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#288437 - 03/10/11 05:14 AM
DIY fretjob - can it be done?
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Megi
Old Timer
Registered: 08/07/11
Posts: 1271
Loc: Lincolnshire
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Found this useful looking video on Youtube: DIY Fretjob method and also this one: Levelling a high fret using file + marker pen
Both these clips use easily available inexpensive tools. The are quite a few other instruction videos on the subject of fret work, but they generally involve radius blocks, special fret crowning files and other expensive specialist tools. For better or worse, I'm going to have a crack at the DIY method in the first clip - think I may incorporate the sharpie pen idea from the second clip for good measure. I have already got a suitable steel ruler, and have just bought a 24" level, with a flat milled surface, for approx £10 from a well-known DIY store chain!. I've got plenty of suitable grit-paper in various grades already - I'm going to attach it to the flat surface on the level with double sided tape. Plus I also already have fine 0000 steel wool, suitable small triangular file, insulating tape to mask/protect the fretboard, and metal polish (chrome polish). I don't plan to change the nut though, as shown in the 1st clip.
This is either going to work, or it isn't!  we will see, but what do you think folks?
_________________________
Graham, jazz guitar nut!
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#288450 - 03/10/11 06:52 AM
Re: DIY fretjob - can it be done?
[Re: Jocko]
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Megi
Old Timer
Registered: 08/07/11
Posts: 1271
Loc: Lincolnshire
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I found the radius blocks on Stewmac's site $15.95 each, plus shipping I suppose. Or Tonetech in the UK do a set for something like £56 plus postage, which covers 7.25", 9.5", 10", 12", 14" and 16". I was hoping to get away from the need for all these special tools though. I can definitely see the point about the danger of flattening the radius - especially true if the saddle heights are not individually adjustable I suppose. Hmm.... I'll have to chew on it for a while.
_________________________
Graham, jazz guitar nut!
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#288451 - 03/10/11 07:04 AM
Re: DIY fretjob - can it be done?
[Re: Jocko]
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Megi
Old Timer
Registered: 08/07/11
Posts: 1271
Loc: Lincolnshire
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Cheers for that Jocko - those are good ones with useful information. I do think that there might be a bit of a tendency for luthier/professional type people not to want to accept or approve of ideas that might get results in ways other than the "approved" ones though. These people, and I'm sure they do work which is second-to-none, charge considerable money for their services after all.
Edited by Megi (03/10/11 08:03 AM)
_________________________
Graham, jazz guitar nut!
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#288452 - 03/10/11 08:01 AM
Re: DIY fretjob - can it be done?
[Re: Megi]
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Megi
Old Timer
Registered: 08/07/11
Posts: 1271
Loc: Lincolnshire
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I have made myself a 20" long straight edge (long enough to cover a 24 fret guitar), plus a set of short straight edge lengths (for checking for high frets), from a 40" long aluminium ruler (cost £6 in total). Using the short pieces I've checked my Guitars for high frets. Shock! they all have them, some worse than others. Even the one which I thought had a really good setup (I paid a chap quite a bit to give it the full works some years ago, and no, this isn't down to worn frets in the time since, as I was checking between strings, right in the middle of the frets i.e. not where a string is pressed down. In theory it does look like things could be improved.
_________________________
Graham, jazz guitar nut!
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#288464 - 03/10/11 02:19 PM
Re: DIY fretjob - can it be done?
[Re: Jocko]
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Megi
Old Timer
Registered: 08/07/11
Posts: 1271
Loc: Lincolnshire
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Well, it's no longer a 40" ruler - now it a 20", an 11" and several fret rockers of varied length suitable for covering 3 adjacent frets at various points on the fretboard. For me there is no question that these bits of kit are pretty accurately picking out high frets.
You are not going to approve of this, but I have gone ahead and am using the "DIY method" on my tele partscaster neck. The frets were reasonably well finished individually, but it was the worst of my Guitars in terms of uneven fret height. Used a permanent marker to mark the top of the frets and could clearly see the lowest ones taking longer before the level/sander reached them. I'm pretty confident I have not done anything bad to the radius of the frets, I took it slowly, using light pressure, and was careful to work evenly across the width of the fretboard. I am now a little over half way through the re-crowning and polishing stage. I can see, using my homemade fret rockers that there are now no detectable high/low frets - the neck is very obviously vastly improved in this respect. So it seems to be working well to me, I'm happy with the results so far. Just my choice to try this though, of course you have every right to disagree! 
Also I will happily concede that the tools that Stew Mac sell are great, well designed, and the best way to go if you can afford to do so. I guess I'm in money saving mode now, having spent far too much on new Guitars and guitar build projects (not to mention a couple of new amps...) in the last few months.
_________________________
Graham, jazz guitar nut!
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#290506 - 09/12/11 09:28 PM
Re: DIY fretjob - can it be done?
[Re: Megi]
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Ape09090
Old Timer
Registered: 01/12/11
Posts: 1188
Loc: South Wales
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Guys,
how are these Guitars playing now a few months after the fact ?
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