Learning to do fretwork

[mnbaseball91]

I have a Charvel Model 6 that needs a total refret as well as a Warmoth neck that needs dressing. Rather than paying upwards of $400 to get that done, I figure I should go ahead and learn to do it myself. I've read everything I can find on the internet about fretwork and plan on buying Stewmac's book on it, but what else is there that I can study? Specifically if anyone has any tips on refretting a bound neck, that would be great. I've read the thread Pierre started and there's a lot of great info in there already. How do I go about fretting a bound neck? How do I make sure the neck has the proper amount of relief when I level the frets? Which tools do I need that are specific to fretwork, which can be found in your average hardware store, and which can I make myself?

Thanks in advance!

:beerchug:

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Learning to do fretwork

1. Don´t learn / practice on a good guitar.... your frist 5-10 jobs should be on spare necks if at all possible.... and a Model 6 is a GOOD guitar....

I´m just looking at the questions you´re asking and can already picture an esentially destroyed M6 neck, because most of those are covered in the first 5-10 pages of common fretwork guides....

Your first 2-4 dresses and 3-5 refrets WILL be utterly useless, trust me on this... and if you refret a neck 6 times, you slowly start to have problems getting teh frets ot hold

 

[mnbaseball91]

Re: Learning to do fretwork

Oh yeah, forgot to mention I'll be buying a couple fingerboard blanks from Stewmac to practice on.

I'm not necessarily asking because I don't know, I just want to make sure I REALLY know before I start. I promise I'm not as clueless as I may come off as, and I have the sense to practice as much as is necessary before starting the real work.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Learning to do fretwork

$400? For that kind of coin, I'd expect SS frets and a PLEK job.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Learning to do fretwork

For a full refret of a bound neck and a dressing on a separate neck that sounds quite fair to me.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Learning to do fretwork

For a full refret of a bound neck and a dressing on a separate neck that sounds quite fair to me.

Doh! Didn't catch the part about the second neck. :blackeye:

 

[mnbaseball91]

Re: Learning to do fretwork

Yeah, that's actually the lowest price I've been quoted locally. With how much work is involved, it doesn't surprise me at all.

I have a couple months before I can think about doing any real work because I haven't even started spraying the finish yet (bought this completely stripped for cheap). I tought myself to do a good finish, I'm confident that with patience and practice I can learn to do fret work too. I've got to start somewhere.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Learning to do fretwork

First fret job i ever did was on a neck i made...... After all these years i still am shaky at doing complete refrets... I screw up the fret ends alot... I have the basic tools to do the work and i have a bunch of old spare necks that need frets that i practice on... I do my own frets in necks i make but refreting any of my good guitars i still take to a pro.... I'll do fret dresses myself on any of my guitars but complete refrets on expensive guitars i still take into the shop....

 

[theodie]

Re: Learning to do fretwork

mnbaseball91, listen to Zerb. He has lots of good info! For what you want done, someone should on here be able to give ya a good deal, hint hint!

BTW, dont practice on your good guitars! Zerb is right! Those things will be swiss cheesed quickly!

PM me if you may need some to do this stuff for ya!

 

[Pierre]

Re: Learning to do fretwork

The way I'd do it (possibly this winter) is first practise levelling and shaping on a blank fingerboard a few times, then a **** neck. But for this I need a jig. I have the plans in my head but I have to make sure I can build it.
You need a way to let your neck gain relief, and if possible of course, just the amount of relief you or your customer usually aims for. This calls for accurate measurements and a good jig, as long as good eyes. Not easy I guess.

 

[mnbaseball91]

Re: Learning to do fretwork

PM sent, thanks man.

I figure three refrets each on a pair of fingerboard blanks, then I'll try it on the cheapest strat neck I can find. I'll instal the neck on my Warmoth, and if it plays well I'll move on to the Charvel. Only when I'm completely satisfied with that will I consider touching my Warmoth neck.

The way I went about learning to finish guitars was simply reading everything I could find and then talking to people like you on forums. For example, even though the Reranch tutorials have just about everything you'd need to know about finishing, I couldn't have done it without all the little tips and tricks I learned from actually talking to people.

Edit: Pierre, that's one of my concerns. I actually like my necks with virtually no relief, but I'm worried that when I put it on its back to do the work the bow will shift a little. Can any of you pros post a picture of your method of controlling for that?

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Learning to do fretwork

PM sent, thanks man.

I figure three refrets each on a pair of fingerboard blanks, then I'll try it on the cheapest strat neck I can find. I'll instal the neck on my Warmoth, and if it plays well I'll move on to the Charvel. Only when I'm completely satisfied with that will I consider touching my Warmoth neck....

I´d do it the other way around, a new warmoth neck is significantly cheaper than a model 6...I´d really do the bound "masterpiece" last.... the model 6 also has a compound radius fretboard and binding to take into account... you´ll want to be good at standard dressings before you tackle this slightly different beast

 

[mnbaseball91]

Re: Learning to do fretwork

I´d do it the other way around, a new warmoth neck is significantly cheaper than a model 6...I´d really do the bound "masterpiece" last.... the model 6 also has a compound radius fretboard and binding to take into account... you´ll want to be good at standard dressings before you tackle this slightly different beast

That's thinking way into the future so it's a bit irrelevent now, but I paid roughly $400 for the rosewood/ebony Warmoth neck and $200 for the shell of the M6. Anyway, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. I've read and reread the section on fretting in Melvin His****'s book and plan on getting Dan Erlewine's book. I also know a couple people who have done fretwork, although they're not experts by any means.

You guys rock, btw.