Anyone been Pleck'd yet?

[dave_bass5]

I was just wondering if anyone know who's doing it over here in the Uk, and more specifically in London.

Or if anyone has already had a Bass done and any thoughts about it.

For anyone not familiar with this process, have a look here.
[url="http://www.lakland.com/plek.htm"]Lakland Pleck[/url]

Edited November 3, 2008 by dave_bass5

[bremen]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='320850' date='Nov 3 2008, 12:37 PM']I was just wondering if anyone know who's doing it over here in the Uk, and more specifically in London.

Or if anyone has already had a Bass done and any thoughts about it.[/quote]

Exsqueeze me? A baking powder?

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='bremen' post='320856' date='Nov 3 2008, 12:41 PM']Exsqueeze me? A baking powder?[/quote]

sorry, just updated my post with a link.

seems to be the buzz word over in the USA at the mo.

[grossey]

I don't know anyone who have had it done, but the place to go in the UK is Charlie Chandlers Guitar Experience in Hampton Wick (walking distance from Kinngston). As I said I don't know any who has had this operation done, but I can highly recommend them based on work he has done on friends guitars.

[Kiwi]

I was all set to take my Smith 6 down there a couple of years ago and Chandlers talked me out of it! Apparently the plek machine they have cost them thousands of pounds and they don't use it. Although it takes into account the neck relief under tension, apparently it doesn't take into account HOW the neck bows under tension. Its calculations are based on an assumption of an even curve along the length of the neck instead of allowing for the flat spot we all know exists above the 14th fret. Consequently they've found that plekked instruments don't play very well in the upper frets.

Chandlers say they can do a better job by hand.

[Mokl]

Apparently Chandlers have recently installed a new and improved plek machine. I haven't tried it but am seriously considering it for one of my basses.

Edited November 3, 2008 by Mokl

[dave_bass5]

Cheers guys.
At the moment i dont need it but its nice to know its there.

Any idea what chandlers are charging?

[grossey]

I don't know how much but please be aware that there are two shops in that area of Surrey.
Candlers in Kew and Charlie Chandlers Guitar Experience in Hampton Wick.
Both have a Plek machine (I believe the only two in the UK). The two shops are unrelated (in a business sense) but are by family blood I understand.
Anyway CCGX as they are commonly known as have a high opinion of the Plek system.
Both have websites, google Chandlers Guitars and CCGX respectively and you should find them.

[ARGH]

(Sigh)....a job over complicated by technology,setup and stoneing...been done for years....all thats really needed...like Buzz feiten (Or whatever its called)..The audience dosent notice the difference,I doubt most musos would notice the difference.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='ARGH' post='321102' date='Nov 3 2008, 05:20 PM'](Sigh)....a job over complicated by technology,setup and stoneing...been done for years....all thats really needed...like Buzz feiten (Or whatever its called)..The audience dosent notice the difference,I doubt most musos would notice the difference.[/quote]

I wasnt aware that it was supposed to change the tone. i thought it was just a tool to help make your instrument more playable.
Im not sure i would notice the difference unless i was actually playing it. But im sure i would notice a well set up neck.

It might have been done for years but not in 20mins as far i know.

[BigBeefChief]

From the Chandler website:

"Plek set up - Optimum relief is possible using the Plek re-profiling machine which can adjust fret height to an accuracy of less than 1/100 mm for enhanced playability. We actually have a superior service which initially uses the Plek system but then we finish off by hand."


Kinda makes you wonder what the point is?


Having said that, I've not tried it so it might be great.

Doubt it though.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Looks amazing, but I've just had my frets redressed by Rob Green on one of my basses & it's perfect. I have a feeling that a machine will never replace a craftsman :

Rich.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='321110' date='Nov 3 2008, 05:28 PM']Kinda makes you wonder what the point is?


Having said that, I've not tried it so it might be great.

Doubt it though.[/quote]

I just think the whole point is that its quicker and cheaper than the old way. Its not something that has to be done this way.
Reading through the TB threads it seems that the machine can store a neck profile of someone that likes a low action for example. Then if you take another bass in it can pretty well match (or try to) the same profile.

Like i say, its just what ive read. Thats why i was asking if anyone here has had it done.

Edited November 3, 2008 by dave_bass5

[ARGH]

The idea reeks of 'S-1' switches and fingerboard woods affecting tone....


A rush job is a rush job,a true craftsman wont rush...hell Mike Tobias wont set up an instrument after he's strung it for at least 24 hours,speedy string changes are impressive enough,but a sprint job and your bass is 'Magically' perfect sounds like Yankee bullshit corner cutting to me.

And dont necks shift over time..season to season? Renders the whole thing pointless.

Edited November 3, 2008 by ARGH

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='321114' date='Nov 3 2008, 05:31 PM']I just think the whole point is that its quicker and cheaper than the old way. Its not something that has to be done this way.
Reading through the TB threads it seems that the machine can store a neck profile of someone that likes a low action for example. Then if you take another bass in it can pretty well match (or try to) the same profile.

Like i say, its just what ive read. Thats why i was asking if anyone here has had it done.[/quote]


I'd be keen to get your views on it if you do go ahead. As I say, I have no experience of it, so it could work really well.

Due to the fact that instruments vary so much, I would be surprised (and impressed) if it could make an instrument more playable than a talented luthier.

I think I remember reading an article about one of the big manufacturers using it as standard on their high end stuff. It could just be a gimmick though. Adjusting fret height to such accuracy seems pointless when its attached to a bolted on bit of wood that gets knocked about and grows/shrinks depending on temperature.

As I say, this is just speculation so its probably utter bollocks and a Plek'd bass would probably turn me into the Ox.

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='ARGH' post='321124' date='Nov 3 2008, 05:42 PM']The idea reeks of 'S-1' switches and fingerboard woods affecting tone....[/quote]


Don't start on S1 switches Ross! I'll defend them to the death!

You can pick on Bubinga wings and birds eye maple necks as much as you like, but leave the S1 out of this!

[RayFW]

If it's good enough for Lakland...

[Hamster]

[quote name='grossey' post='321086' date='Nov 3 2008, 04:56 PM']I don't know how much but please be aware that there are two shops in that area of Surrey.
Candlers in Kew and Charlie Chandlers Guitar Experience in Hampton Wick.
Both have a Plek machine (I believe the only two in the UK). The two shops are unrelated (in a business sense) but are by family blood I understand.
Anyway CCGX as they are commonly known as have a high opinion of the Plek system.
Both have websites, google Chandlers Guitars and CCGX respectively and you should find them.[/quote]

IIRC only the Hampton Wick shop has a plek machine, and the bloke who knows how to get the best out of it left the shop over a year ago.

As for the family blood ties between the two shops, I'm advised it's bad blood!

[ARGH]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='321127' date='Nov 3 2008, 05:44 PM']Don't start on S1 switches Ross! I'll defend them to the death![/quote]
On a P-Bass....why?

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='ARGH' post='321157' date='Nov 3 2008, 06:19 PM']On a P-Bass....why?[/quote]


I agree. Pointless.

But not on a Jazz.

[ARGH]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='321159' date='Nov 3 2008, 06:22 PM']I agree. Pointless.

But not on a Jazz.[/quote]
But DONT ever say "It makes it sound like a P-Bass"...Coz it does NOT!

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='rayfw' post='321137' date='Nov 3 2008, 05:55 PM']If it's good enough for Lakland...[/quote]
True, but their machine will primarily be used on Lakland necks, which would hopefully be a known quantity (to Lakland, at least), and as such may well be capable of setting [i]those[/i] up with unerring accuracy. As a machine used by a manufacturer, it will also be subjected to a large sample size, from which maximum and minimum variances can be used to create an "ideal" for a nominal Lakland neck.
Good for their purposes, perhaps not so good for repair shops or custom manufacturers.

If they were that good, wouldn't every manufacturer use them, and wouldn't every guitar shop be like Kwik-fit;

Bzzt, Bzzt, clatter, clatter...
All done, sir! Off you go!

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Laklands reason for using Plek seems to be to save their workers' hands rather than it being superior to a [s]hand[/s] manual job.

The fretstone John at the Gallery did on my CIJ mustang is absolutely perfect for my TI flats with ultra low action. I can't imagine any way that bass could possibly play any better.

[bassbloke]

I had one of my basses pleked. The bass played like a total pig beforehand and playedlesslike a pig afterwards. Turns out that the owner beforeme had used a piece of nylon packing tape as a shim which had totally screwed the playability. All in all it cost me £150.

My advice. Save your money.

[Kiwi]

TBH, its really NOT that hard to do a fret stoning by hand. Jon Shuker showed me how to do a refret and stoning on a guitar neck and excellent results were not difficult to achieve. If I can do it then anyone can! The only draw back is the cost of the tools, but if you're otherwise considering spending 80 quid and own more than one instrument, its worth paying for the tools instead and finding a friendly luthier to show you how to do it. You'll repay the cost of the tools with every stoning.

[quote name='grossey' post='321086' date='Nov 3 2008, 04:56 PM']I don't know how much but please be aware that there are two shops in that area of Surrey.
Candlers in Kew and Charlie Chandlers Guitar Experience in Hampton Wick.
Both have a Plek machine (I believe the only two in the UK). The two shops are unrelated (in a business sense) but are by family blood I understand.
Anyway CCGX as they are commonly known as have a high opinion of the Plek system.
Both have websites, google Chandlers Guitars and CCGX respectively and you should find them.[/quote]
Charlie Chandler started Chandlers and sold the business on before starting CCGE. It could be said he has a vested interest in the Plek system because he was originally the sole UK distributor.