Fret Levelling

[texred]

Anybody try this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8egzm_Gwuyc&feature=youtu.be

[greekdude]

Re: Fret Levelling

in my experience (I have had 6 electrics), I had problems with short frets not tall ones.

[ICTGoober]

Re: Fret Levelling

I'll stick to using my huge selection of files, sandpapers, etc. They are already paid for.

[Ayrton]

Re: Fret Levelling

Not really seeing the value there. Spot leveling is rather rare and usually indicative of a larger issue.

[formula73]

Re: Fret Levelling

It is an interesting idea. I haven’t looked but I bet it costs about 3x what it would anywhere else.

[trevorus]

Re: Fret Levelling

I just use regular files for the spot touch up. Then crown and polish. Still a good little tool it looks like.

[AlexR]

Re: Fret Levelling

Its not unusual for some guitars to have a fret that has popped up from time to time - especially with more varied climates. In that way spot levelling or filing can be required if the fret cannot be pressed down or there are other considerations like humps.

But this tool is like auto park assist.......a solution for a skill which really should be learned rather than compensated for.

Philly Luthier tools is the best place for any specific tools if t you feel like diving into fretwork btw. The crowning file is about 1/3 the price as an example.

[ICTGoober]

Re: Fret Levelling

But this tool is like auto park assist.......a solution for a skill which really should be learned rather than compensated for.

Preach it!

[NegativeEase]

Re: Fret Levelling

I've done it a lot -maybe 6 complete fret jobs on various guitars and dozens of hotel fret leveling sessions -usually changing to Jumbos or medium Jumbos. Changing out fret wire or fret leveling is not hard -just takes patience. I think I did my first full fret job in the Best Western on Music Row in Nashville ( A really ****ty hotel -but Neil Young used to own the bar there so it's got that going for it) 15 years ago just as something to do productive when I was in Nashville for 4 months - I changed out my Tele to jumbos and the results were good after several days of tweaking and a few self taught lessons on not scarring the maple sides. I order fret levelers tools from Stew Mac and a few Home Depot micro tools.

By a cheap guitar and try it for yourself -I think it's fun to do and really interesting to dial in a guitar in a way most players never know how to.

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: Fret Levelling

Seems like a good idea. I've done some levelling ..usually starts off with me trying to fix one or two frets .ands ends with failure/having to do them all with my fret levelling kit/files etc

I don't see why this should'nt work

[texred]

Re: Fret Levelling

My tech does a lot of fretwork. He loves the idea but not the $120.

Probably coz I don't pay him.

[gilt.suspect]

Re: Fret Levelling

I saw an ad for this gadget last week and immediately went to the StewMac website to put it on my wish list. After seeing the price, I didn't put it on my wish list. What a rip off! But having put some thought into it, and what great tool it would be, I'm going to take a 1/4" piece of oak, 2" x 3" and tape 2 different grits of sandpaper to the middle of each edge:
220 grit on one long & short edge
320 grit on one long & short edge
I'll let y'all know how it works to spot level a fret.

[texred]

Re: Fret Levelling

Cool idea!! Gonna tell my tech (sweetie); he likes to build anything guitar. Let us know!!!

[AlexR]

Re: Fret Levelling

I saw an ad for this gadget last week and immediately went to the StewMac website to put it on my wish list. After seeing the price, I didn't put it on my wish list. What a rip off! But having put some thought into it, and what great tool it would be, I'm going to take a 1/4" piece of oak, 2" x 3" and tape 2 different grits of sandpaper to the middle of each edge:
220 grit on one long & short edge
320 grit on one long & short edge
I'll let y'all know how it works to spot level a fret.

Gotta make sure the cutting surface of the paper is precisely level with the outer bits of oak to within about .0001".....otherwise you will create more issue than what you started with.

[gilt.suspect]

Re: Fret Levelling

Thanks for the heads up AlexR. I would have just stuck the sandpaper on the edge of the wood instead of countersinking it. It basically cost nothing to make but it is so time consuming and so inaccurate that it' s probably not worth it. Although it worked great to level the 12th fret of a vintage guitar, I don't know how often I would have to change the sandpaper. I used 400 grit. If I was running a guitar repair shop I would definitely buy the #fretkisser and not monkey around with making my own.
I filed the edge with a diamond file to about the thickness of the sandpaper and tape and then scraped it with a razor blade to get it somewhat flat checking my work with the calipers to get in the ballpark of .53mm