Welcome to All Guitar Players and by the Way, are you annoyed in any way by the current state of your Guitars' Playability?Welcome All Players!Do you own a new or used fretted musical string instrument; an acoustic or electric guitar and in spite of how much fun it must be to actually play music, are you somehow discouraged by the way your instrument feels under your fingers to the point you don't find it appealing enough to pick it up very often?
Is it that you get turned off by how quickly your fingertips begin to burn as you fret single notes or when making what should be easy chords and worst of all when attempting to make bare chords?Do you keep trying despite the gap in your experience? Thank God for the pioneer stock in our gene pool!
Do you know that you could have a much more easy and forgiving feel under your fretting hand?
You see, the problem with why it's so tough to play is most likely not with you.
Playability problems like the ones desribed above are in direct relationship to exactly how the instrument you have was
built and delivered and especially what kind of effort was made by the dealer where it was originally purchased to set it
up for the purpose it was intended for .
Wouldn’t you be much more content if your instruments were set up to:
When you want to play and somehow can't guite get full enjoyment during the experience because the last time you made an attempt it left your finger tips sore and way too tender or it wouldn't play in tune or stay in tune, if the very thought of picking up the instrument again turns you off, chances are the instrument in question is simply not even remotely set-up correctly to use for the purpose it was intended for; making music.
The potential lost opportunity and real tragedy is that when any guitar whether it's new or used causes you any discomfort and pain to practice on for any length of time or to play even more than a few songs with, then you can't help but be turned off thinking that you don't have what it takes to really get on with it.
Consider the possibilities if only your instrument offered no real physical resistance to being played on.
Can you imagine having a responsive instrument with a forgiving, easy string action without any annoying buzzing, allowing you to enjoy a completely natural and fun playing experience?
A skilled professional player will defintely take issue and question a mediocre set up instrument, and a thoroughly set up instrument can be a true joy to play, regardless of what the instrument retail price.
For those wanting to play, who are turned off because the instrument thay have lacks an easy and fun to play feel who might have been told that upgrading is the only solution, don’t believe it! There is no real guarantee you will be any better off or any further ahead in the quest to find an instrument which is way harder to put down than it ever was to pick up, just by upgarding.
Please allow me to introduce myself.My name is Miles Jones.
In 1982, I took advantage of the opportunity to begin learning the nuts and bolts of acoustic and electric guitar construction as well as the ropes of real world instrument service from Michael Heiden and Norm Clayton at Keen Kraft Music, now Long and McQuade Music in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
I seized the opportunity to gain valuable experience and since then, I've been truly priveleged to be able to work with literally thousands of professional and amateur players on all kinds of acoustic and electric guitars and other fretted musical string instruments over the past two and a half decades with a singular aim of perfecting the playability of their instrument by permanently resolving any and all of their issues and fulfilling their indivdual requirements.
As a result, I have along the way, made sure with each project completed, I have done my very best to perfect the playability af each instrument, regardless of the brand name or model.
My skills and experience are available to overhaul a poorly playing instrument so that it will produce a exceptional level of playability apparent to any player, experienced or beginner, who picks up your instrument.
I promise you will find that it makes far more sense to rework the playability characteristics or dial-in the instrument you have right now instead of throwing it away, trading it in or worst of all upgrading to a more expensive model. Your instruments, if you are struggling at all with them from a technical point of view, have probably never been completely prepared to be truly playable!
How about a transformed set up on your instrument which allows you to just more or less touch the string to make a note? No more pressing so hard that it hurts; silky, buttery smooth action, think about it! I believe everyone deserves an instrument that feels completely natural, responsive and effortless to play, which plays in tune and stays in tune with itself.
At Fret Works, I respect my clients’ needs and wants and I genuinely care about the quality of the tools they use to make their art. I'm committed to working in such a way as to transform your instruments' feel and response so that it is completely natural and comfortable; to play the way you like it and the way you want it to be.
It's demanding and time consuming work to tweak every area of an instrument and yet over the past two and a half decades I've been privileged to play a role in resolving key playability issues or effecting permanent improvements on instruments belonging to all kinds of professional and amateur local players from all over Alberta, across Canada, the United States and even for touring players whose homes are in the far corners of the globe.
I work with individuals who are struggling with anything less than what they need, want, expect and deserve from the experience of owning a fretted musical string instrument.
Please drop in, call or write and we can make arrangements to assess your instrument together, if practical. During the assessment, we can determine what the facts suggest and I will identify the root causes and the solutions to those issues which are causing you problems.
You can help me tailor my service to your individual requirements by showing me how you like to play, the action you'd like and I can get a sense of your picking attack. I can offer to explain all the corrective measures and the steps required to transform your instrument into one which literally comes alive in your hands.
miles@fretworks.com
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Satisfied clients
-Amos Garrett, Living guitar legend.
Amos has recorded with Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, Maria Muldaur and more than 200 others. He's a long time client of Fret Works and one of my favorite human beings.
"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
"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
"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 come out to the gig to tweak little things I don't even pickup on. What a consummate professional you are. Thanks pal, Glen"
-Glen Yorga
"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 I was unaware that a guitar could be set up so it wasn't such a workout to play on. But one only learns when they are ready and I'm ready to learn now! Thank you."
-Geoff Jones
"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 beautiful music on their instruments, with their hands, and in their hearts would do well to seek out Miles' caring knowledge and expertise in all that is and will be 'GUITAR'."
-Brent Rintoul
"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 for at least an hour and it sounds better too. Best of all you didn't juice me on your prices. Thank you so much."
-Jonathan MacDougall
"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 can't believe it.
"As if this wasn't enough, he did the work on New Years Day and delivered it to my residence personally so that I could take the axe with me on an extended stay in Germany. This is service that is totally beyond the call of duty.
"Miles, you have made me a believer and I know that all of my axes will benefit from that level of quality care. I have now asked Miles to completely customize my 1990 PRS. Based on what I have seen, our personal discussions, and the many testimonials from others, I have no doubt that the end result of this "little" project will be a screaming hot rod axe second to none anywhere."
-Richard
"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
"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 of extras to milk my wallet. I will be doing business with you again.. exclusively."
-Frank Melbar
"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
"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 is a graphite neck Stratocaster style guitar.
"I prefer to do set ups, pickup wiring and minor work myself. I would not have learned to do these things as well were it not for the help and insight Miles has shared with me over the years.
"In my growth and progress as a human being and as a guitar player over the years, Miles Jones and Fretworks have been valuable beyond measure. Three words sum it up well from my point of view - Dedication, Diligence, and Integrity. Thanks Miles."
-Brad McHugh
"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 where it had been hanging on the wall for 3 years. It has accompanied me to 4 Provinces, spent time with me at sea while serving on a Destroyer, saw me through 4 years in Germany, and 99 days in the ‘90\’91 Gulf War, and I’ve grown attached to it.
"So, although it’s not an expensive guitar, when I noticed the bridge was starting to separate from the body, I knew I wanted to repair it rather than buy a new one. I found Miles Jones quite by accident while surfing the Internet for guitar repair shops in Calgary, and what a serendipitous find it turned out to be.
"From the moment I met Miles, he treated me as if I were an Amos Garrett, or a Jan Arden. He looked over my guitar, asked me about my playing style, told me what he thought needed repairing and what did not, and gave me what turned out to be an accurate estimate.
"Miles re-affixed the bridge, made a new saddle, fixed a loose tuning key, filled in a minor wood compression on the back of the neck, at my insistence (he said I didn’t need them done yet) he replaced the frets, he repaired some minor cracking in the gloss finish on the back and polished the whole thing to a nice water gloss finish.
"Miles even fixed the loose covering on my old guitar case, and because the job took slightly longer than he had planned, when it was completed, he hand delivered it to my house. My old guitar plays better and easier than it ever did, and sounds fantastic, even with me playing it. Thanks for everything Miles."
– John Stewart
"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 found Fretworks through the internet. Talking the job through with Miles, I knew I had found someone who really cared.
"The re-fret with jumbo tall frets has returned my SG to a condition better than I've ever known it.
"Miles did such a nice job that I won't hesitate to send my others to him when their turn comes. Miles' attention to detail and customer service is a model for any business."
-Steve Bassett
"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 a bundle."
-Barry Hawkins
"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 tools and how to get great sound out of them. You, my friend, are worth more than money. Always drive carefully :) "
-Michael Gothreau www.fatbottomband.com
"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
"Miles turned my ailing 35 year old acoustic into a guitar that plays like b-u-t-t-e-r! Thanks Miles!"
-Fred Palmer
"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
Other Musicians who's guitars I've had the privilege to work on include:
Jann Arden
A multiple Juno award winning local Diva, internationally known for her rendition of Anne Loree's hit song Insensitive
Gaye Delorme
Gaye Delorme is certainly one of my favorite guitarists of all time, and he was the first live guitarist I ever heard play up close. He had a profound impact on me that got me attracted to guitars in the first place....Gaye is a one of THE consumate entertainers of our time, always amazingly original and generous in his performance. He is able to weave complex rhythms and lead work in a spell binding effect. To me and the legions of his loyal fans, Gaye is truly one of Canada's most awe-inspiring guitar players and who remains very unpretentious, passionate, with a very funny sense of humor to boot.
Russ Broom
Another huge favorite guitar player of mine. Fortunately for us, Russ is 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!
Spencer Davis
Legendary British R&B band leader of the Spencer Davis Group and probably most famous for the tune I'm a Man
Tom Knowles
Long time bassist and friend for aeons, Tom is now a happy family man and on top of the short list when mucicians need someone to hold down the bottom end. Find him accompanying acts which include: Long John Baldry, Auntie Kate and many others.
Other great clients include:
Tim Williams,
Ellen Mcilwaine,
Eddy Clearwater,
Cam Malloy,
Long John Baldry,
The Peter Tosh Organization, General Public,
Johnny V,
Pat Simmons,
Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson,
Ray Montana,
Carl Weathersby,
Johnny Nitro,
Zuckerbaby,
Silent Partners,
Nigel Mack,
Robbie Laws,
Eddy Vann Shaw.