DIY Fret leveling advice

[Clint 55]

And I CERTAINLY wouldn't EVER start with 60-80 grit on the frets even on a crummy throw-away guitar, unless you actually want to end up with a "fretless" guitar.

You're incorrect. It doesn't matter as long as you get the scratches out through the rest of the process. You can use 150 or 220 to do your initial level but it just takes longer and doesn't save you that much material. After I'm done, my jumbo frets are still jumbo, you wouldn't think they have been made excessively smaller. The flat leveling files that people are recommending like morons instead of radius blocks are about 60 grit.

 

[GuitarStv]

You're incorrect. It doesn't matter as long as you get the scratches out through the rest of the process. You can use 150 or 220 to do your initial level but it just takes longer and doesn't save you that much material. After I'm done, my jumbo frets are still jumbo, you wouldn't think they have been made excessively smaller. The flat leveling files that people are recommending like morons instead of radius blocks are about 60 grit.

This moron has pretty easily levelled the frets on three guitars so that they all play with low action and no buzzing using a flat levelling file and no radius blocks.

 

[Top-L]

I just want to add that I fucked up my arm leveling/crowing/polishing all my guitars.

About 2 months ago, I had free time to do 5 of my guitars that needed level/crown work, and over a week that is all I did.

I developed "tennis elbow" (tendonitis) in my right arm. Due to work, I was unable to completely stop using my arm, although I cut back as much as I could.

Today I still have pain, and I'm unable to do any physical work, I can't play guitar, can't workout, can't do any physical labor or yard work, am wearing braces to limit movement, and am just waiting for the pain to go away.

Non stop filing and polishing, back and forth, mixed with weight lifting, lots of computer programming and writing has fucked up my arm good. I am still hopeful the pain will subside and I can start PT. If it doesnt get better I will need another dr visit, maybe an xray, etc, hoping it is just inflammation and not a tear, not require surgery, etc.

Sadly I will forever be wary of doing crown/polishing work on my guitars even though I got quite good at it.

 

[Top-L]

This moron has pretty easily levelled the frets on three guitars so that they all play with low action and no buzzing using a flat levelling file and no radius blocks.

Agree. 99% of instructional videos show using a leveling beam and clint says you need a radius block.

From what I gather, radius block is for the fretboard when you refret. Maybe clint had a bad experience with a beam. Or maybe he doesnt have experience.

 

[Clint 55]

If you use a flat device to level a straight radius neck, you're imposing your guess on what the radius is. Whereas if you use a radius block, it results in a perfect radius, and requires less work because it covers the entire horizontal area at once. But I guess you're entitled to create more work and poorer results for yourself if you want. Have fun.

 

[Top-L]

If you use a flat device to level a straight radius neck, you're imposing your guess on what the radius is. Whereas if you use a radius block, it results in a perfect radius, and requires less work because it covers the entire horizontal area at once. But I guess you're entitled to create more work and poorer results for yourself if you want. Have fun.

You are just wrong. The biggest factor to success is the length of the leveling beam.

If you can find a radius block that is the entire length of the neck (or near), it would be something to consider. Most radius blocks are quite short. You want the frets to be level, and you accomplish this by uniform removing of material. A shorter beam or block compromises the results.

Until you can get your mind around this, you need to stop giving advice on fret leveling. Also ask yourself, why your advice is different than everyone elses?

 

[Clint 55]

It doesn't compromise the results because buzz is only caused by frets adjacent to each other. It's physically impossible for frets outside the length of a foot long radius block to cause buzz. In addition, you don't level the entire thing, fret 1 to fret 21, relative to each other. After you have it flat, you have to go back in and put in some fallaway at the heel starting at about fret 14 or 15 because the bow isn't effective there. However, guessing on the radius of the neck does compromise the results. My entire collection of guitars plays perfectly, with rounded ends. How about you give it a rest.

 

[GuitarStv]

If you use a flat device to level a straight radius neck, you're imposing your guess on what the radius is. Whereas if you use a radius block, it results in a perfect radius, and requires less work because it covers the entire horizontal area at once. But I guess you're entitled to create more work and poorer results for yourself if you want. Have fun.

FWIW -

I think all my guitars are compound radius now. You're imposing your guess what the radius is no matter what device you use to level 'em. I agree that it's probably slightly easier to use a radius block if you've got a straight radius up and down the neck.