FRETCUTTERS: COMPOSITION, OPTIONS AND RESHARPENING CYCLE
One special aspect of the Plek system is our fretcutter service. Each fretcutter blade has 3 separate fret shapes which can be identical or different from each other. This means that you can choose between different shape combinations, i.e. 3 identical, 2 identical and one different shape, or 3 different shapes. One shape can process between 50 and 500 instruments, depending on a range of factors such as number of frets, neck width, fret material, and “pre-Plek” neck quality and fret seating. Typically a fretcutter head used in production lasts longer than one used in guitar repairs, since the processes of neck/fingerboard preparation and fret installation are more consistent and controlled when building new instruments.
PLEK SERVICE CUTTER
As standard, the Plek Station comes equipped with our Service Cutter, which is suitable for repair work.
The Service Cutter has 3 different shapings for maximum flexibility in the repair context. Plek provides a pool of these standardized fret-cutter heads, so that they can be shipped immediately on ordering, thus minimizing any interruption to your working process.
PLEK CUSTOM CUTTERS
Custom Cutters can be any combination of shapes. However, because they are custom-made, we cannot main-tain a pool of reserve cutters. We therefore recommend that customers buy 2 identical Custom Cutters, i.e. one in active service, and one in re-serve. In order to prepare a Custom Cutter, Plek will need your fretwire specs. The shape combinations of customized fretcutter heads can be adapted to meet any fret wire specifications you may have.
SERVICE OR CUSTOM? CHOOSING THE RIGHT CUTTER FOR YOUR NEEDS
Choosing the right fretcutter depends strongly on your requirements. If you do mainly repair, we recommend our Service Cutter.If you do mainly production, we recommend a Custom Cutter. If you do both, we recommend that you have both a Service Cutter and a Custom Cutter, and change between the two as necessary. Changing a fretcutter takes around 15 minutes.
SHAPE COMBINATIONS: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
- Using 3 identical shapings per cutter blade:
The advantage: most efficient fretcutter use.
The disadvantage: the fretcutter needs to be exchanged when pro-cessing instruments with different fret wire.Recommended for production machines. - Using a fretcutter with different shapings per cutter blade:
Can be either 2 same plus 1 different, or 3 different.
The advantage: Full flexibility regarding the sequence of instrument/fret wire types, no need to exchange the fretcutter between processing instruments with different fret wire.
The disadvantage: Not as efficient as using a fretcutter with 3 identical shapes, because one shape will be dull before the other.
Recommended for service/repair work.
