How To Fix Sharp Fret Ends

guitz

So I scored a very light, easy playing f-hole Jay Turser telecaster from a pawn shop on the inexpensive. Plays nice, looks overnice , sounds OK. Biggest result, the fret edges are all very sharp ,probably because of the neckwood shrinking....What method works best to get them dorsum in shape and nice 'n smooth WITHOUT damaging the fretboard edge ie- sanding, filing or whatever ...

Rockin J

I use a tiny file and my wife'southward fingernail emery boards and also some very fine sand paper.

cap10kirk

Fret beveling file, followed by a fret dressing file is what I use.

guitz

I utilize a tiny file and my wife'south fingernail emery boards and also some very fine sand newspaper.

Fret beveling file, followed by a fret dressing file is what I use.

merely how do you lot go on from damaging the fretboard edge? I tried using a sanding cake in one case with well-nigh 200 grit and couldn't help but sand down some of the fretboard edge

Rockin J

Y'all can use some painters record to help the fret lath edge but y'all're going to hit some wood right at the fret terminate with the file or sand paper.

cap10kirk

just how do you go on from damaging the fretboard edge? I tried using a sanding block once with well-nigh 200 dust and couldn't help merely sand down some of the fretboard border

Go ho-hum, and utilise light fifty-fifty pressure. Yous don't desire to take off too much material with each pass, you tin can e'er file more off, just you tin can't put it back if you go as well far. Too, my fret dressing files have a polish edge to go along from damaging the wood. Gotta use the correct tool for the job imo, ownership quality tools made to do fret work was one of the best guitar investments I've made.

guitz

Go tedious, and apply light even pressure. You don't want to take off likewise much cloth with each pass, you tin always file more than off, just you can't put it dorsum if you go as well far. Likewise, my fret dressing files have a smooth border to keep from damaging the woods. Gotta apply the right tool for the job imo, ownership quality tools made to do fret work was one of the all-time guitar investments I've made.

I have a couple of Stew Mac fret files, but I never idea to try using them to file back the edges, since I think they're simply made to crown the frets, but, if yous were to follow the angle of the bevel, perchance they would work?...I'll take to experiment I judge

smiert spionam

+1 to blue painter'south tape -- just press a piece of tape firmly down along the edge of the fretboard, and permit the fret ends pop through. You nevertheless have to be careful, just yous tin can then clean up the sharp frets with a file with minimal touch on on the end.

Tony Bones

Despite common communication, information technology takes skill and practice. I use a small file to take down each feet end individually. I'm likely to Nick the stop in a few places. I polish those spots last.

Fifty-fifty when at that place's no finish to damage, you actually need to striking each fret individually. If you attempt to utilize a sanding block forth the unabridged border the frets will still end upward proud because they're harder than the wood. A long factory file works better than a sanding block, but still. ...

I totally encourage anyone that's wants to DIY to larn and develop their skill, just if a minor file doesn't already feel completely comfy in your hand then don't await this kind of projection to come out perfect. Be prepared to live with a few mistakes.

bluegrif

It actually is easier than it sounds. I use plain former masking tape to protect the cervix and board. I don't fifty-fifty use whatsoever special fret files. Just a small, flat hobby file. Doesn't take much. File as little as possible. I suggest you take a look at some videos on the subject. But check out more than ane. Not anybody posting videos actually knows what they're doing.

smiert spionam

Despite mutual advice, it takes skill and practice. I use a pocket-sized file to take down each anxiety end individually. I'm likely to Nick the terminate in a few places. I shine those spots last.
Fifty-fifty when there's no stop to damage, you actually need to striking each fret individually. If y'all effort to use a sanding block along the unabridged border the frets will still end upward proud because they're harder than the wood. A long mill file works improve than a sanding block, but still. ...

I totally encourage anyone that'south wants to DIY to learn and develop their skill, just if a small file doesn't already feel completely comfortable in your hand and then don't expect this kind of projection to come out perfect. Be prepared to live with a few mistakes.

Good advice.

jvin248

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Get the $3 set up of needle files at Harbor Freight. They might fifty-fifty be $2. Employ the apartment rectangular 1 and grind or sand off the two narrow border and tip of that file. You desire those to exist 'safety edges'. Use that to file the ends at the border of the board, then using a rolling motion equally you lot file the stop corners from the top of the fingerboard over to the sides. Start at the loftier frets by the pickup stop of the fingerboard. Use something to protect the confront of the guitar.

Don't be in a hurry. Think Zen Meditation.

You may need to practice it again in a few weeks depending on humidity. Eventually the boards will be as small as they become and you'll never need touch on it upward again.

.

DrumBob

Fret beveling file, followed by a fret dressing file is what I apply.

Both available from Stew-Mac. I have them and am getting better at the process. I first tried it on my Slick SL-59, which had ridiculously abrupt fret ends. There'due south a certain knack to rounding the ends with that smaller file.

Dave Weir

I meet a couple others posted while I was typing and I have some duplicate data. Really but consider everything and effigy out what would piece of work best in your situation.

It seems similar an ideal guitar to requite information technology a get.
If you take a lacquered maple board, information technology'south going to have some off. If y'all care virtually that, don't practice this.
I employ ane of these from abode depot:
6 in. Bounder-Cut Flat Mill File

I cut the handle stop off with a hack saw and round upward the cut edge and the other end on a belt sander. You don't have to do this, merely information technology makes it a little safer.
lay information technology on the edge of the lath in line with the neck and become up and down the neck. It does almost nothing to the woods. (If you want to see what it will do to the woods, get a scrape of 3/4" oak and lay the file on the edge and file upwards and downwards the length of the lath.) When y'all see that it is make a piffling wood dust, finish. You tin can also hear and feel when you are not cutting metal any more.
I wouldn't attempt to reshape the bevel on the end of the fret. You are taking off very little textile and it doesn't touch on it much.

Go a set up of cheep needle files and detect the square one and sand ane side flat and sand the two corners next to it smooth. Or buy one ready made from StewMac. Tape the fret board if you want and then have the burr off the corners of the fret. it just takes a few curving passes. Brand sure the "safe" side is facing the fret lath.
Buff information technology with some 0000 steel wool and then wipe a very small amount of Danish Oil or something like that on the edge of the lath.
It may not be on par with what a primary luthier could do, but it will experience a lot better.

Member 995

Easiest thing to do would be to humidify information technology. The wood will expand.

DrumBob

It's best to learn this technique on a cheap guitar like the one the OP described. Don't try it on a custom store specimen

buddastrat

I use a small three edged file. No tape needed, simply be careful. Simply did ii Ibanez's for a customer concluding calendar week. The satin necks allow those frets to feel like they sprouted out. Now is the time to do it.

gtr777

Every bit long as the frets were dressed properly from the start the true fix is to humidify the guitar. What has happened is that the neck stale out and shrunk from information technology'due south original size exposing the fret ends. If where y'all alive the humidity is stable throughout the year and so filing the frets volition work but if it'southward just seasonally dry at present, if you file the frets - the frets will now be slightly smaller when the guitar gets humidified naturally during the spring and summer months and goes back to its original size.

fuze

I merely smoothed out the frets that were poking out on my partscaster Tele.

Used some small-scale files and sandpaper.

I went pretty aggressive, and went downwards to forest a bit. And so im going to put some tru oil on it. But information technology feels amazingggggggg. I also rolled the edges.