Hours

10:00 am to 6:00 PM: Monday to Friday

10:00 am to 3:00 PM Saturday.

Please call or email to let me know you’re coming over as the shop is in the country, on the Cowboy Trail (Highway 22), just North of Sundre and I would hate to miss you.

403-243-5839 or miles@fretwork.com.

I’m happy to see your guitar at your convenience and I commute to make house calls or just phone me or write an email to book an appointment.

Fret Works is closed Sundays

Lifetime warranty on all materials and workmanship.
Satisfaction guaranteed always!

Payments & deposits

25% of estimate when I receive your instrument,

Balance in full on delivery,

Regular Rate:	$80/hr	Attended to in the order received
Overnight Rate:	$90/hr	Ready before your next gig
Same Day Rate:	$100/hr	Priority – Emergency Service

Pick Up & Delivery $25

The shop is just north of Sundre on Highway 22.

344044 Highway 22, Clearwater County, Alberta

Postal Address

PO Box 60
James River Bridge, Alberta
T0M 1C0

Telephone
(403) 243-5839

I will respond to your inquiry as soon as the pace in the shop allows.

For gigging players who require same day service,all work in progress is usually halted in order to respond, and same day service is available, at a slight premium.

Otherwise, orders are undertaken on a first in, first out, basis.

Testimonials

Fret Works

"I've known Miles for over thirty years and have been playing for thirty seven years. Over the past fourteen years, I have been a frequent client of Fretworks for everything from the ground up restoration and custom finishing of a Gibson Flying V to my current custom guitar project which ... read more

Brad McHugh

Fret Works

Brad McHugh

Fret Works

"I will never trust anyone but Miles with my guitars. Great service, care and concern. It is nice to see someone who has a passion for what they do and truly cares about the customer and their instruments. Thanks again." -Jeff Hiscock

Jeff Hiscock

Fret Works

"Thanks Miles, for the great work on my guitars. Your dedication, attention to detail,and excellence, goes a long way. The old Gibson and the Strat are playing better than ever. Thanks again. The Force Is With You...."

Lester Quitzau

Fret Works

"Hi Miles, I used my 7 string archtop in the studio yesterday and it was great...super clean and super presence. Another thing is the balance you've achieved vis a vis the strings and the pickup. It's sounding and playing the best it's ever been. I thought you should know. Thanks ... read more

Barry Hawkins

Fret Works

I've spent over 20 years putting together my guitar collection. It holds a very high value to me and I don't trust many people with my gear. Miles has managed to set up and customize my guitars to an unbelievable level of playability. They play better than ever before and ... read more

Scott Baird - Blood Union, Da'Kine, gabr1elle, Halo

Fret Works

"For the past 25 years I've watched you grow and blossom into the only one I'll trust to work on my guitars. No matter how minor, or complicated the job is, your honest approach to the problem, sincere concern about the solution, and care for the customer's instrument is what keeps ... read more

Johnny V

Fret Works

"Miles, You've serviced five of my instruments now and I have yet to find any fault with your work. You are a valuable asset to any musician. Not only have you done great work on my guitars, but your freely imparted wisdom has helped me discover more about these cherished ... read more

-Michael Gothreau

http://www.fatbottomband.com/

Fret Works

"Dear Miles, The black Johnson you repaired for me used to kill my hand after ten minutes. I didn't know the guitar didn't play well because it's my first and I thought it was normal until a friend here in Fernie told me you could doctor it up. Now I can play ... read more

Jonathan MacDougall

Fret Works

"Thank You Miles for making my guitar into a great instrument. It is amazing how much difference the setup has made in releasing my inner Jimmy. Thank you for treating me and my guitar like we mattered." -Doug Unrau

Doug Unrau

Fret Works

"I have personally known Miles for over 34 years, and I do not believe that anyone could find a craftsman/mentor (alive today) in ANY field that is more COMMITTED to the TOTAL SATISFACTION of his customers and students than is Miles Jones, Proprietor, Fretworks. Anyone sincerely interested in making more ... read more

Brent Rintoul

Fret Works

"Thanks Miles! You are the first luthier ever who has done work for me as advertised. I could not find anyone in my own country (the U.S.)who seemed to understand what "make it play in tune" means. You did excellent work and did not try to sell me a load ... read more

Frank Melbar

Fret Works

"Wow, Miles, and Fretworks, are truly one of a kind. Miles took my brand new factory setup Ovation and tweaked it into the guitar it should have been in the first place. What a tremendous difference on the action and playability. From barely playable to smooth as silk. I still ... read more

Richard Debruyne

Fret Works

"It was time to re-fret my vintage 1964 SG Special, the one I've had for 25 years. I was really worried about finding the right pro for the job. "Though I love tinkering with my other guitars, and have built a few, I wasn't about to hack my SG's bound fingerboard. "I ... read more

Steve Bassett

Fret Works

"I received it yesterday. Magnificent! Incredible! I can't imagine how it could have been done better. Great action and wonderful sound. Both my son and I are delighted. You were right -- we are competing for playing time." -Ron Russell

Ron Russell

Fret Works

"Miles -- 'to-die-for' tweak job on my tele last week--will sing your praises in the U.K. this summer. Thanks-Amos" -Amos Garrett Amos Garrett has notably recorded with superstars likeStevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt,Maria Muldaur, Gatemouth Brown, Jesse Winchester and more than 200 other well established artists.

Amos Garrett

Fret Works

"Hi Miles, Cool site. Thanks for all the years of extra work that you have done to keep my 67 Precision still singing like it never has before. I am a fan of your endless insight to the problems that I have had with my bass. The times you have ... read more

Glen Yorga

Fret Works

"Miles setup my Strat to play like it never played before. He also reprofiled the neck of my Yamaha acoustic, planed the bridge and setup it up so that it plays and sounds great! I highly recommend Miles' professional and affordable work." -Brent Rawlings

Brent Rawlings

Fret Works

"Wow! Miles turned my Franken-Tele parts guitar into something as good or better than the 'real deal'. He's also turned what I thought to be a pretty rad Strat into something that almost plays itself! Thanks Miles!"

Brian McClennon- Aktivate

Fret Works

"Hi Miles. I just wanted to thank you for the great work you did on my Fender Acoustic. My guitar and I have developed a new relationship! I'm practicing every day and really digging the sound and its playability. I wish I had came across Fretworks 10 years ago because ... read more

Geoff Jones

Fret Works

"I’m not a celebrity, a professional guitar player, nor even a good guitar player, as anyone who has heard me play will attest, I’m just an ordinary guy who likes his guitar. "I bought my 1976 K-Yairi YW-700 guitar new in late ’79, found it in a guitar store in Halifax ... read more

John Stewart

Fret Works

"Miles turned my ailing 35 year old acoustic into a guitar that plays like b-u-t-t-e-r! Thanks Miles!" -Fred Palmer

Fred Palmer

Pro Clients

Fret Works

A work in progress. What are you going to do if you’ve already been through what most bands would consider a “career”? You’ve had a major label deal, critical acclaim, played almost every venue in Canada, toured with scads of “big” acts, and had several hits at radio and Much Music? You’ve had some member changes, internal strife, been fucked over by a major label, and ultimately decided to go your separate ways? If you feel there is more to say and do, you start over from the beginning. That’s precisely what Zuckerbaby is doing. After a five year hiatus Calgary’s own alt-pop misfits are back together because the ending never felt right.

Zuckerbaby

Fret Works

Zuckerbaby

Fret Works

Jann Arden

A multiple Juno award winning local Diva, internationally known for, among her impressive collection of great work, her rendition of Anne Loree's hit song Insensitive.

Jann also continues to be an active supporter of charities including:
“Cure” Foundation for Breast Cancer
infocure@fondationcure.com ,

Kids Help Phone
info@kidshelp.sympatico.ca & World Vision

Jann Arden

Fret Works

Johnny V forged his original fire-brand style of blues over the past thirty years by practicing, researching, performing and honing his skills. The term "getting in your face" has never known a better illustration than when the "Vmeister" starts firing volleys of scorching guitar passages intertwined with his passionate vocals.

Johnny V

Fret Works

Long John Baldry's amazing musical legacy which if properly notated would fill a few pages in any rock encyclopedia. Long John's forty-five year career is a rich tapestry of recording, performing, great bands, discoverer of talent and actor. Long John is particularly known for his associations with former band members Rod Stewart and Elton John.

Looking closely at LJB's musical tree you will discover that virtually every musician who came up in England during the 60's have some connection to LJB. Names like Ginger Baker, Jeff Beck, Brian Jones, Beatles, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart and The Rolling Stones are cemented in LJB's musical history. In fact, Eric Clapton has stated many times that he was inspired to pick up a guitar after seeing Long John Baldry perform in the early 1960s.

Long John Baldry

Fret Works

Gaye Delorme (March 20, 1947 – June 24, 2011)

Gaye Delorme was certainly one of my favorite guitarists of all time, and he was the first live guitarist I ever heard play up close who had a profound impact on me that I really became attracted to guitars in the first place....Gaye was a one of THE consummate entertainers of our time, always amazingly original and generous in his performance. He was able to weave very complex rhythms and lead work seamlessly to a spell binding effect.

To not only me but to the legions of his loyal fans, Gaye was truly one of Canada's most awe-inspiring guitar players who is yet very unpretentious, passionate, with a very funny sense of humor to boot.

Gaye Delorme

Fret Works

Robbie Laws

"The beauty of the blues is that it's very simplistic music. It doesn't require a great deal of technical prowess to perform. What it does require is an immense amount of emotion. Emotional content is the main ingredient in the blues"

Robbie Laws

Fret Works

Nigel Mack -

"From Chicago to New York to his hometown of Vancouver, Canada, blues man Nigel Mack (vocals/harmonica/guitar) is a triple blues threat.
Drawing rave reviews for his CD High Price To Play his driving mixture
of Chicago, delta and funk blues is wowing audiences across
North America."

Quote from the Vancouver International Jazz Festival Guide

Nigel Mack

Fret Works

Tim Williams,

Tim Williams is a blues-based singer / songwriter / multi - instrumentalist. He is a 40 year veteran of the 'Roots' music scene in North America, roots which stretch back to the coffee-house scene of his native California in the mid 60's.

Settling in Canada in 1970, Tim is a studio musician, producer, and a performer in constant demand. He has played Folk / Blues / Jazz festivals and concert halls and clubs from Halifax, to Vancouver Island, to the Yukon.

Inspired by the Hillbilly and Western Swing music he heard as a child, Tim absorbed late Fifties Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll, Hawaiian and Mexican music, early Sixties Folk, and Bluegrass “like a sponge” before discovering a passion for traditional blues styles which was fueled by seeing many first generation blues musicians live during the “Blues Boom” of the mid and late Sixties."

Tim Williams

Fret Works

Lester Quitzau

Meet Canadian roots music artist Lester Quitzau, a mellow guy who throws down a heavy groove. In a field where intangibles like feel and integrity count for so much, Quitzau has forged an exemplary career.

What began with a solid blues apprenticeship in the funky working-class bars of Edmonton has grown into an eclectic and constantly evolving musical journey for the guitarist, singer, song-writer, composer and producer.

Whether he's coaxing languid, hypnotic sounds from his slide guitar in an intimate solo concert, or improvising freely with musical partners like Bill Bourne and Madagascar Slim, the Very Electric Trio, or his latest work with Mae Moore, a hard-won honesty underscores every note.

Lester Quitzau

Fret Works

Carl Weathersby

Vocalist, songwriter and guitarist Carl Weathersby is a soul-blues crooner in the classic Chicago tradition. Best known for his work with Billy Branch and Sons of the Blues, Weathersby's first album, 1996's Don't Lay Your Blues on Me, was hailed as genuine, state-of-the-art Chicago blues for the '90s. Weathersby released his second album, Looking Out My Window, in 1997, and the raves continued; the song "The Blues Follow Me Around," which Weathersby first recorded with Branch, was nominated for a Handy Award.

Carl Wethersby

Fret Works

Although he is a bit of a mystery man, Amos Garrett is undeniably, one of the most lyrical and original guitar stylists ever and he has been in hot demand as a studio session ace for at least the past four decades. Among the many kudos he has received for adding his unusual melodic conceptions, which are unmistakably pure Amos, he is highly praised for the funky rhythm and soaring lead work that adorned Maria Muldaurs' highly popular 1970's top 40 hit: "Midnight at the Oasis". Amos continues to be regarded by the who's who of the guitar playing community as a true innovator and is cited as a major influence on many hot players such as Jerry Donahue, most recently notable as a member of The Hellecasters and is very well known as a member of Fairport Convention.

Amos Garrett, who is without a doubt, a truly legendary Guitar God, has enthusiastically and happily endorsed the work I did for him on his Fender Telecaster at Fret Works for many years. Amos Garrett means so much to me, not only because he is one of the world's most inspiring, truly original and pureguitar players, the world has ever known, but because we are friends and he trusts me to keep his guitar in perfect condition.

Amos is well appreciated and admired for his taste in space and time and for his thrilling, mind bending guitar chops and his totally unique feel for the strings and thus his mango sweet tones, an incredibly blissful melodic feel and really just an overall kind of guitar sound which is so naturally appealing and which always reminds me of the incredible privilege it is to know and make myself useful to the guy and what a joy it is just to be alive.

He has a loyal, one could add cult following among all seriously informed and dedicated musicians and among the millions and millions of avid listeners all around the whole wide world. Amos Garrett knows exactly what he's looking for in terms of playability because he is an unparalleled master of the instrument. If you don't know Amos Garrett, you to only just check out his version of "Sleep Walk" or the 1976 Smash Hit "Midnight at the Oasis" to get a tiny sample of his beautiful melodic phrasing and uplifting and soaring solos, his delicate touch and yet his complete command of the guitar. He has influenced legions of guitar players for at least three, if not four generations, with many of the new boys like Mark Knopfler of Dire Straights or Jerry Donahue, most recently of the Hellecasters, owing a long overdue tip of the hat and more verbal acknowledgments to the man who has been fearlessly and joyfully lighting the pathway so brilliantly for everyone else with a guitar in their hands to freely follow.

Amos has willingly attested in writing to the "to die for" excellence with which the task of modernizing his Fender Telecaster was carried out to his exact order.

This was accomplished by planing the fingerboard to be truly level then modifying and blending the high register radius of the fingerboard of his stock Fender Telecaster from a 7 1/4" cylinder shape into a cutting edge, modern HOT ROD compound radius shape of a final 12" curve, at the end of the high register. Of course replacing all of the frets with a slightly wider and taller wire than the thin tiny vintage frets and only after work super-hardening and gluing them down permanently, following up with a custom rewire on the guitar to his spec and then finally tying it all together with a bow by setting up his guitar so that the strings, to quote the man "are layin' right on the deck".

All in all the work completed at Fret Works for Amos has made him happy, content and so relaxed when he plays because for him it is so slinky, so smooth, so effortless and slinky to play on, that's right I already said that that he declared it The Best Guitar he has ever played!

All that work was completed in the Spring of 1991 for Amos Garrett and that axe is still going strong in in 2007 with the same frets which were installed back in 1991! That's only 15 years of constant and delicious playability off one set of new frets and there's no sign they are about to wear out soon.

Anyway thanks so much for all those wonderful chords and all those glorious licks Amos! You are God with a guitar feeding my soul and Man, do you tie a mean trout fly!

Amos Garrett

Fret Works

Russ Broom

Another huge favorite guitar player of mine, Russ is very fortunately for us, still a local Calgary guy. He has a deft touch and is oh so very much in command of his guitar and has his own sound, like Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughn. He is also a multi-stylist, multi-dimensional guitarist and when Russ is not working on tour with Jann Arden, he can be found working on any one of a variety of professional sessions crafting jingles or applying his golden talent and keenly honed chops and illuminating the collective work on various recording projects. Watch out for Russ Broom, he will sweep you off-a you feet!

Russ Broom

Fret Works

Eddy Clearwater

Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater is a versatile, flamboyant Chicago blues rocker who can perform good-natured party music and original, deep, melancholy blues with equal finesse.

"It's country and blues and rock 'n' roll combined...high energy music," Clearwater says of his trademark sound.

Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater

Fret Works

Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson

is one of the premier blues artists to emerge from Chicago’s music scene. Hailing from Itta Bena, Mississippi, Johnson arrived in Chicago in the mid-fifties a young man. At around the same time, the West Side guitar style, a way of playing alternating stinging single-note leads with powerful distorted chords, was being created mostly by Magic Sam and Otis Rush. Originally developed because their small bands could not afford both lead and rhythm guitar players, this style grew into an important contribution to modern blues and rock, influencing such notables as Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler. Johnson served a long sideman apprenticeship with both Magic Sam and Muddy Waters, while developing into a strong performer in his own right. Today, Luther is widely considered the foremost proponent of the West Side guitar style and the heir apparent to the late Magic Sam’s West Side throne.

Luther Johnson

Fret Works

Johnny Nitro -

"If the world was fair, Johnny Nitro would be famous," says Michael Locke. The dean of the North Beach blues scene, mentor to Tommy Castro and countless others, Johnny Nitro packs The Saloon every Friday night -- "unless he has a better gig." Johnny has the regular Sunday night slot there too, when he often invites his many guitar students to come air it out. Several gigs a month at Lou's Pier 47 on the Wharf as well.

Johnny's backed by wife Silvia Newton on vocals and tenor sax, Tom Bowers on bass, and Perfesser Dick McDonough on drums.

Johnny Nitro has played with Albert King, Albert Collins and Sonny Rhodes. Johnny wroteDirty Dishes, a song made famous by Albert Collins and also recorded by Tab Benoit.

Johnny Nitro

Fret Works

Eddie Vann Shaw

Guitarist and singer Eddie "Vaan" Shaw, Jr., is the son of blues saxophonist EDDIE SHAW. MAGIC SAM and HUBERT SUMLIN taught Shaw the basics of blues guitar. Shaw jammed with Sumlin and other Bluesmen who frequented his father's West Side club, Eddie's Place (aka The 1815 Club), and plays in the house band. Shaw eventually became a member of his father's band, the Wolf Gang, made up of musicians that had backed Howlin' Wolf in the early and mid-'70s. Since then, Shaw has begun a solo career, though he also continues to work with his father. His album Morning Rain was released on the Wolf label in 1993.

Eddie Van Shaw