In a nutshell, a flat file is used with great care to gradually remove the offending fret ends down to the neck surface. The freshly squared off ends will then usually benefit from a nice rounding over or bull-nose treatment with a fret end file and then a fine polish to make them more comfortable under the players touch.
Full Answer
How to clean a guitar fretboard?
What is the best fretboard material for guitars?
Why use sandpaper on a fretboard?
How to clean a fretboard with oil soap?
What happens if you leave your guitar uncleaned?
What is the fretboard on a guitar?
Can you use steel wool on fretboard?
See more
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How do you smooth fret edges on guitar?
0:485:27How to make sharp fret ends smooth with fret dressing file - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou use the sharp side on the bottom to nip off any little burrs. Created by the initial down strokeMoreYou use the sharp side on the bottom to nip off any little burrs. Created by the initial down stroke. The other side has a safe and round edge.
What is fret dressing on guitar?
Joking aside, a fret dress is a process of leveling frets with some type of flat, straight abrasive surface in order to eliminate string buzzing. When frets become worn, they actually tend to splay outward rather than wear away, which means that they tend to look worse than they actually are.
How do you get rid of fret sprouts?
3:019:02What is fret sprout and how to fix it. - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou get the metal sticking out sprouting if you will sprouts right all right so we talked about whatMoreYou get the metal sticking out sprouting if you will sprouts right all right so we talked about what is fret sprout.
What is a fret edge dress?
The full process of fret dressing deals with leveling out your frets, crowning them, and then polishing them down to a smooth finish; essentially reshaping the fret. This is usually done after enough string wear has occurred to cause the frets to flatten out and also divot where the strings are pressing into them.
When should you get frets dressed?
Frets are meant to be used. If they have light divots or some uneven wear, they can likely be leveled and dressed, but if they are so worn and gouged out that they don't do their job anymore, it's time for replacements.
How much does a fret dress cost?
Often it makes sense to go for fret dressing which typically costs between $60 and $100.
Will fret Sprout go away?
That's normal; the woods contracts when dry, exposing the fret ends, and expands again under more humid conditions, hiding the fret ends. Things should improve in the summer, but the sprout will simply return in the winter.
Is fret sprout common?
It's a common problem, and you should fix it. Fret sprout: an undesirable condition in which the ends of the frets protrude from the edges of the fingerboard. Run your thumb and fingers along the sides of the fingerboard of your guitar or bass; along the top edges of the neck.
What grit sandpaper for guitar fret ends?
Standard sandpaper would typically be around 120 grit, whereas these papers go up to around 12000 grit! You should start with 1500 grit , then, as a good guide, work your way through 2400, 3600, 8000 and finally 12000. The 1500 will even up the frets and give them a nice shine.
How do you tell if a guitar needs a Refret?
You know you need a refret when your guitar frets have visible divots and the frets no longer have enough material for a simpler fret dressing procedure. Also, you might want to refret if your guitar is producing unpleasant tones and constantly buzzing.
Can you sand guitar frets?
Once all the frets are crowned, use progressively finer-grit sandpaper to sand down the frets and remove any scratches or nicks that occurred when you were leveling and crowning them. Start with 320-grit sandpaper, and sand the frets gently. Dust them off, then repeat the process with 600-grit sandpaper.
What causes fret sprout?
What Causes "Fret Sprout"? Humidity issues are the most common cause of fret sprout. When dry, the wood of the neck shrinks while the metal frets are unaffected. This leaves the appearance that the frets have grown, or “sprouted”, out of the sides of the fingerboard.
Fretboard Oiling; your one-stop guide! | The Gear Page
Hello all, I've been involved with guitars full-time for approaching 43 years and have been involved with well over 50,000 stringed instruments in my roles involving repair/restoration, large-volume guitar manufacturing, and in the building of TCM (McInturff) guitars. Time-and-again, the...
How to clean a guitar fretboard?
Wipe clean with paper towels. Position the fretboard guard over each fret, scrubbing each surface with steel wool. Wipe every polished fret with a naptha-saturated paper towel. Spray guitar detailer onto a microfiber cloth, and polish the entire neck. And you’re done.
What is the best fretboard material for guitars?
After a few centuries of design, innovation, and an industrial boom, contemporary guitar builders gravitate toward two favorites for unfinished fretboards: rosewood and ebony . Structurally, these are some of the densest and hardest woods, making them ideal fretboard material.
Why use sandpaper on a fretboard?
Sandpaper comes in handy if the player wants to strip the finish from a fretboard or neck. But that’s really the only reason you ought to use sandpaper on a neck. It’s just too abrasive. Even 800-grit will create hills and valleys in the fretboard, or worse, create uneven wear on the frets.
How to clean a fretboard with oil soap?
Wipe clean with paper towels: Make sure you get it all. Try not to look at the paper towel after you’re done.
What happens if you leave your guitar uncleaned?
If left uncleaned, buildup from the fretboard can work its way onto the strings, limiting their ability to resonate and significantly impeding your guitar’s sonic performance.
What is the fretboard on a guitar?
Despite being just a thin strip of hardwood glued down to the neck, a fretboard is one of the guitar’s most important components. It’s the contact point between the notes you play and the body of the guitar—the stabilizing bedrock of the frets. It’s also the piece of the guitar that comes in contact with your hands most frequently and gets ...
Can you use steel wool on fretboard?
FYI, if you're going to use steel wool (any grade), you really need to completely mask off all your pickups. Little metal bits will break off the steel wool as you clean the fretboard, and will be attracted to your pickups. If the filings get into the coil, you can end up shorting out your pickup.
Why do my frets sprout?
Fret sprouts happen when the wood of a guitar neck or fretboard shrinks from dryness leaving the ends of the frets sticking out. So your guitar frets are sticking out of the side of your fretboard shredding your fingers – is that a bad thing? Let’s just say, it’s not as good as it could be.
What is the best humidifier for acoustic guitar?
For acoustic instruments, purchase a good quality guitar humidifier such as a D’Addario Acoustic Guitar Humidifier to help combat seasonal dryness. These things are particularly necessary if you have a nice acoustic and want to see it survive the humidity swings.
Why do my Les Paul guitar nibs split?
Instruments that have lost too much natural moisture, particularly acoustic guitars, can start to develop the following problems: On a bound neck Les Paul the nibs start to split as evidenced by hairline fractures that develop on the side of the binding.
Can you take fret ends off an electric guitar?
For electric guitars, the best thing you can do is keep the instrument in a stable environment free from drastic changes in temperature and humidity. Rough attics and unfinished basements are a big no-no. The best way to get these proud fret ends removed is to take your guitar to your local guitar service professional.
Why does my guitar fret sprout?
If your guitar or bass has fret sprout, it probably didn’t leave the factory that way. Rather, the problem likely developed later on—perhaps during shipping, storage or retail display—when the usual culprit, low humidity, caused the fingerboard to contract.
What are frets made of?
Frets are made of unyielding metal —fret wire, so it’s not like they somehow become longer. Fingerboards, on the other hand, are made of wood, and wood is a once-living material that definitely yields to the vagaries of climate and other environmental conditions.
What is a fret sprout?
Fret sprout: an undesirable condition in which the ends of the frets protrude from the edges of the fingerboard. Run your thumb and fingers along the sides of the fingerboard of your guitar or bass; along the top edges of the neck.
Can a fingerboard be dehydrated?
When dehydrated, a fingerboard can actually narrow, leaving the fret ends protruding slightly from either side. It’s especially common in hot, dry climates and in regions with harsh winters where people run their heating systems pretty hard.
Can fret sprouts keep you from playing?
A mild case of fret sprout might be noticeable without being especially annoying, and it wouldn’t necessarily keep you from playing the instrument. That part is up to you, although there are plenty of players for whom even slight fret sprout drives them nuts.
Do frets sprout on the fingerboard?
While you likely will feel the ends of the frets, you shouldn’t feel them sticking out from either edge of the fingerboard. If you do, congratulations—you’ve got fret sprout. Happens to fretted instruments of all kinds regardless of how expensive they are.
Why are my frets sharp?
Low humidity is the cause of sharp fret ends. If you and your guitar live in a dry environment, like now when fall is coming on and we're turning the heater on, remember that wood dries out. If you don't have humidification in your house, let's say between 40 and 50 percent relative humidity, the first thing you'll notice on your guitar will be ...
What is low tack tape?
Low-Tack Tape protects your guitar. One important thing before you start, make sure you protect the area on the finish around the fretboard - that extension over the body. You'll notice I have two colors of tape. The white tape is called low-tack tape and I live by this tape.
What are micro mesh pads?
Micro-Mesh pads, a touch-up stick with three grits, and metal fret guards in three different widths. You use these for dressing on frets so you don't hit the board, and for polishing frets. I'm going to use the polishers to do the ends of these frets. It doesn't take long.
What are the sides of a sprite?
It's got two sides with teeth on them; the two flat sides. The other thin edges don't. One is flat and sharp; the other is very round and smooth. You use the sharp side on the bottom to nip off any little burrs created by the initial down stroke. The other side has a safe, round edge.
Can you put masking tape on a Gibson guitar?
Modern masking tapes, while they're really useful for other purposes, if you put them on a fairly new Gibson guitar, for example, and walk away for two hours and you come back and pull it off, the finish can wrinkle, and it won't go away.
Can fretboards cut you?
The fretboard shrinks a little bit and the metal doesn't. These jagged fret ends are not only uncomfortable when you're sliding up the neck, they can actually cut you. Watch when I take this wooden dowel and drag it along the sharp edges of these frets.
Why do guitar frets get uneven?
As a guitar’s frets become uneven, vibrating strings lose sustain and clarity, intonation gets compromised, bending can become difficult , and it can feel like you’re fighting to get good tone from your guitar. Eventually you may need to replace worn frets with new ones—a job for a professional—but before you reach that point, ...
Why does my guitar drop off at the end of the fretboard?
This is a result of the neck angling down very slightly into the guitar to provide room for the strings to vibrate without hitting the frets.
Why do my guitar strings wear?
Depending on how hard you grip the strings, this metal-to-metal contact can cause the frets to develop divots or small depressions. As a guitar’s frets become uneven, vibrating strings lose sustain and clarity, intonation gets compromised, bending can become difficult, and it can feel like you’re fighting to get good tone from your guitar.
Where is the drop off on a guitar?
Drop Off and Fall Away. Most acoustic guitars have what’s called a fall away or drop off at the end of the fretboard where it extends over the top. This is a result of the neck angling down very slightly into the guitar to provide room for the strings to vibrate without hitting the frets.
The Fretboard
Not all woods are the same; not all varnishes are the same. This means that the first thing to do is find out what wood your guitar is made of, if it is lacquered and if so, with what varnish.
The Frets
What we are going to do with the frets is commonly known as fret dressing: making sure they’re not too flat, they’re not sticking out of the edges of the neck, and they are polished and shiny.
Summary
The most eloquent way of summarizing everything up top is probably that even the bare minimum is better than nothing. A wet cotton cloth sometimes goes a long way, and any wooden instrument deteriorates over time.
Why is my guitar dry?
Dry guitar with an unadjusted neck. The guitar became “dry” due to exposure to low humidity. It has a sunken top and too much relief or “front bow” in the neck.
How to tell if a guitar is dry?
A dry guitar can exhibit some or all of the following symptoms: 1 Low action. Strings are very close to the fret-board. 2 Hump on fretboard where neck joins body. 3 On NT necks, a slight gap around the fretboard extension. 4 Sunken top across the soundboard between bridge and fingerboard. 5 Back of guitar looks very flat when it is dried out. 6 Sharp fret ends extend beyond the edge of fret-board. 7 The plane of the neck angle on a dry guitar hits above the top of the bridge.
How much water does a humidifier take out of a guitar?
A humidifier was placed in the case with the guitar for four days. The guitar absorbed enough water for a weight increase of 25 grams (.90 ounces of water).
Where are strings on a guitar?
Strings are very close to the fret-board. Hump on fretboard where neck joins body. On NT necks, a slight gap around the fretboard extension. Sunken top across the soundboard between bridge and fingerboard. Back of guitar looks very flat when it is dried out. Sharp fret ends extend beyond the edge of fret-board.
Can you put a humidifier in a guitar?
When using a guitar humidifier, it’s not essential that you place it inside the guitar’s soundhole. As long as you place it in the open area of the case (not sealed off in the pick compartment) and close the case with the guitar inside, the water vapor from the humidifier will be absorbed by the guitar.
What is the name of the joint that a guitarist wears?
It usually occur at the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb and may lead to instability.
How to warm up your hands before playing guitar?
During winters you can try warming up your arms and hands with a warm water soak or shower . Don’t hang your guitar too low so that you need to flex your wrist more.
Why do guitarists have tendonitis?
Guitarists frequently develop repetitive strain injury and tendonitis (tendinitis/tendinitides) that may coexist with compression nerve syndromes because of non functional posture and positioning of the upper extremities during long-term practice and performance . Musicians aren’t generally known for their athletic prowess, ...
What are the most common guitar injuries?
Here is the list of 5 most common guitar related hand injuries. 1. Nerve compression syndromes: A. Carpal tunnel syndrome: Carpal tunnel syndrome very often occurs in stringed guitarists and other stringed instrument musicians who use to play with their wrists in excessive flexion. The medical reason behind this injury is the compression ...
Can guitarists have surgery?
Hand and upper extremity disorders of the musicians should not be treated surgically and guitarists are no exception. Surgery should always be considered a last resort. Treatment may involve: Use of medicines, ice, vitamis, essential fatty acids, etc.
How to clean a guitar fretboard?
Wipe clean with paper towels. Position the fretboard guard over each fret, scrubbing each surface with steel wool. Wipe every polished fret with a naptha-saturated paper towel. Spray guitar detailer onto a microfiber cloth, and polish the entire neck. And you’re done.
What is the best fretboard material for guitars?
After a few centuries of design, innovation, and an industrial boom, contemporary guitar builders gravitate toward two favorites for unfinished fretboards: rosewood and ebony . Structurally, these are some of the densest and hardest woods, making them ideal fretboard material.
Why use sandpaper on a fretboard?
Sandpaper comes in handy if the player wants to strip the finish from a fretboard or neck. But that’s really the only reason you ought to use sandpaper on a neck. It’s just too abrasive. Even 800-grit will create hills and valleys in the fretboard, or worse, create uneven wear on the frets.
How to clean a fretboard with oil soap?
Wipe clean with paper towels: Make sure you get it all. Try not to look at the paper towel after you’re done.
What happens if you leave your guitar uncleaned?
If left uncleaned, buildup from the fretboard can work its way onto the strings, limiting their ability to resonate and significantly impeding your guitar’s sonic performance.
What is the fretboard on a guitar?
Despite being just a thin strip of hardwood glued down to the neck, a fretboard is one of the guitar’s most important components. It’s the contact point between the notes you play and the body of the guitar—the stabilizing bedrock of the frets. It’s also the piece of the guitar that comes in contact with your hands most frequently and gets ...
Can you use steel wool on fretboard?
FYI, if you're going to use steel wool (any grade), you really need to completely mask off all your pickups. Little metal bits will break off the steel wool as you clean the fretboard, and will be attracted to your pickups. If the filings get into the coil, you can end up shorting out your pickup.
