Grateful Dead Music Forum

I am looking to start doing some fretwork (crowning especially) for myself and am wondering what tools would be best to obtain. Do I really need the expensive diamond type tools or do cheap ones work for a few guitars before wearing out?

Luthier tools can get expensive really quick. A good fret job is key to a great playing guitar. To do it right you really have to make sure the frets are sanded level before crowning. I've built 4 necks and have done the fretwork with the following tools. I use a 24" precision ground straight edge with adhesive backed sandpaper to level the frets. Then I use a large flat file to put the edge angle on them. You can build or purchase a file holder to help keep the angle consistent if you want. Next I do the crowning with a crowning file. The standard crowning files work fine for me. I haven't tried the diamond ones but I would like to. Then I use a small flat file to round over the edges at the fret ends so the frets aren't sharp when playing. Then the polishing process. I use emery cloth and a buffing wheel for the final shine.

This is a great little file for dressing the fret ends.
http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/To ... _File.html

ccw3432 wrote: This is a great little file for dressing the fret ends.
http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/To ... _File.html

+1

I recently made a dulcimer for my daughter and it was my first time doing fretting. A medium flat file worked well to round over the edges, but that left a sharp "tang" on each side of the fret end. This file worked great at smoothing off that sharp point. The file has a smooth side that runs on the fretboard without scratching it.

Thanks guys. I am not looking for full refretting equiptment at this point. I am just hoping to keep my frets in good shape in the meantime. I seem to wear them out so fast these days (even wider ones less than 6100), maybe I just didn't notice it when I 1st started playing. Maybe this file will be enough if I keep up with them often enough.
I was wondering if just re-crowning them regularly (without leveling) would help...and I mean regularly like every month with vintage thins. I have become so sensitive to wanting excellent frets but cant handle paying a pro to keep them there as often as Id like. I realize leveling is needed at some point, but was hoping crowning them regularly would help keep me happy in between.

If thery are wearing down that quickly you may want to consider a harder fret material. Is it just happening on one guitar or several? I'm wondering if you have a real soft fret material. You could consider stainless frets.

ccw3432 wrote:If thery are wearing down that quickly you may want to consider a harder fret material. Is it just happening on one guitar or several? I'm wondering if you have a real soft fret material. You could consider stainless frets.

I was just going to suggest that. I played with Vince Herman for a while and he would get the first 6 or 7 frets on his acoustic replaced every 6 months or so before going to stainless steel frets. It made a big difference. I got stainless for one of my guitars and at the rate I wear them out, they are going to be still good when my two year old son is my age.

I have several electrics and it happens on them all, they mostly have typical nickel alloy or whatever. Thinner frets seem to wear faster of course. I do have 1 neck with stainless steel but it is a Gibson length strat neck (warmoth) that I haven't been playing much, so its hard to tell how much it helps. Almost no wear on that one though of course That's a good idea for sure thanks.