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Refretting question . . . cutting fret slots to edge of board?

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  • #16
    Re: Refretting question . . . cutting fret slots to edge of board?

    As far as I'm aware, fret slots are always cut all the way across a fretboard. Then there are 3 choices:
    1) cut the tangs short and install binding which will cover the tang ends
    2) cut the tangs short and fill in the slots (check your neck carefully under bright light. If your neck doesn't have binding the slots are probably filled-in). I've seen lots of necks like this (and done many myself) where it is filled and finished so well you can't see the slots, even though there is no binding.
    3) use full length frets and file down the ends (including tangs) smooth with the side of the neck. The fret tangs show doing it this way, but it is the most common way of doing it on inexpensive guitars.

    If you don't have fret tang nippers you'll be best off using a dremel tool to grind off the tangs. But you have to be very careful...it's easy to ruin a few frets in the process.
    Originally Posted by IanBallard
    Rule of thumb... the more pot you have, the better your tone.

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    • #17
      Re: Refretting question . . . cutting fret slots to edge of board?

      Originally posted by GuitarDoc View Post
      As far as I'm aware, fret slots are always cut all the way across a fretboard.
      On many CNC cut boards they don’t run the slot off the edge of the board. It’s like having faux binding.


      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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      • #18
        Re: Refretting question . . . cutting fret slots to edge of board?

        Well, I started poking around with the toenail clipper file and was able to extend the missing edge bit of about half of the slots with some careful filing last night.

        The back of the neck was super shiny and would grab my hand sometimes when playing, so I tried running some 400 grit sandpaper over it. It looks a little odd now (since it's matte on the neck and super glossy everywhere else) but feels great.

        I'll finish extending the fret slots tonight and roll the fretboard this weekend - then on to refretting. Thanks for the suggestions everyone!
        Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

        Originally posted by Douglas Adams
        This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

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        • #19
          Re: Refretting question . . . cutting fret slots to edge of board?

          If you’re using a toenail clipper on the slots, what tools do you have for doing fretwork?


          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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          • #20
            Re: Refretting question . . . cutting fret slots to edge of board?

            Originally posted by DavidRavenMoon View Post
            If you’re using a toenail clipper on the slots, what tools do you have for doing fretwork?
            Just the file (which is very thin), not the clipper.

            Flush cut clippers, a fret leveling file, a sharpie, various grits of sandpaper, carpenter's hammer, several assorted files, and a small metal straight edge (about the size of a credit card) that works as a fretrocker.
            Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

            Originally posted by Douglas Adams
            This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

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            • #21
              Re: Refretting question . . . cutting fret slots to edge of board?

              How are you planning on seating the frets (without damaging them or bouncing them out) if you don't have a press or a dead-blow hammer?
              Originally Posted by IanBallard
              Rule of thumb... the more pot you have, the better your tone.

              Comment


              • #22
                Re: Refretting question . . . cutting fret slots to edge of board?

                Originally posted by GuitarDoc View Post
                How are you planning on seating the frets (without damaging them or bouncing them out) if you don't have a press or a dead-blow hammer?
                I put a block of wood on top of the frets and hit the block with the hammer (not wailing away on it, just light tapping). The last guitar I refretted this way was pretty easy to fret this way. Takes a tap or two on the right of the fret, a tap or two on the left of the fret, and a tap or two in the middle. Boom, fret is seated with no visible marks. This is with stainless steel frets though, not sure if this method would work as well with nickle-silver, which are much softer. Then I pipe a little CA glue at the base of the fret which wicks up underneath them and the job is done.
                Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

                Originally posted by Douglas Adams
                This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

                Comment


                • #23
                  Re: Refretting question . . . cutting fret slots to edge of board?

                  Frets are in, and looking good! Much better than my first fret job . . . 21 of them seated well, but I had to heat up the soldering iron to pull one that I didn't radius correctly. Hopefully I'll get the leveling done tomorrow and then on to the painful week or two of sanding. It's going to be awesome to feel jumbo frets on this old girl.
                  Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

                  Originally posted by Douglas Adams
                  This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

                  Comment

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