Fret levelling on a compound radius neck?

[rspst14]

The thread on compound radius necks got me thinking...I'm in the process of setting up my new Warmoth, and it could probably use a fret level. I am experienced with fretwork, enough that I could easily do a level/crown/polish on a straight radius neck. But what's the best way to go about doing a fret level on a compound radius neck? To make it even more challenging, the frets are stainless steel, which is much harder on your tools than nickel silver fretwire. I know some of you have experience with fretwork and stainless steel frets, any suggestions on the best way to level frets on a compound neck? Thanks.

Ryan

 

[FretFire]

Re: Fret levelling on a compound radius neck?

Well, according to Warmoth:

"There is no practical difference in accomplishing a fret level, nut cut, set-up or any other adjustment to a compound radius neck. They are as easy to work with as any other neck."

 

[rspst14]

Re: Fret levelling on a compound radius neck?

Well, according to Warmoth:

"There is no practical difference in accomplishing a fret level, nut cut, set-up or any other adjustment to a compound radius neck. They are as easy to work with as any other neck."

Yeah, I read that, but I don't believe it. You have to find the radius at each fret, and then make sure it's leveled to the same height as another fret with a different radius. I'm used to doing fret levels with a radius block and sandpaper, but it's not quite that simple on compound radius necks. And I don't think that method will work on stainless steel wire, which is much harder than nickel silver wire.

Ryan

 

[Xeromus]

Re: Fret levelling on a compound radius neck?

yeah what warmoth says isn't true to an extent. They aren't just as easy to work on as any other neck, but it's not super impossible either. You definately need to be aware of the compound radius when dealing with it. How it's done, I don't know, I'm not a luthier.

 

[FretFire]

Re: Fret levelling on a compound radius neck?

For a fret level, don't the tops of all the frets just have to be level with each other along the same plane? I could admittedly be totally off base here.

 

[TheToiletStore]

Re: Fret levelling on a compound radius neck?

The thread on compound radius necks got me thinking...I'm in the process of setting up my new Warmoth, and it could probably use a fret level. I am experienced with fretwork, enough that I could easily do a level/crown/polish on a straight radius neck. But what's the best way to go about doing a fret level on a compound radius neck? To make it even more challenging, the frets are stainless steel, which is much harder on your tools than nickel silver fretwire. I know some of you have experience with fretwork and stainless steel frets, any suggestions on the best way to level frets on a compound neck? Thanks.

someone told me I should get some fretwork done on my guitar. I was wondering where you learned all your fretwork stuff. is there a website or did you learn from experience or what?

 

[rspst14]

Re: Fret levelling on a compound radius neck?

someone told me I should get some fretwork done on my guitar. I was wondering where you learned all your fretwork stuff. is there a website or did you learn from experience or what?

I learned by reading over all the tutorials I could find, and then practicing on a cheap neck. My Hamer was in need of a refret, so rather than paying a luthier $200 to do it, I used that money to buy the tools and learned to do it myself. If you just need a simple fret dressing, and you don't plan on doing this kind of work very often, it's not cost effective to learn to do it yourself. A fret level/crown/polish typically costs between $50 and $75. If you buy the tools yourself and a neck to practice on, you're looking at roughly twice that much. If you really like learning to do this kind of stuff yourself, then by all means, go for it. But if you think you're going to save money doing it yourself, think again. For a one-time job, I'd just take it to a luthier.

Ryan

 

[theodie]

Re: Fret levelling on a compound radius neck?

Yeah, I read that, but I don't believe it. You have to find the radius at each fret, and then make sure it's leveled to the same height as another fret with a different radius. I'm used to doing fret levels with a radius block and sandpaper, but it's not quite that simple on compound radius necks. And I don't think that method will work on stainless steel wire, which is much harder than nickel silver wire.

Ryan

I would not use radius blocks for this task. I would use one of these,
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Frettin...rd_preparation/Fret_Fingerboard_Levelers.html
or, go to the hardware store and buy a level and some adhesive backed sandpapaer and use that. I did a leveling on a Warmoth neck with a compound radius and SS frets using this kind of tool and method and it turned out fine. Feel free to PM me for more info if you need it.

 

[MattPete]

Re: Fret levelling on a compound radius neck?

I've never messed with frets, but something like Theodie posted would work, as long as you use the edge. Another option would be to get a straight edge, wrap sand paper around it, and place it perpendicular to the frets. The radius may be compound, but a straight edge placed parallel to a string should touch the top of all of the frets (if that makes sense).

 

[gOgIver]

Re: Fret levelling on a compound radius neck?

Here's some info from Satriani's guitar tech on going from 9" to 10":

Frets and Fingerboard

 

[theodie]

Re: Fret levelling on a compound radius neck?

What i did was, I used the method with the level in my previous post and move the level back and fourth up and down the neck then, every 5 to 10 strokes, Move the level across the frets a few times to keep the radius. It worked like a champion.