matt_p90

Cheers for the tutorial, this'll come in really useful.

Any tips for judging when a partial or full refret is required over leveling? Is it just a matter of experience?

Invader Jim

If leveling/crowning would take away too much of the fret, then you'd do better to refret. It's not hard to tell. Just look at how deep the ditching is.

Rebelw/outaCord

Cedric- I can't believe I forgot to mention checking neck straightness!!! Editing OP now. Thank you!








Your eyes are really deceptive when it comes to this. I always say do the crown and level first-- unless the fret is completely mangled, there's a good chance this will iron the problems out. Plus, what have you got to lose? Just a couple hours of your own time and some elbow grease, really. If it doesn't work out, pursue a refret.

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Tempoe

Thanks for posting this, it was very helpful. I did the whole thing a few months ago and had a perfect new feel on my Jackson. So I was surprised to see upon inspection today that they are really worn out again already in places that I guess I bend a lot (almost flat with hardly any crown left) and I have a dead note or two when my action is where I like it. I guess about 500 hrs since I did it.
I have to do the whole thing again, could be the last time, so I'll do a refret in the next year or so but was wondering if anyone here used the stainless frets and how much harder is it to do, not so much the refret but the leveling and crowning? Are there special crowning files for stainless?

Dave8706

interesting/informative thread. i am still yet to attempt fret work. although for leveling im opting towards using a med to fine grade 2 to 3" wide sharpening stone. or sandpaper on a radius block
3/4" to 1" wide files look a bit scary on fret leveling work to me.

solomon684

I got a quick question...if I level the frets, could I go straight to using this instead of using a triangular file, then start with the sandpaper?

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metalwarrior40

Yup. Use the same amount of strokes on each one.

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james4

I was looking into levelling my frets today, so it's pretty convenient that this thread got bumped up

yay

next time I've got a day off work my squier's gonna get some much needed levelling

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solomon684

Awesome thanks man

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Ignite

My new Ibanez has a ton of fret buzz, and I'd like the action to be even lower than it is. I've tried everything and it seems like it's just bad fret work.

The buzz is mainly on the top 3 strings, I can lower the action on the treble strings and get super low, but I hate having an uneven action.

I'd like to try this on my $99 guitar that I don't play which has even worse fret buzz and dead notes when the action is too low.

What's the best way to get the neck completely straight?

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blandguitar

Get an 18" steel rule and adjust the truss rod until the top of the edge on the fretboard is straight.

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haceteunosmates

+1.

Really nice job. How many times can you do this to a guitar? What do you do when there's not enough metal left?

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