Thoughts on This PLEK? Anyone tried it?

[Bearitone]

Those that have had a guitar Pleked how do you like your guitar now?

 

[MaxOfMetal]

It's not any different, from the human perspective, as a professional fret level and dress.

 

[sakeido]

The two Suhrs I had were both PLEKed and both were amazing. My Modern carve top is almost 10 years old and the fretwork is still perfect.

Maxofmetal is right in that a pro will get the same results, it's just with a PLEK you are guaranteed to get great results whereas your mileage may vary with a guy doing it the old fashioned way. Even a great luthier will occasionally fuck up a fret or two.

 

[Albake21]

I've heard nothing but good things and considering it's a machine doing it, I'm sure there's way less of a chance for error compared to a human doing it. I really want to give it a try in the future.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

I've heard nothing but good things and considering it's a machine doing it, I'm sure there's way less of a chance for error compared to a human doing it. I really want to give it a try in the future.

It's not magic, it still requires a trained operator to evaluate the guitar, perform proper pre-run procedures, and input parameters, not to mention proper regular maintenance to run well.

Gibson has PLEK'd every USA guitar since 2014 (all CS since 2006), yet folks still talk about Gibson fretwork like it's from an Ibanez GIO. Deduce from that what you will.

 

[Bearitone]

Well there’s only 2 places within hundreds of miles from me that do it so...

I might either go to one of those places (one in Beverly Hills, one in Huntington Beach)

OR i could buy a guitar from Sweetwater and have them Plek it before shipping it to me. I have been eyeing an RGIB6 for awhile.

Fuck it. Christmas present to me lol

 

[Alex79]

I think Gibson uses or used it for new guitars. It is obviously saves labour costs.
So a lot of people probably have played PLEKed guitars without knowing it.

 

[JSanta]

The fretwork on my 2019 Gibson 1960 Les Paul is great. Along with a superb setup from The Music Zoo, it plays fantastically.

 

[Tuned]

I hadn't any aftermarket PLEK guitars, but I did own USA LAKLAND basses with hand-levelled fretboards and hand-installed frets and their import LAKLAND Skyline basses that come pre-PLEKked. Absolutely great levelled and finished frets on each. Totally dig them.
I hear that LAKLAND will do PLEK on your guitar too, but they are situated in Chicago

 

[Shoeless_jose]

My Gibson frets are great...wood is wood though a perfect plek wont last forever and it isnt magic.

 

[jephjacques]

The last few Gibsons I owned all have stellar fretwork, it's the sloppy-ass finish and binding work that always makes me roll my eyes

 

[Albake21]

I hadn't any aftermarket PLEK guitars, but I did own USA LAKLAND basses with hand-levelled fretboards and hand-installed frets and their import LAKLAND Skyline basses that come pre-PLEKked. Absolutely great levelled and finished frets on each. Totally dig them.
I hear that LAKLAND will do PLEK on your guitar too, but they are situated in Chicago

Wait, really?? These guys are like 5 minutes from me. I'm going to email them to see if that's true and how much it would cost.

 

[Ordacleaphobia]

It's not magic, it still requires a trained operator to evaluate the guitar, perform proper pre-run procedures, and input parameters, not to mention proper regular maintenance to run well.

Thing is though, odds are if they're operating such an expensive piece of equipment, they probably know what they're doing.
Granted, my brother is a contractor so I'm well aware of how loose of a statement that is, but still.

PLEK is great for people who live in a relatively unpopulated area since you'll probably have to mail your axe out anyway. Around here, there's only 1 tech I'd really trust enough to bring my guitars to, and his waitlist for just a setup is about 4 months+. I keep meaning to try it but I never remember it when my guitars need work, and even then I tend to just do it myself since I hate waiting

 

[vilk]

My Explorer is PLEK'd and I think the frets are really fantastic.

 

[Grindspine]

It's not magic, it still requires a trained operator to evaluate the guitar, perform proper pre-run procedures, and input parameters, not to mention proper regular maintenance to run well.

Gibson has PLEK'd every USA guitar since 2014 (all CS since 2006), yet folks still talk about Gibson fretwork like it's from an Ibanez GIO. Deduce from that what you will.

Gibson runs a single pre-programmed Plek run for a batch of guitars. Getting a guitar individually scanned and through the Plek gives a much cleaner result.

I have two of my old guitars (both Korean imports with questionable fretwork in the first place) through the Plek. Both came out wonderfully and play better than they did when they were new in the 1990s. As stated above, an experienced luthier running the Plek and doing the final check is a necessity.

 

[Rich5150]

Ive ordered 2 guitars through Sweetwater that I had plek'd and they play incredibly well, one was the LTD Snakebyte Bari that I had them put a Bone Nut on as well, and my new Charvel DK24 they both came out great.

 

[Soya]

Wait, really?? These guys are like 5 minutes from me. I'm going to email them to see if that's true and how much it would cost.

Hmm color me interested too, not too far from me and I can't quite get the Fretwork on my Schecter good enough.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Wait, really?? These guys are like 5 minutes from me. I'm going to email them to see if that's true and how much it would cost.

The Music Gallery over in Highland Park has a PLEK machine. Good folks. I recommend them.

 

[Bearitone]

Ive ordered 2 guitars through Sweetwater that I had plek'd and they play incredibly well, one was the LTD Snakebyte Bari that I had them put a Bone Nut on as well, and my new Charvel DK24 they both came out great.

Dude if you ever want to sell that snakebyte hit me up

 

[Soya]

The Music Gallery over in Highland Park has a PLEK machine. Good folks. I recommend them.

Good deal, Lakland said they're only set up to do their own basses.