Freddy’s Frets

If you’re anywhere in the Southern Ontario area and you ask about someone to do work on your guitar, there is a good chance if you’re talking to an accomplished musician that only two words will come out of their mouths — Freddy’s Frets.
I knew the reputation, I’ve wanted to get my older 6-​string acoustic tuned up for a while and so towards the end of last year when I picked up a new 12-​string acoustic I put both guitars in for set-​up and new nuts and saddles to replace the plastic ones. Freddy works out of two locations, I met him at his NOTL shop/​home and spent a few minutes with him to see what shape the 6-​string was in. He pointed out what I hadn’t seen but was plainly obvious once a finger was pointing at it, several of my frets were pretty badly dinged. Maybe from the guitar falling on something, maybe just because this is the oft-​played area. First five frets from the neck needed to be refretted. We discussed the pricing, Freddy recommended tusq for the nut and bone for the saddle, I knew his experience and reputation so I deferred to his recommendations.
After a couple weeks, it was over the holiday season, my guitars were ready for pick up. WOW! What a difference a set-​up makes, not just on my old 6-​string but on the 12 as well. It’s like they were brought into focus, very noticeably, playability is much better, the sound is more precise, they’re both restrung with the strings I normally use (D’Addario EXP phosphor-​coated bronze) so it’s not a foreign string making the difference, I’m at work now already looking forward to getting home and playing them again.
You can spend some time on YouTube learning more about some of Freddy’s more well-​known clients including Alex Lifeson from Rush, and what makes him tick and see some of his work in action so I don’t need to blather on about that, but this 5-​star review was an easy one. Mandolin, cello, dulcimer, whatever you’re playing if you want to realize its full potential look no further than Freddy’s Frets. You may be a little apprehensive at the pricing if you need more work done than just a basic set-​up, but the results deliver. I spent @ $ 600 on getting the two guitars I have dialed in, around $ 400 on the 6-​string and $ 200 on the 12-​string, it was worth it. My 6-​string Yamaha DW-​8 I paid $ 550 for 12 years ago, today sounds more like a brand new Taylor costing three times as much.
Customer for life right here.