GET PLEK'D
What's a Plek machine?
A Plek machine is the portal to the highest level of fretwork possible in a fretted instrument. It is simply the greatest pair of eyes and hands a luthier could ever wish for. Its unparalleled diagnostic capabilities, coupled with the ability to level and crown frets to an accuracy of 4/10,000" allow for unheard-of levels of playability.
As a diagnostic tool, the Plek has no equal. It sees everything. No other technology or methodology comes close. If your instrument has a playability or fret problem, the Plek will identify it in stunning detail. After an instrument is diagnosed, the Plek calculates tool paths for each string and executes fret leveling and recrowning to a level of accuracy unmatchable by human hands. However, the human touch is key to the entire process. Once the machine has finished, I administer the human touch necessary to bring the guitar to its full potential. My thirty-plus years of doing this work at a very high level enable me to set up a guitar for every style, every string gauge, every tuning, and every player. I apply the finishing touch after the Plek has performed its magic.
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What can the Plek machine detect?
Many things!
For example, the current state of the setup. In exacting detail, it reveals where the strings are in relation to the frets. It paints an exact picture of the fret plane. Are there any high frets? Low frets? How high or low? Is the neck in relief or backbow? Is the fingerboard level? Do the frets follow the shape of the fingerboard? Is the nut appropriately cut? And much, much more.
What can the Plek machine do to correct problems it detects?
The machine can level and recrown frets to perfection. If the fingerboard is misshapen, it can be planed to restore the correct shape. It can perform custom fingerboard radii, including compound radius. It can also do this in the fret tops without fingerboard planing.
The Plek machine also cuts nuts with perfect slot depth and spacing. It is customizable to fit the specific job, and this is true of nearly everything the machine is capable of.
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