Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by Zaulkin »

jvpp wrote:
Molly wrote:As Danny said, GrantB would be the guy to ask. He seems to have it sussed. Would love to be able to do it. Every guitar I own would have f'kin' big Dunlop 6000s. :-)

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Why do you like big frets? What do they 'provide' what small ones don't?
Yeah, it helps with gripping for bending. Also they just feel nicer under the fingers to me.

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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by Bg »

yeah I tend to go medium, but I hate matchsticks! They are just awful :(
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by Zaulkin »

Always loved the pyramid jumbo frets on my Ash guitar. Looked up the fretwire on my Suhr, which is almost identical in size to the mm - nowonder I love playing it. Going to grab some of that for future.

There was a TM link for a nice/cheap levelling bar - anyone remember what that is?

Do I need the double edged fret files and a crowning file, or only one or the other? Aren't they the same thing?

I think I can get by mostly with what I've got. Fret nippers, hammer, edge files all just seem like glorified cheap tools. Anything else specific I need from stew Mac?

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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by Bg »

Zaulkin wrote:Always loved the pyramid jumbo frets on my Ash guitar. Looked up the fretwire on my Suhr, which is almost identical in size to the mm - nowonder I love playing it. Going to grab some of that for future.

There was a TM link for a nice/cheap levelling bar - anyone remember what that is?

Do I need the double edged fret files and a crowning file, or only one or the other? Aren't they the same thing?

I think I can get by mostly with what I've got. Fret nippers, hammer, edge files all just seem like glorified cheap tools. Anything else specific I need from stew Mac?
http://www.hangarone.co.nz/great-planes ... -4037.html
http://www.trademe.co.nz/toys-models/ra ... 493775.htm
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by Bg »

and these are awesome http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Ty ... _File.html but I just use a triangle file
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by H671 »

Another option is to glue your sandpaper to the bottom of a spirit level - it's flat & easy to control.
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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by Jay »

Bg wrote:and these are awesome http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Ty ... _File.html but I just use a triangle file
Nik, I have these, you can borrow them when you need them. Happy to help as well if boganland aint too far away for you
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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by Bg »

H671 wrote:Another option is to glue your sandpaper to the bottom of a spirit level - it's flat & easy to control.
I did that before I got hold of this lump of kwilla, its got some weight in it so I just let it do its thing and guide it...
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by Zaulkin »

jvpp wrote:
Bg wrote:and these are awesome http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Ty ... _File.html but I just use a triangle file
Nik, I have these, you can borrow them when you need them. Happy to help as well if boganland aint too far away for you
Damn, you guys are awesome. I might want my own set incase I really get into it but I may take you up on some help. :)

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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by robnobcorncob »

Molly wrote:
robnobcorncob wrote:I'd suggest you get your fret level/dress/crown chops up to scratch first before you start refretting, one step at a time and whatnot.

Tools are tricky, Stewmac and LMI are expensive (understatement) however their tools do work well, I believe you get what you pay for.

Rosewood is the easiest and most forgiving material when it comes to refretting, stay away from lacquered maple fingerboards until you have some miles under your belt!
Wondered about that. Do they remove the lacquer before refretting? Be hard to get the tint right I'd imagine.
Depends on the maker, but if they fret before lacquer is applied then you have to delicately cut the lacquer around the fret and then remove it. Any big chips and you are doing lacquer touch ups and yes the tint is difficult to match, especially if it's old.

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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by GrantB »

Good info in here.

Is it an older Fender maple neck?

I find people sometimes forget to size the slots right for the tang on their purchased fret wire. It's easy to overlook.
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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by robnobcorncob »

GrantB wrote:Good info in here.

Is it an older Fender maple neck?

I find people sometimes forget to size the slots right for the tang on their purchased fret wire. It's easy to overlook.
Don't forget Fender's side-on fret installation method, thankfully no longer in use.

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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by GrantB »

robnobcorncob wrote:
GrantB wrote:Good info in here.

Is it an older Fender maple neck?

I find people sometimes forget to size the slots right for the tang on their purchased fret wire. It's easy to overlook.
Don't forget Fender's side-on fret installation method, thankfully no longer in use.
Hence my question. I don't mind pushing them out the side but yeah, it's an extra step grinding the little end holes!

Maple boards are OK to do...but the you need to decide early on whether you're happy doing some refin work on it or is you want to leave it...I prefer to always give a new coat of lacquer on the top...but I've refretted really heavily worn maple boards where the guys just want to leave the gunk n junk as is. That requires a different approach.

I am really loving the Z file from StewMac. Expensive as hell, but the fastest and easiest crowning tool I've used.

When you're learning, I think using the original tools helps understand the process better. Eg. using as three face file for crowning vs. Z file. Another one to avoid early on is the angled file for fret ends. Using that wrong can cause a world of pain...better to use a hand held one to learn the process first. I've gone back to hand held files for that work now. Much better control.

It's all good fun.
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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by Zaulkin »

GrantB wrote:
Hence my question. I don't mind pushing them out the side but yeah, it's an extra step grinding the little end holes!

Maple boards are OK to do...but the you need to decide early on whether you're happy doing some refin work on it or is you want to leave it...I prefer to always give a new coat of lacquer on the top...but I've refretted really heavily worn maple boards where the guys just want to leave the gunk n junk as is. That requires a different approach.

I am really loving the Z file from StewMac. Expensive as hell, but the fastest and easiest crowning tool I've used.

When you're learning, I think using the original tools helps understand the process better. Eg. using as three face file for crowning vs. Z file. Another one to avoid early on is the angled file for fret ends. Using that wrong can cause a world of pain...better to use a hand held one to learn the process first. I've gone back to hand held files for that work now. Much better control.

It's all good fun.
Thanks grant. You make a good point, I might try the triangular files first then. I'll do some research on the method and see if I can get by using those.

I might have a rosewood neck to practise a fix up, otherwise the one I want refretted eventually is a recent Mexican Fender neck (maple). So on second thought I don't think it's the same kind of lacquer as on a proper fender. Should be fiiine.

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Re: Learning how to do a refret/fretwork

Post by MakoGat »

In no way would I trust myself to refret a neck! As for fret level and re-crown, after watching some Youtube videos I figured it didnt look to difficult. Got myself a cheap neck off Guitar Fetish, got together a few tools and gave it a go. First one turned out nice, I think the most difficult part is the recrowning / shaping - which by the way I bought a 3 sided file from Mitre 10 ($12) and ground and polished off the 3 corners so not to cut through the masking tape or damage fret board.

Give it a go, just be sure you have a crappy neck to practice on. Ive now done four level/crowns.

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