dressing frets with tention on the rod!

[WhoFan]

i just watched a video on a double neck Tele at Fender's Custom Shop site and towards the end of the video the builder gives a tip that he likes to put some tention on the rod, dress the frets flat, then there is more tention on the neck once the strings go back on...

i always thought the tention should be off completely... learn something new... i guess you would have to learn how much tention is enough

[XSSIVE]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

dressing or leveling? rod tension doesn't matter at all when dressing a fret.

it seems everyone mixes this stuff up so here goes...

i'll simplify each step in every day terms. after a fret is installed (hammered or pressed) in a neck and clipped flush and filed flush with the side of the fingerboard it is...

-first beveled (that's the angle on the end)
-then they're leveled (made flat)
-then they're crowned (made round)
-then the ends are dressed (made smooth to the touch along the edge of the bevel)
-then they're polished (made shiny).


Warmoth, USACG, All Parts and Musikraft necks for example only come beveled, that's it. they still need all the rest done to play their best.

so did you mean dress them or level them?

[WhoFan]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

the builder is talking about leveling the frets with some tention on the rod... done this way he claims the extra rod tention needed on it after it's finnished and installed it will add extra tone quality when set up...

[WhoFan]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

video is here... talks about it on the end of the Two Neck Telecaster video in the middle of the screen

http://www.fendercustomshop.com/

[Ayrton]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

Most guys will make the neck dead flat before leveling the frets, but I have read where some prefer to have just a smidgen of back bow.

That is basically what he is doing, so when there is string tension, the frets are supposed to be more "correct". I have tried it both ways, and I think it helps somewhat for really low action, but I personally don't play with action that low.

[gordon_39422]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

If you're dressing the frets, you don't have to do anything to the neck or strings for that matter... Brand new guitars are still curing and the neck will draw in leaving sharp fret edges... No big deal, it's been described very well above...

HOWEVER, if you're doing a fret level/crown/polish, You DEFINITELY want to make sure the neck is as straight as possible before you level the frets... If the neck is bowed, even intentionally for relief, and you level the frets, the middle frets will be taller than the outer frets...

The imaginary line from the first fret to the fret at the body joint will be straigh while the neck under it while curve....

The idea of gluing frets with the neck under pressure (pre-tension) is simply suggesting that the wood on either side of the fret will compress the fret tang and offer more tonal quality... But the middle frets will be slightly taller... While the note will ring as soon as the string touches the taller fret, one may be more inclined to press the note sharp with the extra travel...

If you straighten the neck before you install the frets, when you establish proper neck relief it will compress the frets providing similar density... But the fret height will be uniform from the nut to the body joint with a slight taper from body joint to last fret...

Neither way is right or wrong...

He works for the Custom Shop which means that nearly every aspect of the build needs to be "custom"... It's a little something extra he does and apparantly his customers desire...

The bottom line is to build to the likes of the recipient...

Later,
Allen

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

*tension

[jmh151]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

There is a secret that some high end guitar builders fret their necks under tension, or do allnth other fretwork under string tension. I think stew Mac makes a jig to do this. Joe driskill does it on his guitars. Paul Reed Smith was asked if he does this, and he clammed up and said he wouldn't give away trade secrets.

[Ayrton]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

A neck jig is designed to mimic string tension, so when you level the frets, they stay level under load.

Adding a bit of back bow before leveling is the same idea, just not as accurate.

This is really down to what the individual tech prefers.

[WhoFan]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

picky bunch... as a person who has had a history of speech issues and trouble in school with simple spelling and typing issues, thanks to all for pointing out my many mistakes... LOL...

carry on

[WhoFan]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

...i am going to try this with my Wolfgang neck... i'm going to add a slight bit of tension to the rod and level them out that way... not much... just enough to barely see on my straight edge... that neck has issues with not enough relief... to get the lower action that i want i'll have to work on the frets...

i heard from a few other techs about one of the advantages of doing it like this is thought to be able to have more movement in the neck when adjusting the rod at final set up... this way you can have more relief if you ever need it...

[IanBallard]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

...i am going to try this with my Wolfgang neck... i'm going to add a slight bit of tension to the rod and level them out that way... not much... just enough to barely see on my straight edge... that neck has issues with not enough relief... to get the lower action that i want i'll have to work on the frets...

i heard from a few other techs about one of the advantages of doing it like this is thought to be able to have more movement in the neck when adjusting the rod at final set up... this way you can have more relief if you ever need it...

Peavey or Fender?

[WhoFan]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

Peavey or Fender?

Peavey... i got the neck from a former employee of Peavey... he had a bunch of odds and ends laying around... i knew when i got it that it had issues setting up and he suggested i level the frets before i installed it on a guitar... thanks to a forum brother i got a Wolfgang body for it... put it together with various spare parts i had here

[John Wymore]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

A neck jig is designed to mimic string tension, so when you level the frets, they stay level under load.

Yep, that's the best way. Stew Mac sells a pretty top notch jig but it would only make sense for somebody doing a lot a fret work.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting..._Neck_Jig.html

[wahwah]

Re: dressing frets with tention on the rod!

Here's my old Strat being refretted using the tension jig. My tech wouldn't use this for a simple dressing, but definitely for a complete refret.







Cheers........................................ wahwah