Fret Dressing

[mathman]

After getting my Prototype I now notice how rough the frets are on my XT. I've done a little searching on the web but I'm unsure. Is there something I can do to smooth out and dress up my frets or does it require a person with experience?

I am adept using tools of all types but I'm not sure what I need to do.

Anyone have instructions? Should I attempt it myself or take it somewhere?

[geoff_hartwell]

Huh... Yeah, what do you add to the fret to add mass, and what's the process of shaping like?

I'd be curious to know if there are simple ways of smoothing out little divots, etc.

[Mike Lee]

Fret jobs take a lot of experience. Experiment on something cheap you don't care about.

Simplified steps in order:

1. Remove strings and adjust truss rod until neck is perfectly straight. Mask everything you don't want little metal particles to to get on/into (especially pickups).

2. Use a long fret leveling file perpendicular to the frets lengthwise up and down the fretboard. This type of file should span several frets at once. This evens up all the frets with each other. Keep filing until all pitting and other wear is gone, but not too low.

3. Now you have even frets but the tops are rough and flat, so you need to use a diamond crowning file on each fret to get back to a rounded profile. This is a diamond embedded file that is curved to match the fret profile. File each fret separately until desired roundness is achieved. It is helpful to color the fret with magic marker, and then when the color is all gone except for a thin strip down the middle of the fret you are good.

4. Sand frets with wet/dry paper to remove all file marks. A 320/600/1000 sequence should do.

5. Polish frets with Flitz metal polish (or other good polish) to get a mirror shine.

For the XT - if the level and crown is already good enough and they are just rough, try the wet/dry paper and polish. You might just try fine scotchbrite or 0000 steel wool first to remove oxidation and then a little Flitz.

[mathman]

Fret jobs take a lot of experience. Experiment on something cheap you don't care about.

Simplified steps in order:

1. Remove strings and adjust truss rod until neck is perfectly straight. Mask everything you don't want little metal particles to to get on/into (especially pickups).

2. Use a long fret leveling file perpendicular to the frets lengthwise up and down the fretboard. This type of file should span several frets at once. This evens up all the frets with each other. Keep filing until all pitting and other wear is gone, but not too low.

3. Now you have even frets but the tops are rough and flat, so you need to use a diamond crowning file on each fret to get back to a rounded profile. This is a diamond embedded file that is curved to match the fret profile. File each fret separately until desired roundness is achieved. It is helpful to color the fret with magic marker, and then when the color is all gone except for a thin strip down the middle of the fret you are good.

4. Sand frets with wet/dry paper to remove all file marks. A 320/600/1000 sequence should do.

5. Polish frets with Flitz metal polish (or other good polish) to get a mirror shine.

For the XT - if the level and crown is already good enough and they are just rough, try the wet/dry paper and polish. You might just try fine scotchbrite or 0000 steel wool first to remove oxidation and then a little Flitz.

Thanks, The frets are in good shape just rough. I'll try your suggestions.

[Steve Haynie]

When leveling frets move the fret file or sanding block parallel with the center line of the neck. As the neck gets wider toward the body end you have to be carefual about "fanning" away from the centerline. That is a no-no.

Experience has taught me that it is best to stand at the end of the neck or body when leveling. Working from the side causes the motion to go in a ellipse or curve that leaves the frets unlevel on each end of the fretboard.

[BadgerDave]

If you don't need to level the frets and are just looking to get rid of the rough spots, diminish minor divots and polish them up to a mirror finish, these are the ticket:

Stew Mac - Micro Mesh Link

On rosewood and ebony boards, I polish the fretboard as well as the frets - no masking!

Just go up and down the board a few times vigorously with each pad, going from coarse to fine and you will end up with the slickeriest frets you've ever felt. I add a drop or two of lemon oil as I progress into the finest grits.

[Uncle Thor's Hamer]

I've done some minor fretwork myself with perfect results.

If all you have is minor roughness you can polish it up with a dremel and some rouge. Use the felt pad and the red rouge from a hobby store (the grade made for the shiniest finish). You can't ruin the frets doing this. Be sure to protect the fretboard.

The crowning file from Stew Mac does a super job of rounding the top of the fret. If there is some minor flat spotting you can use the crowning file to round it off. The marker trick mentioned in an earlier reply really works. Take a sharpie and paint the top of the fret. Carefully file until only the thinnest line remains along the very top of the fret. This will indicate that you have removed material from the shoulders of the fret to make it round but have not lowered the top of the fret. You cannot remove notches worn into the frets by recrowning, but you can fix flat tops and reduce the notches a bit. I suggest that you don't take the fret down at all, only round it off. Don't try to file out notches worn into the fret unless you are willing to pay a pro to refret the guitar.

If there is a high fret you can take it down with a fret levelling file, then crown and polish. Note that this is getting into dangerous territory. If you take down the fret too far you will wreak havoc and require a refret or have a pro level the entire fretboard.

I use blue masking tape on the fret board to protect the wood, and then I use those cheap slitted metal protectors that Stew Mac sells when I go to the dremel.

There are good tutorials on Stew Mac and on youtube.

[tbonesullivan]

If you don't need to level the frets and are just looking to get rid of the rough spots, diminish minor divots and polish them up to a mirror finish, these are the ticket:

Stew Mac - Micro Mesh Link

On rosewood and ebony boards, I polish the fretboard as well as the frets - no masking!

Just go up and down the board a few times vigorously with each pad, going from coarse to fine and you will end up with the slickeriest frets you've ever felt. I add a drop or two of lemon oil as I progress into the finest grits.

wow... those are borderline overkill! lol. Those are made for polishing airplane windshields, and are good enough to use on finish repairs. Going through all the grits makes touchups virtually invisible.

[tubesrus]

I refretted several of my guitars and did some minor damage; I had good tools and was carefull but I guess my eyes arent good enough. What saved me last time was the diamond coated sharpening stones stu mac sell for fret leveling, followed by the diamond crowning file and a permanant marker to let me see what progress I was making.

If you don't need to level the frets and are just looking to get rid of the rough spots, diminish minor divots and polish them up to a mirror finish, these are the ticket:

Stew Mac - Micro Mesh Link

On rosewood and ebony boards, I polish the fretboard as well as the frets - no masking!

Just go up and down the board a few times vigorously with each pad, going from coarse to fine and you will end up with the slickeriest frets you've ever felt. I add a drop or two of lemon oil as I progress into the finest grits.

wow... those are borderline overkill! lol. Those are made for polishing airplane windshields, and are good enough to use on finish repairs. Going through all the grits makes touchups virtually invisible.