Plek me!!!

[Genebaby]

I've decided to get one of my guitars pleked. The black Charvel I bought last year, needs some fret work and my local guy has been too unwell to attempt it and I thought about pleking it last night instead.

I looked into it and it seems the only machine in Australia happens to be in Sydney, where I'll be in two weeks to see two Gaga shows, so I called them up and told them I'll be visiting and what I want.

They will charge me extra to do it overnight, but it should be totally worth it, I can't wait to see and feel the difference in this guitar.

It will hopefuly be my main guitar in the current band once setup fully, along with the Flame Charvel I also got last year. The Flame one is currently being played the most.

Has anyone here had experience with a guitar of theirs being pleked?

Some info: http://www.plek.com/en_US/home/

A video about it:

[youtube][/youtube]

[doublev2]

Looks good.

[shramiac]

Interestng indeed! I'm sure you'll inform us of the outcome!

[Genebaby]

I think I will. Really looking forward to this and I may do other guitars in the future.

I have heard about it for a long time, had no idea there was only one machine in this country. Lots of guitar manufacturers use them now on new instruments.

[Shred4hire]

soem would argue that its not as good has hand crowning i have had a guitars that hav been pleked its very good no doubt.

[poserboy71]

How much does it cost ?

[Genebaby]

Not the cheapest. Setup for a Floyd here is $300. Regular bridge guitars are $250. Pricing is similar in the US from what I read.

There is still lots of human work to do. Especially on guitars like this one with the truss rod adjustment at the heel. Such a pain in the ass Leo!!!!

[poserboy71]

I'll just enjoy being slightly out of tune with a bit of struggle for good measure.

[Genebaby]

The Plek won't fix your intonation, though that would be done by the tech as part of a good setup, lol.

I love a low action and this seems like the quickest and easiest course, seeing as I'm visiting so soon.

[Shred4hire]

Rick hanes guitars from indonesia ( they are sending me 2 guitars ) have a plek machine and every guitar is pleked from the factory . they build high quality guitars sorta in the markey of ESP JAPAN ( no crappy parts or what ever) they built the first run of the buddy blaze imports ( i sold mine) but it was also plek'ed.

www.rickhanesguitars.com

[Genebaby]

Is Plek, is good.

[Genebaby]

Ok, the Plek machine is good but I don't think too much of the human side of the setups at Sydney Guitar Setups. We talked before hand, they knew I was a light touch player who likes the fretboard flat with the strings really low.

They gave me the guitar back with enough back bow to play slide guitar! I mean, the frets were nice but with that much backbow you wouldn't need to touch the frets much.

As it stands I can work with it as it needed a fret job as I was adjusting it all myself and it wasn't gonna happen without some work. So now I'm tweaking the truss rod and shimming the nut as required. Haven't touched it in a few days as I hate the old school adjustment at the heel, but once it's done, it's done.

[poserboy71]

Make the fuckers get it correct.

[doublev2]

yeah. breath fire in their face.

[Genebaby]

They are too far away is the problem. I had to pick up the guitar and go. If I was in town for a coule of days again soon enough I would organise something. Just wanted to give everyone in the area a heads up.

[shramiac]

That sux dog's balls!

[Genebaby]

Yeah, it is what it is. I'm over it. Not worth the stress. The GMW balls up though, that's a different kettle of fish!

[metatron]

They are only 10min away from me, but I've always been in the mind set that they are a hoax.

[Genebaby]

Who is a hoax Dannii? The machine is the real deal, the store sux.

[metatron]

Who is a hoax Dannii? The machine is the real deal, the store sux.

By default the machine is as much a hoax as the store is. If you have a fighter plane & don't have the skills to fly it. No point in having it. Just a big paper weight collecting dust. Big Hoax all round.

[Genebaby]

For these guys yes, for a quality shop that takes the time to achieve what their customers want they can do a kick ass job. Nobody in Australia though.

[1031]

I may be bit confused, I am reading this that you had it Pleked and it came back wicked high? And if so I would be pissed as hell to have some one take $300 dollars and then say you may have to adjust the neck your self.

The pleck thing is interesting, but it seems like the worlds most expensive fret leveler. And why would you have to check for high frets after this machine milled the frets? This is just me, but I have the belief that each guitar is individual. Each player plays the guitar differently, from pick attack to string pressure applied. This is the reason I dont work in a guitar store where I would be forced to do setups at straight factory spec's. So I could get a crap load of work done. To me the guitar is an extension of a players expression and no two are the same.

I have had necks that took days to allow the wood to catch up to the neck adjustment. It does not happen very often but once in while you get a neck that is like a slap of concrete.

The other thing, and I may have misunderstood this from the video if they are milling frets to the set relief of the neck you are boned. The frets are now only in tolerance to that relief. I guess the process must have its advantages or no one would invest in these machines.

[Genebaby]

From what I can gather you are meant to have the neck set with the tension you want to play it with, so adjust the truss rod and tune up the strings and lower the action.

These guys had way too much relief for my liking but I live too far away to make it worth my while to bother them so they lose a customer and I help spread the word they do terrible setups.

Clearly they would do terrible setups with or without this machine as a flat neck with super low action is what I wanted.

You live and learn. No more $$$ for Vinnie, or for these guys......and GMW!!!!!....

[Shred4hire]

its a great process and its totaly perfect if your plekd to the gauge you use for example if its pleked to 9's dont go throwin a set of 10s on it and expect it to be perfect youll have to make a neck adjustment ... onece its set though it will always be straight un less the neck warps or twists. in which case it wasnt properly dried .

[metatron]

You live and learn. No more $$$ for Vinnie, or for these guys......and GMW!!!!!....

Yer list of no more $$$ for certain products & service providers is growing by the minute. Fuck them, they can't deliver, they don't deserve my loyalty or my hard earned money. It's a big world with lots of choices and lots of providers that will go the extra mile to not only fulfill the obligations but go beyond. These days not only will not purchase their goods, but will go on the net & slag the shit out of them to anyone that will listen. Started my war on Daisy Rock Guitars on the weekend. No mercy. I'll slang them to any forum, new group, FB page . Thanks to Chris and Warden for joining in.