
 
I think we've beat this death to horse.
Nice chuckle though for mid January.
 
I had an Epiphone Les Paul Deluxe Studio plek'd at Sweetwater, it came back in worse shape than I sent it! It's more than the machine, it's about who the tech was and how much experience they have and care they take... they didn't much of either. I had to fight to get them to refund me.

I bought a PRS 594 McCarty S2 at Palen Music in Springfield, MO and their tech, Danny, is amazing, caring and super experienced. They know how to use their plek machine but moreover they know how to do a proper set up! I won't trust another soul with any of my guitars!
YMMV
 
Just as an update, the guitar arrived today. Beautiful, and absolutely SPOTLESS. I exaggerate not.
Took it out of the case, all the strings were completely slack. When I got to the bottom 3, I noticed that the strings were wound backwards. BACKWARDS!!!
I wrote the seller and expressed my discontent. He said he was sorry. He said that after he had done "some fret work" to "get the neck straight" and "fix the intonation", he "must have put the strings on wrong".
After a few emails, he told me that he had only been at fixing guitars "for a couple of years".
Needless to say, the guitar is on the way back to Texas, and the money is on the way back to my bank.
I won't trust another soul with any of my guitars!
Amen, Brother!

PS: I sent him a video of how to string a guitar.
 
Just as an update, the guitar arrived today. Beautiful, and absolutely SPOTLESS. I exaggerate not.
Took it out of the case, all the strings were completely slack. When I got to the bottom 3, I noticed that the strings were wound backwards. BACKWARDS!!!
I wrote the seller and expressed my discontent. He said he was sorry. He said that after he had done "some fret work" to "get the neck straight" and "fix the intonation", he "must have put the strings on wrong".
After a few emails, he told me that he had only been at fixing guitars "for a couple of years".
Needless to say, the guitar is on the way back to Texas, and the money is on the way back to my bank.

Amen, Brother!

PS: I sent him a video of how to string a guitar.
You should also say to him "Go Plek Yourself!" ?
 
Just as an update, the guitar arrived today. Beautiful, and absolutely SPOTLESS. I exaggerate not.
Took it out of the case, all the strings were completely slack. When I got to the bottom 3, I noticed that the strings were wound backwards. BACKWARDS!!!
I wrote the seller and expressed my discontent. He said he was sorry. He said that after he had done "some fret work" to "get the neck straight" and "fix the intonation", he "must have put the strings on wrong".
After a few emails, he told me that he had only been at fixing guitars "for a couple of years".
Needless to say, the guitar is on the way back to Texas, and the money is on the way back to my bank.

Amen, Brother!

PS: I sent him a video of how to string a guitar.
So you returned the guitar because the strings were wound on the posts backwards? Did you even try to tune it up and see if it was any good? It;s not a big deal to rewind the strings.

I know people who prefer to ship guitars with the strings slack. It's done to try to minimize the chance of having the headstock snap. The comment of "doing some fret work" is a bit concerning. A plek'd guitar shouldn't need work, other than maybe some truss rod tweaking.
 
So you returned the guitar because the strings were wound on the posts backwards? Did you even try to tune it up and see if it was any good? It;s not a big deal to rewind the strings.
That's not the reason, but it was a clue something was amiss. Look back at my previous post with regard to the "work" he did.
I can buy the same guitar, new, for the same price. That said, I offered a lesser amount,
As we speak, he accepted my offer and refunded the difference.
Now I will tune it up correctly
 
I just purchased an Epiphone Casino Reissue, dated 2022. The description indicated that the seller had the frets 'plek'd". I know what the process is, and heard much about it, though I've never had a one.
I'm used to doing my own fret work, and have had very good success turning Chinese cheapos into very playable guitars.
This is my 4th Epi, (AJ 100 acoustic, Emperor II Joe Pass, Les Paul "Gibson" and an Epiphone Special). I've worked on all but the JP. The jazz box is too pretty and a little above my pay grade.
Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
PLEK is a proprietary CNC machine to level and recrown frets. It costs twice as much as a standard level and recrown because of the initial cost of the machine. The end result is only as good as the skills of person setting it up. My thoughts, from my experience, are that my results are better but the PLEK’d guitar isn’t terrible. Paying double for the ‘privilege’ of your guitar being PLEK’d doesn’t make a lot of sense. It would be more logical for the PLEK’d service to be cheaper, not more expensive IMO.
 
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^^^^ Truth

But there are always those that will religiously prefer the plek because of its ‘exclusivity’. But any good luthier can do as good if not better than a machine. Along with specifically fine tuning the setup to the player.
 
^^^^ Truth

But there are always those that will religiously prefer the plek because of its ‘exclusivity’. But any good luthier can do as good if not better than a machine. Along with specifically fine tuning the setup to the player.
I’ve never worked on a PLEK’d Gibson that didn’t play better after I worked on the frets.
 
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PLEK is a proprietary CNC machine to level and recrown frets. It costs twice as much as a standard level and recrown because of the initial cost of the machine.
That's obviously the reason mass production guitar manufacturers use it. It makes for a consistent product that's perfectly fine for the masses.
Every guitar player I know has a "go-to" guy for help. I've been taking mine to Rob for years. As soon as I walk in, he knows exactly what I want, and delivers every time. He's not at your luthier level @Scott Baxendale, but he is very good at his craft. AND I trust him.
 
That's obviously the reason mass production guitar manufacturers use it. It makes for a consistent product that's perfectly fine for the masses.
Every guitar player I know has a "go-to" guy for help. I've been taking mine to Rob for years. As soon as I walk in, he knows exactly what I want, and delivers every time. He's not at your luthier level @Scott Baxendale, but he is very good at his craft. AND I trust him.
If I had a PLEK machine in my shop I would sell the work done on it at a discount rather than at an upcharge. I would sell the hand work expertise at a upcharge. This would make a lot more sense.
 
If I had a PLEK machine in my shop I would sell the work done on it at a discount rather than at an upcharge. I would sell the hand work expertise at a upcharge. This would make a lot more sense.
So, the long and short of it is that you (and other competent luthiers) simply know it that that y'all can do a better job of fret dressing etc than a Plek machine is capable of doing?
Is that right?

I agree with you 100% that putting a guitar in the hands of a competent luthier is the best approach.
 
If I had a PLEK machine in my shop I would sell the work done on it at a discount rather than at an upcharge. I would sell the hand work expertise at a upcharge. This would make a lot more sense.
That would make sense AFTER the machine made back the $250k investment.
 
That would make sense AFTER the machine made back the $250k investment.
It wouldn't require all that much time for a company like Gibson to absorb the cost of the Plek machine, but I suspect it that boutique custom guitar luthiers are quite capable of building guitars matching or exceeding a Pleked guitar.
 
That would make sense AFTER the machine made back the $250k investment.
That is the big dilemma, however NO ONE has reduced their pricing after their machine was paid off. $250K is also a ridiculous amount for a CNC machine when you can buy a new industrial CNC machine for well under $20K. So your shop ends up spending the next couple of years just paying off the proprietary software. Lastly, with your logic is my 50 years of practical skill just chopped liver?
 
@Scott Baxendale, as business man, completely understands the Total Cost of Ownership, (TCO). The initial CapEx cost is a significant and a barrier to entry. Additionally, the associated costs: shipping, installation, training, etc., add another layer of cost. Then there are upgrades, upkeep, and other costs i.e. cost to run the machine, waste disposal, potential down time, that make this financially prohibitive for a small to mid-size business.
The best point he makes though is regarding his talents and experience. There is his reputation, his experience, his customers, the quality of his work, and moreover, his hands on connection with his patrons. You can't put a price on that.
I like chopped liver, a lot. I make my own. At least I know how, use the right ingredients, spend the time to do it right, and them take joy and appreciation from a job done right!
If you love your job, you'll never work a day in your life.
 
The initial CapEx cost is a significant and a barrier to entry. Additionally, the associated costs: shipping, installation, training, etc., add another layer of cost. Then there are upgrades, upkeep, and other costs i.e. cost to run the machine, waste disposal, potential down time
This is exactly how they make you think it’s better. What about these exact same costs for the highly skilled luthier? Isn't this basically saying that a $200k machine is superior to a highly trained worker? What about the costs for me to drop out of college to take up guitar making? When I started building guitars for a living I made $2.36 per hour. Now I’m doing good to make $80 per hour 50 plus year later. When do I get compensation for these expenses associated with the machine but overlooked toward the highly skilled worker?

It’s similar with a band who is trying to make it by touring on the road. The artist has put every dime he has into his art whether that is in gear, recording time, travel expenses, etc, etc. When this artist goes out on tour he is the very last person on the totem pole to get paid. The sound guy, the waitress, the booking agent, the record label, the merch guy, etc,etc, all get their cut off the top before the artist gets any portion of his share.

I stand by my point that a shop who is using a PLEK machine should be charging less, not more, for this service than to do it properly by hand.
 
That would make sense AFTER the machine made back the $250k investment.
So the consumer should be paying double just so the shop can pay off their machine? So, what happens when it’s paid for? That is sort of like a Toll road where they okidoke the tax payers by saying that once the bridge is paid for the toll will stop. This happens like NEVER

Can I charge my customer more if I decide to purchase a tool that will make the job a little easier? I’ve never been able to do that in 50 years of this work.
 
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