We had posted late last year about Wechter Guitars and their newly installed Plek Pro fret dressing machine. This German made, computer-assisted contraption scans the neck while the instrument is strung up to pitch, and creates a detailed, three dimension image of the neck and frets. Then, after the strings are loosened and moved to the side, the Plek actually dresses and shapes the frets to an optimum setting.

Abe Wechter has satisfied the curiosity of a great many instrument lovers with a YouTube video that shows the Plek at work in his shop. It really is something to see.

You can find out more abot getting your guitar set up using the Plek Pro system on the Wechter web site.

Wechter Guitars has posted several YouTube videos with Abe Wechter showing how he uses computer assisted design software in creating the Scheerhorn-licensed resonator guitars he produces. Anyone interested in how this software has been embraced by the instrument building world will surely enjoying seeing this brief demonstration.

There are eight videos in all, spanning the process from computer design through woodworking and assembly, shot by photojournalist Mark Bugnaski and edited by Andy Ellis, former Guitar Player senior editor.

One of the videos can be viewed below, and all eight can be seen on the Wechter web site.

The folks at Wechter Guitars have put together a video called Crafting Wechter Guitars, shot by award-winning photojournalist Mark Bugnaski. It is available for viewing (in two parts) on YouTube.

The video shows craftsmen at work in the Wechter shop, and is presented in a documentary style, without narration. It runs just over six minutes in total. There is also a Wechter slide show presentation on YouTube.

Wechter makes a variety of hand crafted acoustic guitars, as well as Scheerhorn-licensed resonator guitars and the Rob Ickes signature model Scheerhorn/Wechter guitar.

We got a note recently from Abe Wechter at Wechter Guitars about their new Plek fret dressing machine which they use to set up new guitars prior to shipping. The device is a German-made, computer-assisted apparatus that does a detailed virtual imaging of the neck while the instrument is strung up to pitch.

Plek describes their process as follows:

The scan generates many graphic images, complete with extensive dimensional data regarding the neck, fingerboard, frets, strings, nut and bridge. In other words, it allows you to choose and view any aspect of the neck, frets and strings in detail while providing measurements of everything. The technician can then do a virtual fret dress on the computer monitor, applying any of the usual preferences and styles that go into an ideal fret dress for that instrument.

Then, when this virtual fret dress is ready, the loosened strings are moved to the side of the neck so that the Plek can dress and shape the frets. The Plek then does that exact fret dress extremely accurately and referenced to its original scan so that, when restrung, the fret plane is level, the relief is ideal and the finished fret shape is very consistent. All of this is done to tolerances as tight as .0004in., far more accurate than manual work and consistent every time.

Wechter says that they use their Plek Pro to file frets, cut nuts and trim saddles on all new guitars. The Plek can also be used to set personalized, custom string height and playability preferences for existing Wechter guitar owners.

More details are available on the Plek web site.