Tools for fretwork?

[Purelojik]

Here's my list of stuff after collecting and doing this for about 10 years now.

Original Z-file from Stewmac is awesome - worth the money
fret end file from Music Nomad - also worth it
Music nomad/stew mac sanding beams long and short plus sticky sandpaper
fret end beveler (music nomad has a straight and angled one combo) - any will do (i use a dremel to get close with a grinding wheel then file the rest of the way)
Fret rocker
Stew mac tape deck with three tape witdths
Fat sharpie marker
high grit sandpaper or micromesh for
stew mac dremel polishing wheels Green/fine

if you got further questions hit me on IG: Akm_guitarworks I check that more often then here!

 

[nightsprinter]

Here's my list of stuff after collecting and doing this for about 10 years now.

Original Z-file from Stewmac is awesome - worth the money
fret end file from Music Nomad - also worth it
Music nomad/stew mac sanding beams long and short plus sticky sandpaper
fret end beveler (music nomad has a straight and angled one combo) - any will do (i use a dremel to get close with a grinding wheel then file the rest of the way)
Fret rocker
Stew mac tape deck with three tape witdths
Fat sharpie marker
high grit sandpaper or micromesh for
stew mac dremel polishing wheels Green/fine

if you got further questions hit me on IG: Akm_guitarworks I check that more often then here!

I've had the Z file in my cart for awhile now. Ive been using the stewmac dual grit diamond files and they're fine but everyone seems to rave about the Z so I'm intrigued.

 

[Purelojik]

I've had the Z file in my cart for awhile now. Ive been using the stewmac dual grit diamond files and they're fine but everyone seems to rave about the Z so I'm intrigued.

get the mini one and the higher grit version, the other will be a bit too aggressive. you'll want control until you do a bunch

 

[nightsprinter]

get the mini one and the higher grit version, the other will be a bit too aggressive. you'll want control until you do a bunch

Word, I rarely ever use the 150 grit side of the dual files (unless it's stainless)

 

[CleansingCarnage]

I recently did a full level and crown with a notched straight edge I made out of an aluminum ruler, a straight 6" file, and one of those orange handled super cheapo crowning files you can get on Amazon for less than $10. It turned out perfectly but it took a while and a good amount of elbow grease and I have no doubt that better quality files would make it go a lot more quickly.

 

[Rubbishplayer]

I recently did a full level and crown with a notched straight edge I made out of an aluminum ruler, a straight 6" file, and one of those orange handled super cheapo crowning files you can get on Amazon for less than $10. It turned out perfectly but it took a while and a good amount of elbow grease and I have no doubt that better quality files would make it go a lot more quickly.

Making your own notched edge. Cue a chorus of "why didn't I think of that?" Gotta be fairly simple, requiring about 30 mins, a scale chart and a Dremmel, right?

Sweet.

 

[CleansingCarnage]

Making your own notched edge. Cue a chorus of "why didn't I think of that?" Gotta be fairly simple, requiring about 30 mins, a scale chart and a Dremmel, right?

Sweet.

I did use a dremel, all I did was place the ruler on the fretboard and mark it with a sharpie though. The idea wasn't mine originally, I got it from a luthiery YouTube channel in a video about low cost or substitute tools. Other good ideas in there include using a level as a sanding beam.

 

[will_shred]

Tried almost every different crowning file and come to the conclusion that I just suck at crowning

 

[AwakenTheSkies]

I watched that whole 1 hour video. So let's say I want to fix 2 high fret ends that I couldn't fix by tapping with a hammer. All I have to do is file those ends, then crown them? I don't have to use a leveling beam on the whole fretboard right?

 

[CleansingCarnage]

I watched that whole 1 hour video. So let's say I want to fix 2 high fret ends that I couldn't fix by tapping with a hammer. All I have to do is file those ends, then crown them? I don't have to use a leveling beam on the whole fretboard right?

You could do that, but without leveling the frets, you won't have any kind of mechanical reference that ensures you're actually bringing them level in relation to all the other frets, if that makes sense. You would have to carefully take down a bit at a time and continually check with a fret rocker to make sure you were getting them just where they need to be and no further. I have seen tools that are basically a combination of a fret rocker and file or sanding block. StewMac makes one for $100 called the fret kisser and FRTLZR makes a spot leveling tool for about $25. They are both based on the same design.

 

[Rubbishplayer]

I watched that whole 1 hour video. So let's say I want to fix 2 high fret ends that I couldn't fix by tapping with a hammer. All I have to do is file those ends, then crown them? I don't have to use a leveling beam on the whole fretboard right?

It is perfectly possible to level individual frets and technically this is the more correct method. Indeed, most good luthiers know how to do this, but it does require care and practice.

After the usual neck prep, you need to isolate the problem areas and go slow, taking a few passes and then checking with a rocker. There are plenty of videos on yt showing this process.

But don't bother getting special tools: a rocker, triangular fret file and abrasive paper/polish is all you need.

Using levelling beams is easier, but technically it is overkill, as you are taking material off all frets. Indeed if you only have one high fret, you're going to be taking an excessive amount of material off all the higher frets to get that one fret level.

 

[AwakenTheSkies]

So what's the point of the Fret Kisser? How is it different from another file? Asking as a total noob. I watched the video for it, because I was considering buying it but...you still need a crowning file, polish rubber and fret rocker?

Like the store I'm gonna buy from doesn't really tell which file is which. A fret file is flat and the crowning file a bit circular? Is that right?
What about the Ibanez files that seem to match the shape of the fret a little bit? What's the difference between that and a crowning file?
And what about the circular fret crowning thingies? Are they worth it? They seem easier to use than just a file...

 

[CleansingCarnage]

So what's the point of the Fret Kisser? How is it different from another file? Asking as a total noob. I watched the video for it, because I was considering buying it but...you still need a crowning file, polish rubber and fret rocker?

Like the store I'm gonna buy from doesn't really tell which file is which. A fret file is flat and the crowning file a bit circular? Is that right?
What about the Ibanez files that seem to match the shape of the fret a little bit? What's the difference between that and a crowning file?
And what about the circular fret crowning thingies? Are they worth it? They seem easier to use than just a file...

The fret kisser is for spot leveling. The idea is that it acts as a mechanical stop using the frets on either side of the one you're leveling so that you can get one tricky high fret perfectly level with the adjacent frets without having to do a full level. I ordered the Frtlzr version a few days ago so we'll see how that goes.

Crowning files have one or more concave cutting surfaces that look like a negative image of the top of an ideal fret. I have used a really cheap Amazon crowning file before and it worked, but I just got an also relatively affordable Baroque crowning file and I can already tell it's going to be a lot better. Those Ibanez files you're talking about are probably crowning files too, I think Hesco makes some stuff like that for them.

 

[AwakenTheSkies]

The fret kisser is for spot leveling. The idea is that it acts as a mechanical stop using the frets on either side of the one you're leveling so that you can get one tricky high fret perfectly level with the adjacent frets without having to do a full level. I ordered the Frtlzr version a few days ago so we'll see how that goes.

Crowning files have one or more concave cutting surfaces that look like a negative image of the top of an ideal fret. I have used a really cheap Amazon crowning file before and it worked, but I just got an also relatively affordable Baroque crowning file and I can already tell it's going to be a lot better. Those Ibanez files you're talking about are probably crowning files too, I think Hesco makes some stuff like that for them.

So the guitars I wanna fix have medium and jumbo frets. So if I wanna use lets say the Fret Kisser then I'd also have to buy 2 different crowning files? Since Ibanez and Hosco sell different size crowning files. There's also the Hosco UFO which is like a little wheel but I'm not understanding the "fret radius" thing. A quick Google search says that medium frets should be like 2.4mm wide and jumbo 2.9mm wide. But the Hosco UFO radiuses are all 1.x, wonder if they mean a different measurement

 

[CleansingCarnage]

So the guitars I wanna fix have medium and jumbo frets. So if I wanna use lets say the Fret Kisser then I'd also have to buy 2 different crowning files? Since Ibanez and Hosco sell different size crowning files. There's also the Hosco UFO which is like a little wheel but I'm not understanding the "fret radius" thing. A quick Google search says that medium frets should be like 2.4mm wide and jumbo 2.9mm wide. But the Hosco UFO radiuses are all 1.x, wonder if they mean a different measurement

Strictly speaking, you can crown frets with a triangle file that has a safe edge and don't need crowning files at all. In your situation I wouldn't worry too much about getting multiple crowning files, one file should be able to do both. But there are also multiple crowning files that have multiple cutting surfaces for different sizes. The Baroque crowning file I bought has 1mm, 2mm and 3mm slots (but I'll probably only ever use the 3mm slot). The Fret Guru file is another one I've heard good things about and it also accommodates multiple fret sizes. I think the StewMac Z file only comes in one size and that's supposed to be a very good, professional tool.

Also, if you're only doing a bit of spot leveling on a couple of frets then you're probably not going to have to take off much material and it should be pretty easy to recrown those frets.

So personally, I wouldn't worry about getting multiple fret files, I'd get one decent one that's versatile and covers your needs for now.

My frame of reference is that I'm very amateur and usually pretty minimalistic and cheap. Again, I recently did a full level and crown with an aluminum ruler, a 6" straight file, and a cheap Chinese crowning file. I've done spot leveling before with only a triangle file. The only reason I just bought a spot leveling tool and a diamond fret file is mostly because I want to check them out and I'm going to be working on stainless steel frets.

 

[AwakenTheSkies]

My frame of reference is that I'm very amateur and usually pretty minimalistic and cheap. Again, I recently did a full level and crown with an aluminum ruler, a 6" straight file, and a cheap Chinese crowning file. I've done spot leveling before with only a triangle file. The only reason I just bought a spot leveling tool and a diamond fret file is mostly because I want to check them out and I'm going to be working on stainless steel frets.

It's okay I appreciate the advice anyway. You must have some experience to have done that with just really cheap stuff. I've never done any fret work and I don't want to make things hard for myself so I'll get the best tools that I can and hopefully things will go smooth..

 

[LeftOurEyes]

I would get something like this, it has the medium size on one side and wide/jumbo on the other.

Diamond Straight Fret Crowning File - Dual Width - Medium/Wide(Jumbo) - 300 grit

Straight diamond fret crowning file with dual width and 300 grit diamond coating.

www.philadelphialuthiertools.com

 

[LeftOurEyes]

Also, if you're only doing a bit of spot leveling on a couple of frets then you're probably not going to have to take off much material and it should be pretty easy to recrown those frets.

This is also true. The important thing is that the top of the fret is not too flat after leveling, other than that it should play good even if it isn't the prettiest job. It won't take much filing to re-crown it, just go slow.

 

[AwakenTheSkies]

Hey, so how do you diagnose what's going on with the frets? Straight edge and fret rocker pretty much right?

I've got 2 guitars that I want to fix. One's really easy, 2 high frets on one end of the fretboard. So spot level, re crown and polish, right?
But the other one needs a bunch of relief or it's basically unplayable, I don't know wtf is happening with it. Maybe check for a twisted neck? Maybe it just needs a proper leveling?

 

[LeftOurEyes]

I always put some blue painters tape over the pickups before you file anything metal, as the pickups have magnets in them.

Yeah for the easy one, just make sure the neck is straight before you level anything. Check with fret rocker, level the high frets, recrown and polish. Re-check with fret rocker after just to make sure.

For the other one I would use the straight edge first to see whats going on. Check the the neck in 3 spots, down each side and the middle. See if its straight, or at least off the same amount in all 3 spots. If it's not the same in all spots then the neck is likely twisted. If it's not twisted adjust the truss rod to make it straight and start checking for high frets with fret rocker. If there are a lot of them all over the fretboard then I would consider a fret level. Its really easy to do but you will need a a level beam or some kind of radius block to do that. I have like 3 of the longer aluminum ones in different radius lengths like this

Aluminum Radius Sanding Beam 20.5" (520mm) length

Aluminum radius sanding beam for sanding and shaping guitar fingerboard. Availalbe in 7.25", 9.5", 10", 12", 14", 15", 16" and 20" radius

www.philadelphialuthiertools.com

All you do is mark the top of the frets with a sharpie. Put a fine grit sandpaper on the radius block and slowly run the block up and down the fret board with basically no added pressure, just the weight from the block as you dont want to take off too much too fast. Stop frequently to check the sharpie marks. When all the sharpie is off of every fret then you are basically done, Recrown and repolish all the frets after. Check for high frets again with a fret rocker.

Should be obvious but tape up the frets when recrowning so you dont scratch the finger board.