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All strung up on my first fan fret classical....In tune....action PERFECT....and HARK....after 20 minutes of playing I hear a 7th. fret buzz and the fret has popped (arched) up in the center. I can easily push it back down but doesn't stay. I did CA the ends when I installed them. Can I use thin CA along fret and push into place until set....or is this a bad idea? Or....do I pop it off and install a new fret? My assumption is that SOMEHOW my fret slot ended up a hair wide. If a new fret has the same issue...what is my solution to this problem?
Kent

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Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

Use a drop of thin CA and have a tool handy to push the fret down and hold it for several minutes. Don't let excess glue run down onto the finished neck as it will ruin the finish.

Kent-
Congrats on your new guitar!
No harm in trying the CA 'quick fix' on this. If that doesn't work, then:

I'd probably put in a new chunk of fretwire, for a start.
If you are careful, you can 'ding' the tang a bit to make it fit tighter.
If you check out the commercial tool for this, you can figure out how to improvise something in your shop.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Pullers,_nippers,_sizing/Fret_Fitter.html

I think CA is better for 'insurance' with frets that fit reasonably well- I'd hesitate to depend on it to hold down a really loose fret, especially on a new guitar.

Cheers
John

Thanks,
I have the CA ready to go and a 1 " wide 1/2 fret tall slotted stick to hold it in place for a few minutes. I hope it doesn't stain my fretboard. I'll try to wipe off any excess as fast as I can while holding it down.
Kent

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Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

I have CA'd loose frets down too.
Handy tip from someone on the forum (the name escapes me, but thank you) to spot small drops of CA was to use a needle with the end ground off the eye (I push the point into a dowel for a handle).
A bit like a fountain pen nib, works really well.

-Too late!!?

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Not a pro but I've CA'd whole fretboards. Works fine; I learned it from a pro.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I actually took Johns advice and installed a new fret first. It held so far.....but didn't take much to pound it in. I may end up CA gluing this one in down the road anyway.

The needle thing is a good idea. I've used a toothpick for tiny applications before.

Kent

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Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

Wax the fretboard on each side of the fret and run some thin CA under the fret, it will wick into the slot from there.

I was the needle eye CA applicator contributor quite a while back, but the idea came from the model airplane fliers. If you put a drop of CA on a piece of wax paper it will lay there without hardening for quite a long time. If I need bigger drops than the needle eye gives I dip a pipette into the puddle of CA without sucking it in and you get a nice drop. That is how I do frets as it is easier to control than a full pipette. A word of caution though, don't lay your arm or elbow in the CA puddle on the wax paper, don't ask how I figured that out.

A cheaper debonder is also available, nitro methane does a great job, they probably spill a life time supply for one of us while fueling a nitro dragster at the track.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
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