Fret wear is a map of how a guitar has been played. The divots, flats, dents, and uneven spots often say more than the owner realizes.
Wear patterns tell a story
Deep grooves under cowboy chords, flattened bend areas, worn high frets on lead guitars, and uneven wear under specific strings all point to different playing habits. Some players squeeze hard. Some bend constantly. Some live in one tuning. Some use heavy strings and a strong attack.
Why that matters for repair
A quick polish may make worn frets shiny, but it does not restore geometry. A spot level may help isolated wear. A full level may be right when the whole fret plane is uneven. A refret may be the honest answer when there is not enough fret left to work with.
The goal is not just shiny frets
Good fretwork is about height, shape, consistency, clean crowns, smooth ends, and a fret plane that matches the setup. The wear pattern helps decide how much work is enough and how much would only be cosmetic.