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 Post subject: Low frets
PostPosted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 3:24 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 12:52 pm
Posts: 103
First name: Russell
Last Name: LaRoche
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
What should I do? I did my first fret install and I have a couple of noticeably lower frets - as in I can see it with my eyes when I put a straight edge on top. What would be the best approach when leveling and crowning and so forth. Or should I re-do/pull those low frets?

Thank you idunno

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 Post subject: Re: Low frets
PostPosted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 3:43 pm 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:10 pm
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First name: Tom
Last Name: West
State: Nova Scotia
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
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Rusty: don't get too excited yet. AS long as you leveled your board before fretting and the frets are sitting tight to the board most likely your OK. A gap of a few thousands of an inch under a straight edge can look like you can push your hand through under the right lighting conditions. You are going to have to level the tops of the frets and then recrown them with a fret file.There may be re: in the Video files. Maybe give us some more info .

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 Post subject: Re: Low frets
PostPosted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 4:29 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 12:52 pm
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First name: Russell
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westca wrote:
Rusty: don't get too excited yet. AS long as you leveled your board before fretting and the frets are sitting tight to the board most likely your OK. A gap of a few thousands of an inch under a straight edge can look like you can push your hand through under the right lighting conditions. You are going to have to level the tops of the frets and then recrown them with a fret file.There may be re: in the Video files. Maybe give us some more info .

Thank you, that is what I was hoping. I did level the fretboard before pushing in the frets. Here we go.. :D

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 Post subject: Re: Low frets
PostPosted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 4:40 pm 
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Old Growth Brazilian
Old Growth Brazilian

Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2004 1:56 am
Posts: 10707
Location: United States
My question is the glass half full or is the glass half empty? Do you have a few low frets or do you have a bunch of high frets. laughing6-hehe

I meant that as both a joke and food for thought. IMOP leveling the frets to each other is as important,... no more important than leveling the fretboard. once the sting is depressed so that it contacts the crown of the fret you have set the action of that string from the fretted point forward. if the fretted fret is lower than the next fret the osolation of the sting when plucked will cause a contact buzz more than just a little likely. If you can see light easily between your straight edge and the fret the odds are that you have .005" or more variance in height from the low fret relitive to the plane formed by the rest of the frets. IMOP it would be worth your while to remove strings and nut and level the frets.


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 Post subject: Re: Low frets
PostPosted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 5:25 pm 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:42 am
Posts: 1583
Location: United States
In theory, if your board was level and the frets were all seated, then they would line up without leveling. Of course, most end up leveling and crowing to their desired shape. If some frets are lower, there is a good chance that those are seated and the others may not be. Have you tried a feeler gage under the higher frets to verify that they contact the board?


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 Post subject: Re: Low frets
PostPosted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:10 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 12:52 pm
Posts: 103
First name: Russell
Last Name: LaRoche
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Thanks guys. I just finished and I think it went well for my first fret job. I'll know for sure when I get the guitar put together. All the frets are now level with each other and crowned. I used a long straight edge and also a fret rocker for each fret.

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