Learning to do fret work - books and DVDs?

Hi all,

Can someone recommend some good books and DVDs for learning how to do fret work? Stew-Mac sell a bunch of them, including a step-by-step book, but does anyone know if they are any good? I find it hard to believe that reading a 150 page guide will prepare someone for taking this on, so I want to read/watch as much as I can before doing any work. I have a ‘donor’ neck to start on when I feel ready. :-)

Good advice on the tools I would need (and the many available that I don’t!) would also be appreciated. I’ll probably end up buying tools from Stew-Mac, so advice based on what they sell would be cool.


Thanks,

Andy.

PS. I know that fret work is an art form that takes a lot of experience to do well, so please don't flame me for assuming its easy. I don't. But everyone starts somewhere.

Hey Andy

The 150 page book from Stew Mac (Fret Work - Step by Step) is a very imformative. It covers basic refrets to more complex and gives theory regarding fret material, technique, styles of fretting, glue fretting, tools - there's heaps. It will give you a sound basis. The preparing that you mentioned - well fretting is a craft and an art so experience is the best prep - and how do you get that???

Ther's good articles if you google search also. In terms of the Stew Mac offers - I got their essential fretting packag (with the book included) and have since then done several fret levelling and complete re-frets. It really is a piece of cake (until you get a twisted or warped neck).

My suggestions are these - with your practice neck - practice different methods - ie - glue ins, fret levelling etc - decide on what would be the most common types of fret work and then practice these with a few different frets.

Also - get a fret crowning file and the end fret bevel file (expensive but essential) These are neccassary tools in a re-fret or leveling.

Couple of tips - you dont really need the fret covers - but masking tape the board and sides before you start. Get a water soluble marking pen to mark the frets before a level - as you file the high points will go back to metal leaving the low points with ink still on them. Get some very fine steel wool and some brass polish - when you have filed the fret metal is rather course - with the masking tape still on you can buff the fret tops - they will smoothe right out. Polish will bring back the shine.

Whats more man, check out the price that people charge - bit ridiculous but a good money spinner!!! It takes about 45 min to an hour from start to finish for a level and about 2 hours for a total refret. If you want your guitar playing fast a level is necassary in the set up - which I recommend you also learning for various guitar - the more common ones like floyd rose, strat tremelo and tuno-matic bridged guitars.

Following that, get some advertising and before long you'll be like the guru of refrets for your area (what 18 million people in London - how many musos - how many guitars - how many Fenders!!!!!!) Really satisfying work too

Fret work isn't at all an art form, it's just a learned skill. The basic operations are fret end dressing, level and crown, refret.

For fret end dressing, a small fine file is required - it's used along with a strip of aluminum can as a fretboard shield. I use a Stew-Mac fret dressing file, it's got a ground round safe edge on one side, but truthfully any small fine file will work just fine.

Tools for level and crown are also gonna be needed for refretting, and the very basics are gonna be something like this - a leveling bar (a carpenter's 9" block plane - with the blade removed! - makes a fine leveler), abrasive paper in 600/320/220/150 and 100 grits, a 6" fret leveling single cut file, diamond fret crowning files in small/medium/large - yes you could use a simple cheap triangular fret crown file, but these diamond files do the job in 1/10th the time and SO much better, MicroMesh abrasive cloth in 1500 to 12000 grits, fingerboard and fret levels made from $8 18" drafting T squares.

Refretting basic tools (added to what's listed above) - fret puller, fret end nippers, fret bender, fretting hammer (or a tack hammer will do just fine). Frets and some yellow carpenter's glue for easing in the frets.

Equally as important as the tools, understanding the refretting and leveling operations is paramount. There are LOTS of viable ways to refret and level frets. You DON'T need much more tooling than I've listed, and you certainly DON'T need fret presses, or jaws, or neck jigs or any one of myriads of huge dollar tools and devices that Stew-Mac and the like say you really are gonna need (not!). You just need a steady pair of hands and a pair of good eyes - and the knowledge to make them do the job.

Stew-Mac dressing file ...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/frettech/dress1.jpg

Medium sized triangular fine file ...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/frettech/dress2.jpg

For a pictorial on fret level and crown, click these links ...
http://frettech.com/fret/index.html
http://frettech.com/fret_lc/index.html

For refret pictorials, click these ...
http://frettech.com/frets/index.html
http://frettech.com/refret/index.html

My fave luthier (Frank Ford) and his awesome site - www.Frets.com

it's used along with a strip of aluminum can as a fretboard shield.

You DON'T need much more tooling than I've listed, and you certainly DON'T need fret presses, or jaws, or neck jigs or any one of myriads of huge dollar tools and devices that Stew-Mac and the like say you really are gonna need (not!).

Rob - thats a great idea with the aluminim can. I cant agree more that there's so many more tools advertised than whats really neccessary to do most of the jobs.

I'm interested to know what your process is to polish the frets once crowned. I've listed mine in the previous post but know there are better ways to do things. Thanks for the link addresses too

Rob - thats a great idea with the aluminim can. I cant agree more that there's so many more tools advertised than whats really neccessary to do most of the jobs.

I'm interested to know what your process is to polish the frets once crowned. I've listed mine in the previous post but know there are better ways to do things. Thanks for the link addresses too

I use a block of neoprene rubber with one edge that I rounded off on a sanding wheel, wrapped with 600 grit paper, for the initial crown rounding shaping after the crowning diamond file(s) do their thing. Then a progressive polish with the following Micro Mesh grits wrapped around the neo block - 1500, 2400, 3200, 4000, 6000, 8000, 12000. All of this shaping and polishing is done by flapping the abrasive covered block over the frets up and down the fingerboard from first to last fret and vice-versa. And lastly, I use a sanding stick with 12000 grit to polish each individual fret along its length - this makes the fret tops feel super smooth for string bending.

http://frettech.com/fret/lc6.jpg

Awsome Rob - I did wonder how to get a super smoothe finish. So you don't use an abrasive cream or compound of any sort - its all done with abrasive paper (Micro Mesh) and a neoprene rubber block. Here in West Aust its very very hard to get a finer grit paper above 3000 - can you tell me if you know, a place in the US or globally where they have the gritted paper and would do postal orders?? Would the links that you posted be able to provide that?

Here's where I get my Micro Mesh - the hobby kit will work just fine and goes up to 8000 grit. I buy the sheets individually and in quantity, although MM lasts a loooong time.

http://pages.restorersupplies.com/5943/InventoryPage/1316051/1.html

Rob - your info is worth gold to me - thanks a million. I'm onto the web now cuz I cant help but think how much better my fret work will be with your knowledge, time and direction. Awsome Rob, just simply awsome :grin:

Humbled by your comments - always glad to offer my thoughts and opinions.

I agree. Excellent info from you both in fact. Thanks! This forum is great.

As for tool choices, great advice Rob. Excuse my ignorance, but why would I need the 6" file if I can level with the bladeless plane and paper? I was quite interested in S-Ms fine grade diamond 'tool-sharpening' block (800 grit I think) to use as my main levelling file. Looks like a neat solution and could kill these two tools with one..er...tool. Good choice?
Would I need to add a regular short levelling file as well?

As for fret dressing files, I can see the advantage of diamond files, but they're costly. I can see how they are probably easier to use as well as giving a better result, so I might say to hell with the cost on this. The thing is, if I buy the medium/jumbo diamond fret file will I be able to work on narrow frets with it? It would help keep my initial outlay down. Otherwise I'd probably have to get the standard file with the 3 interchangeable blades, but this doesn't look like a very elegant tool.

The more I think about the basic fret kit from S-M, the more I think a custom set of tools might be more economical in the long run and there are things in their kit that seem optional or 'nice-to-have' tools rather than absolute essentials e.g. the pencil-grip sander that ties you in to a supplier of refills, and the specialist fret hammer. I also want to avoid having to upgrade tools later. I want the moon on a stick basically!

I really appreciate your guidance.

Thanks,

Andy.

Since last post I've been in the work shed and done a little work. I'll post some snaps to display the diffrences with your advise Rob. Briefly though the 'Non Elegant' crowning files do a good job - maybe not as neat and as smoothe as the diamond file but as you see with the snaps my using this tool is ok - with a few other included methods.

For the results - and man they have turned up smoothe - I firstly wet sanded the frets with a 1200 grit. I followed this with a dry sand - the harsh fret levelling marks came out. I also used the stew mac fret dress file to get to the fret sides.

Following this I used a 0000 grade steel wool with an automotive rubbing compound - this gives the equivelant of a 5000 grit paper. Finally after a wipe down a coat of brass polish and a rub. I improvised with the rubbing compound as no hardware shop is open at 12.30 am which it is in Perth.

As for the snaps, first (if they are in order) is the ovation guitar I have done many things on - this is for a client. The 3 that follow are aimed to show the fret on the left as the new polished and smoothe one while the other 2 should show the condition before treatment. They could be clearer.

Maybe with all the money the client is gonna pay, I'll invest in some other SM stuff.

In answer to the medium/jumbo diamond file and working on smaller frets - well I doubt it - it wouldnt file the sides and you'll end up with a right angle from the vertical and horizontal planes of the fret. You wouldn't get the arched effect that snugg fret files would give. Also the SM kit - well I have used every tool in the kit at one time or another - admitidly I use some of the tools more often than not but the kit is a great starting point to add to - and you will be the more you get into fret work. Sure if you want to buy individually then go that path - however I think you'll find that you'll be returning to SM to eventually get all the tools in that kit anyway. Pro tools = pro job (even if the pro tool is home made)

Cool. Thanks for the tips. If you can achieve good results with their starter kit then perhaps thats the way to go, and maybe add some 'Gucci' diamond files later if needed.

While we're discussing the technicalities of refretting/dressing, the neck I'm planning to work on has no binding (thankfully), but the fret tang ends do appear to have been almost completely concealed under a dark finish covering the edge of the fingerboard (rosewood), unlike my Tele neck where the tangs are clearly visible. I will have to crack this layer when I remove the frets. How does one deal with this? There is a fret that has already had this layer cracked at some point (probably from a knock) and its not pretty. Would look very ugly on every fret. I know I'm jumping the gun here, but I want to know what I'm getting into. This neck is what prompted me to learn, so I might as well know!

Cheers,

Andy.

I don't have experience with fret work but am gradually gathering the tools. Here are a couple of 35˚ fret beveling files I made for substantially less than the ones from Stew-Mac. The slots were cut on a table saw. The file was cut using a bench grinder as described in Dan Erlewine's Guitar Player Repair Guide

......http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/jwells393/FretBevelFiles.jpg

Maybe you have a few options here. - unfortunately it does seem like you'll have to carefully remove the laquer to get to the end tangs. Without seeing what you've described there's no real way of giving an accurate assessment. However if you heat the frets with a soldering iron (careful not to touch the fingerboard) the metal will expand and contract at a greater rate than the surrounding - you may be able to remove at an angle and hense not disturb the laquer nor wood too much. - heating the frets is a neat trick to losen the frets anyway.

Another option is give the fingerboard a new look and have the tangs showing - worth a thought.

Another option is remove and replace the frets and find a matching lacquer colour to re-lacquer it

It is suprising that there's such a finish on the neck - unless its actually a binding anyway. Normally theres either wood or binding and with binding, the tangs are normally cut so the frets sit on it - not through it.

Another option is to carfully remove the lacquer from just the tang part - easy enough to do with care and patience.

These are just suggestions - maybe do another post with this specific question and see what kinda responce you get. Wonder what Rob thinks about this?

All good suggestions. Carefully removing the finish directly over the tang seems like a possible approach. Of course, none of this is important now because I'm obviously going to be reading a lot before attempting anything ;-)

On closer inspection, I think that the state of the frets is good enough to only require a level and fret dress without any refretting required. This is probably a blessing because it will allow me to build up my skills gradually rather than jumping straight into a refret. Right, I'm decided - I'll acquire the tools, have a good read and post a new topic once I think I'm ready to begin.

Thanks all for you help.

Andy.

PS. Rob - if you have any further thoughts on my tool purchase options before I spring for the S-M kit, that'd be great.

...
As for tool choices, great advice Rob. Excuse my ignorance, but why would I need the 6" file if I can level with the bladeless plane and paper?

You'll need a file to trim the fret edges, and it will also work if heavy leveling is required. Get the 6" file.

I was quite interested in S-Ms fine grade diamond 'tool-sharpening' block (800 grit I think) to use as my main levelling file. Looks like a neat solution and could kill these two tools with one..er...tool. Good choice?

No. Too fine. Will only work if very minimal leveling is required. Follow my advice on abrasive grits. Take that money and spend it more wisely.

Would I need to add a regular short levelling file as well?

6" does it all for me and is all you'll ever need.

As for fret dressing files,

No, you mean fret crowning files - dressing files are for fret ends.

I can see the advantage of diamond files, but they're costly. I can see how they are probably easier to use as well as giving a better result, so I might say to hell with the cost on this. The thing is, if I buy the medium/jumbo diamond fret file will I be able to work on narrow frets with it?

For the most part, you can use just the medium file. You want this/these diamond crowning files - IMO, they're absolutely the best in the world ...

http://www.stewmac.com/catalog/images_1sm/4454_1sm.jpg

It would help keep my initial outlay down. Otherwise I'd probably have to get the standard file with the 3 interchangeable blades, but this doesn't look like a very elegant tool.

This is one of those instances where you really do want a very specific tool. There is NO comparison between using a diamond crowning file as opposed to a tri-corner file. I strongly recommend using the diamond crowning files. Don't be penny wise and dollar foolish. Trust me well on this issue of crowning files.

The more I think about the basic fret kit from S-M, the more I think a custom set of tools might be more economical in the long run and there are things in their kit that seem optional or 'nice-to-have' tools rather than absolute essentials e.g. the pencil-grip sander that ties you in to a supplier of refills, and the specialist fret hammer. I also want to avoid having to upgrade tools later. I want the moon on a stick basically!

Do not get the "kit". Buy tools selectively and get what you need, not what they say you need.

I really appreciate your guidance.

Glad to offer my advice.

Thanks,

Andy.


....

I don't have experience with fret work but am gradually gathering the tools. Here are a couple of 35˚ fret beveling files I made for substantially less than the ones from Stew-Mac. The slots were cut on a table saw. The file was cut using a bench grinder as described in Dan Erlewine's Guitar Player Repair Guide

......http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/jwells393/FretBevelFiles.jpg


Very nice tools and workmanship.

I never use file bevels - even my old eyes and hands can smooth out a nice fret end bevel just using a 6" fret file. Also, I never ever bevel low, always high, to allow for the maximum available fret length.

FWIW -

If you've never worked on stringed instrument frets before, you could certainly learn pretty much on yer own, reading books, watching vids, getting advice and opinions via the forums. Dependent on many many factors, your effective progress can vary enormously.

In all events, there is no substitute for on the job training.

He he - thanks Rob. I should know better - I should have trusted my first judgements about the kit not being quite right for me. OK, because I wont be replacing frets in the first instance, and my first 'victim' has narrow frets, I'll probably get a narrow diamond crowning file (sorry for the confusion - terminology in my circles applies 'dressing' and 'crowning' interchangeably, but 'bevelling' specifically to working on the fret ends) to start me off and the various abbrasive papers I'll need. I already have a plane and can easily obtain some different length straight edges. As for the 6" levelling file, I guess I just misunderstood you and now I see that you're using it mainly for bevelling fret ends, with occasional use for heavy levelling duties. Recommending one tool that can do the job of two is exactly the advice I need.

Thanks again.

Andy.

I use the 6" fret file on every refret, to trim the newly installed fret ends flush with the fingerboard side. After they're dead flush, I add a slight inward angle. After that, the fret ends are file dressed only. Then the frets are leveled - after leveling, the fret tops AND sides are polished from 600 thru 12000 grit. This is what works for me, there are lotsa different viable ways to refret and L&C.

Sometimes an L&C needs a LOT of metal to be removed, then I use the 6" file to make quick work of that job, following up with 100, 150, 220, 320 and 600 grit on my 9"x1"x2" leveling steel. I use double stick tape on the 1" side to attach a strip of abrasive. I had a local machine shop cut off lengths of cold rolled 1"x2" steel for leveling blocks, then had both 1" sides ground dead flat. Way cheaper and mo' better than the Stew-Mac stuff.

When ya need an instant fret question answered, visit Frank's site - www.Frets.com - he's top on my luthier's list!

... OK, because I wont be replacing frets in the first instance, and my first 'victim' has narrow frets, I'll probably get a narrow diamond crowning file ...

Get the medium and it'll do double duty for both narrow and medium in a pinch - in fact, I rarely use the narrow 'cept for tiny mando and banjo type frets.

In fact, there's a possibility ya might only need a medium file for all yer crowning duties. Worth every penny and omigod what a great job it does.

Great thread - very informative.

I leveled my frets using the side of my oilstone. I washed all the oil off it first, then dried it thoroughly. The top surface was dished from use, but the sides were dead flat. I suppose you could use the top surface if the stone was brand new. It turned out ok.