Tomorow i m going to give my baby at the luthier because frettes are absolutely dead everywhere, i mean can't do any work on them they at the same high than the fretboard. So i would like to have advices from those who have already done that operation on their Gretsch. I d like very small frettes because i love when strings are very low, and i used to do so with my gibson guitars, with 10/52 strings. Anyway my old thing is comfortable, and i see it as my everyday guitar so tell me what you think of that,please

Get stainless steel frets if you can, they'll brigten up your tone.

What year is your Corvette?

I'd love a late 60's one - with two Hi-Lo's and a Burns trem. Preferably, the three-a-side headstock, I prefer it to the 4/2 headstock.

Got any photos?

I would suggest you go for vintage frets (6230) given your description, those are the profile they use on gretsches anyway, and they're one of the smallest fret sizes commonly available. You can get them in stainless steel like Marlin suggested if you'd like to, but if you want to be historically correct stick with nickel/silver. :)

Perfect! Wow , you know all on that forum . You're all amazing

So i give the Vette tomorow... For one month!💘 it ' s a new man, it seems to be good , hope he is! The ref that you give me, Tara, could you give me the brand ( or is it Marlin?). I guess the difference between vintage correct and normal frettes is the way they behave in time, and maybe a more "clear" sound for the vintage correct . I wait to hear what the luthier will say about that because sometimes those guys just wait money.

You can use any brand, Skev, Fender make good frets & if your 'vette is a FMIC era Jet (made after 2003) there would be Fender brand frets on there.

Some luthiers & guitar techs have rolls of fret wire in all sizes, and I'm not sure what brand it would be, but it should be fine.

That's what i tought/ the brand is not as important as the the metals used. The Vette is a 65', the radius is absolutly flat but totally playable...But when frettes are deads...'can't create them with my fingers !! I had a friend luthier but he moved in the south (in Corse) and i'm in Normandie...

Exactly why you should get brand stuff(Dunlop, Warmoth).. or buy from a respected guitarpartssupplier... You really don't want to refret a guitar after only a few years(Another reason to consider Stainless). No telling the nickel/silver content tolerances of cheap obscure stuff bought of fleebay... The metal composition/alloy is what it's all about. I had German fretwire(from ABM) lasting me 25 years on a guitar. By comparison the fretwire on a stock Korean Epiphone needed a level after one year.

[edit] To be fair I haven't experienced this with any of my other 6 Epiphones, so maybe a bad batch I dunno...

I went to see the luthier yesterday and told him what Tara said , vintage small frettes, that 's what he wanted to do anyway! He will call me to after having observed the 'vette quietly , then we 'll decide together of what will be done ( the action i want etc...). I started guitar a t 16 with a Korean black epiphone dot 335 , i just can say you re right when you say frettes are not very hard and are easily used ! Except that i remember having made my first gigs with it and it was trustful! i changed pickups with seymour duncan 59' and it was fine. I m really thinking about buying another 'Vette, I love these old thing! And "No pain, no gain" so i ve to sell my sg and others things for that!
Anyway, i repeat that people here really know Gretsch from A to Z on that forum And it s gold ! so thanks

Good to hear Skev, glad we could help!
I hope your 'vette is back with you soon & rocking better than ever :D

That's my first real vintage guitar, the oldest that own before my 65' was a 79' Les paul pro deluxe ( didn't like it at all!), so i'd like keep it in a good shape a long time , and maybe buy another one ...I actually play on my 93' Sg standard and, even if it is easier to play, i prefer the sound of the old Vette.

Nice to hear. I think the Vettes are hugely under rated.

Tara, have you looked into Vetteries at all?

Tara, have you looked into Vetteries at all?

I have indeed, there's one on my GAS list! but since I want a vintage one & I'm currently unemployed (apart from a very dead Rockin' Repairs - word has yet to spread in Berlin) I have a little conundrum of the monetary variety.. Maybe when the money starts rolling in again ;)

Well, if you're patient, you can get a modern, used Corvette on ebay (UK) for the bargain price of £220. One of these would tide you over until you get the vintage Vette, and it's a mighty fine Gretsch to boot.

The G Love is the king of the vettes - I love that guitar.

I hate to say it, but I'm allergic to signature-model guitars, and I'm not a big fan of the colour of the G. Loves.. I'll hang out for a vintage one :)

You won't get a used G Love for less than £550 anyway. Only the standard Corvette and Stumpomatic go cheap.

Good luck with your quest :)

If switch the sg or smething else , it will be for an old sixties 'vettes