Pre-owned Taylors, fret wear evaluation question

[egkor]

I seek help to understand "fret wear", particularly when spotted on used Taylor(s) I am evaluating for purchase.

For example:  Local music store has a used 2008 Taylor, priced right for model, year and condition. I go play it, it plays well, sounds great. A small ding on the top and on the back, not a big deal or a show-stopper. I really like the guitar.

But then I notice, the first fret (by the nut) has some obvious fret ware under the G or B string, as does the second fret.

Now it was not deep, but it was obvious.  In playing the guitar I didn't detect anything unusual, in other words if I didn't look at the fret under the string(s) I would not know there was any fret wear.

Question:  At what point does fret wear become a factor in the used Taylor buying descision?  If I had to grade the fret wear as none/light/medium/heavy, I would grade the wear spot on the first fret under the G or B string "light/medium".

If I go back and they still have the guitar, I will take a cellphone pic and post it (I didn't think to do that earlier).

Any help/advice appreciated!

-Gary K

[tamiller1952]

All frets wear, influenced by playing style, capo use, how you place the capo, where you place your fingers, etc.  Frets are crowned, or rounded on top so it takes very little wear to make a small flat spot.  You'd be amazed at how little wear in thousandths of an inch is actually there.  If the guitar plays well and the wear isn't deep enough that you can catch a fingernail on it I'd consider it not a factor.  Every guitar I have showed some fret wear in just a few weeks or less.

[Gutch]

It's a used guitar.  Frets wear down.  It means it was played.  That's good.  If it plays and sounds good, and doesn't have any real issues (minor fret wear is not an issue), buy it. 

[cjd-player]

It is true that because the fret is a polished surface, wear spots just a few thousandths deep can be quite obvious.  If there are no buzzing or intonation issues, it probably looks worse than it is.

If the wear is deep, you could probably have the first few frets dressed to remove the marks.



edited for price

[egkor]

Thanks everyone, I feel better now!

-Gary K

[M19]

Hope it's still there for you.

[egkor]

Hope it's still there for you.

Thanks, its now up to other factors, like cost/budget/need/etc. 

-Gary K