Fret Dress Because the intonation of your guitar is based upon the crown of your frets, flat spots and divots can cause your guitar to play out of tune. Treat yourself and your guitar to the finest craftsmanship available and bring your guitar down to N Stuff Music in Blawnox for all of your guitar maintenance, setup, and repair needs! This results in the death of a note as the string hits the frets on the upper register and bends. It might make bends smoother and improve intonation but your finger tips will always be touching more of the fretboard with lower frets, which might feel weird when trying to bend notes and slide over the string if you're used to higher frets. Bevel fret ends with a bevel file or straight file. As you can see, there is a flat plateau area on the top which needs to be ground down to achieve a smooth, round frets with a single point of contact for the string to touch. I have once again applied black marker to the tops of each fret to clearly show the crowning process. I have applied black marker to the tops of the frets to demonstrate the leveling process. Over time, a well played guitar will start to form dents in the frets. How to know if your guitar needs a fret dress/re-crown and how to do it yourself if that answer is yes. Get Directions | #electric #acoustic #beginner. The steel will get worn down over time from the file. In this article I hope to explain the basics of what a fret dress is, the work that goes into completing a good fret dress, and why you may want an experienced guitar technician to perform one on your guitar. Now this guitar plays, feels, and sounds better than it has in years. A fret is a raised element on the neck of a stringed instrument.Frets usually extend across the full width of the neck. To do this, I use a notched straightedge which sits on the fretboard itself so I can accurately adjust the truss rod to the perfect straightness instead of using a standard straightedge and using the uneven frets themselves as a reference for how straight the neck is. Frets are cut from fret wire, which is manufactured in lengthy rolls and is usually made of nickel silver, an alloy that doesn’t actually contain any silver. Joking aside, a fret dress is a process of leveling frets with some type of flat, straight abrasive surface in order to eliminate string buzzing. I then wick a small amount of water thin superglue underneath the fret to ensure that it stays in place. Can you see dents in the frets underneath where the string hits them when you press down on the string? The Fret Level + Dress Tool Set includes: Stewmac 9" Fretbar + 2 String Jacks Also sold separately The Fretbar is one of our favorite all-around fret leveling tools. A real guru eg his book ‘How to Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great’ is well worth having for the set up tips alone. It is basically like taking a file to a chunk of steel. Each side of the tool has a groove with diamond-grit abrasive to shave down the sides of each fret to get the proper crown. New guitars can benefit from a fret dress, as some may have uneven frets. Each and every fret has to be accurately crowned for the best playability. After each fret has been properly and accurately crowned, I use a fine three-corner file with the corners ground down to gently round of the edges of each fret so it feels as comfortable as possible for the player. Now is the perfect time to get the gear you want with simple, promotional financing. A fret dress is a basic one-piece number with a plunging neckline, equally at home for fine dining or a casual night out on the town!. A fret dress will take care of all these issues. Plek will scan the neck again to see how the shape has changed without string tension on it. As you play your guitar, the strings wear down the frets because the strings are made out a harder metal than the frets. 5501 U.S. Hwy 30 W, Fort Wayne, IN 46818 Anatomically, frets consist of a rounded “crown” (or “bead”) atop a thinner “tang” with barbs on either side as seen in cross-section. Coil Splitting and Coil Tapping: Is There a Difference? Reply Upvote. A fret dress won't make your frets feel any taller. February 25, 2019 by latchaw. Everything you love about Sweetwater in the palm of your hand. The whole process is kind of like a manicure for the frets, and every bit worth it. For rounding, shaping and deburring. For frets that have popped out of their slots due to humidity changes, I press the frets down using this specialty fret press which has a caul that matches the radius of the fingerboard to get the fret seated nicely. With all the frets accurately leveled, precisely crowned, and beautifully polished, we then assemble the guitar, put new strings on, and set her up for the best playability. I use this precision-ground leveling bar with adhesive-backed 220 grit sandpaper on one side of it and carefully proceed to use it to the sand the tops of the frets down evenly, going back and forth and side to side to maintain the proper radius of the fingerboard without sanding any flat spots into the frets. usually a couple of sizes bigger than what you’re using on the rest of the fretboard This will allow the player to get the best tone, comfortable playability, and dead-on intonation. To get the smoothest, cleanest, mirror-like polish on the frets, we take the neck over to our buffing wheel to take the playability of your guitar neck from good to excellent. Luthiery has lots of trade-specific tools; without the right tools, the work will generally be sub-par, which is why it’s so important to bring your guitar to experienced, dedicated luthiers to have the work done right the first time! To describe the process, first, make sure the neck is straight as possible, then a file or woodworkers’ level with sandpaper attached to it may used to sand down the tops of the frets, taking only the minimum amount needed to make all fret tops the same height. The Virtual Fret Dress (VFD) is the core function of the Plek Pro program. Today, we are going to “undress” the ever mysterious process of a fret dress or more commonly referred to as a fret level and recrown. Wondering if people think a good luthier could do a fret dress, if I should pay for a re-fret, or just sell the guitar as is. Fret Dress. Having the slight backbow means that we can run a low action whilst also being able to eliminate all buzz. I will file your frets flat and then re-crown them (put the arc back) and then polish them to a high shine using four grits of sandpaper and steel wool. Do some notes sound just not quite in tune? Reply 10 years ago on Introduction. Much like dents and pits, if the fret has a flat crown and is too short, it will need to be replaced. On most modern western fretted instruments, frets are metal strips inserted into the fingerboard.On some historical instruments and non-European instruments, frets are made of pieces of string tied around the neck. They then “dress” the fret ends using other specialized files, and polish them for smoothly level and uniform feel and a clean, professional look. so my question is : are they really that strong and durable? Now it’s time to sand the tops of all the frets down evenly so they are all the same height. The reason is that my fret crowning file will round off the edges of the fret so that string wear to the side of the fret will disappear leaving just the levelled centre of the fret. Most guitar repair shops would stop at the steel wool, but we are no ordinary repair shop! This is no place for power tools. The first thing a player feels is the fret ends, so always shape them with this file. To learn more about our cookie policy, please visit our Privacy Policy. This software tool makes it possible to set the amount of fret height to be cut as well as adjusting the radius (making it possible to obtain a compound radius within the frets) as well as the amount of “fall-off” on the uppper frets. The fret dress was a little heavier than I first expected due to the fret wear string marks being so deep. Being music makers ourselves, we love geeking out on all things gear. Then use small needle files to dress the fret ends. In this picture you can see the dents formed in the frets by the player pushing the strings down into the frets. When crowning frets we also dress fret ends to provide the best possible feel. That is a fretdress. it came with the Cryogenic treated frets, who they claim will never need a fret dress nor replacement. Common reasons for a fret dress: Divots in the frets from playing that result in fret buzz, bad intonation, and difficult playing action. In this article I hope to explain the basics of what a fret dress is, the work that goes into completing a good fret dress, and why you may want an experienced guitar technician to perform one on your guitar. Sweetwater Sound A guitar’s fretboard can actually shrink in a low-humidity environment, causing the fret ends to protrude slightly on either side of the neck. fret dress New Luna Ukulele Is Bent Out Of Shape. Joking aside, a fret dress is a process of leveling frets with some type of flat, straight abrasive surface in order to eliminate string buzzing. Worn frets often look worse than they really are, as the fret tends to squash out sideways rather than wear away. I'm not sure how much this would effect the asking price since the playability is good, but I'd like to be transparent. A rising tongue at the end of the fretboard. Fret edge dress $50 Full fret level … Otherwise, up to now, you are spot on. but ive just had a fret dress done on mine with a full setup and it plays much better and keeps in tune longer.it is a much more playable guitar now. In the case of newly installed frets (or a fretboard with uneven frets), this means removing more metal from the tops of any high frets in order to bring them to the level of their neighbours. Low humidity can cause fret sprout. Do some notes on your fretboard choke out and go silent immediately after hitting the string? Phone Hours | I consider frets worn when there's a dent that looks to be about 25% of the full height. To start, ask yourself a few questions about your guitar: Is your guitar starting to make unusual buzzing noises when you play it? Exclusive deals, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn More. Gibson used Plek, a computer-based fret-dressing system invented by a company of the same name. This nice Luna ukulele was a thoughtful gift. Unfortunately, there were many dead notes. If the frets are tall … Once the virtual fret dress is complete, the instrument is prepped in the cradle for processing. For a fret to function properly, it must have a domed crown. This specialized file dresses the ends of the frets after they've been installed, trimmed flush and beveled. I start with 400 grit sandpaper wrapped around an eraser which helps the sandpaper grip the fret nicely, then I work my way up through the grits up to 1200 grit sandpaper, then I polish the frets with extra fine (0000) steel wool which gives the frets a smooth, clean appearance and feel. I prefer a 15 degree bevel. If the crown is flat, as in Fig. You are certainly correct. , The frets are re-crowned using a fret crowning file and then polished to a mirror-smooth surface. Too often guitars (and basses) are re-fretted, when a fret dress would be more appropriate. In most cases a fret dress can solve buzz problems without re-fretting the guitar. Also, over time and during seasonal changes, the humidity in the environment where a guitar lives may also cause the fretboard wood to swell and contract, which could push frets up and out of the slots that they are seated in. Guitar Fret Polishing. Dressing the frets is the process of reshaping the top of the fret into the proper “crown”. Good fret work is the key to perfect intonation and playability. When frets become worn, they actually tend to splay outward rather than wear away, which means that they tend to look worse than they actually are. The Dremmel was a form of laziness on my part. Also, for those gigging musicians that play their guitar alot it means the first seven frets will take much longer to wear down, reducing the frequency of refretting. Guitar fret crowing is the process that shapes a rounded top on your frets. This allows me to be as accurate during this procedure as possible. Happy customers, one piece of gear at a time! As you can see, the black marks on the top of parts of these frets indicate that I still have a bit of leveling to do before I get rid of all those dents. A fret dress is a basic one-piece number with a plunging neckline, equally at home for fine dining or a casual night out on the town! The term “fret dress” refers to leveling and reshaping the frets. This is a picture of the specialty tool that I use to achieve the right crown on the tops of each frets. More (hopefully) helpful pointers on the topic of fret dressing and crowning: Neill and I independently discovered Dan Erlewine‘s books and You Tube vids. You can use it with the strings on or off, and the precision-ground surface is dead flat to quickly and accurately to get frets level. From the tweakiest techniques to the biggest ideas, our experts work hard to constantly supply inSync with a steady stream of helpful, in-depth demos, reviews, how-tos, news, and interviews. Dented Frets. Sophie’s aunt wanted to do something to further her niece’s continuing education and eventual career in music therapy. Search You Tube for … That’s just how we do things here at N Stuff Music! This Suhr electric guitar is on my bench today for a fret dress. Fret leveling and refret work requires a setup; refrets include leveling of the fingerboard. With over 28,000 articles and counting, inSync is your FREE resource for breaking news, reviews, demos, interviews, and more. Proceed with normal fret dress procedure starting with 220 grit paper. not that im thinking of selling any time soon. A fret dress takes care of these issues. 1 reply 0. potatojesus JArmandB. Cosmetic repair options may be available for an additional charge; ask the technician for an estimate. Store Hours, If you have any questions, please call us at (800) 222-4700. Once the neck has been removed, we make sure that the neck is as perfectly straight as possible. How to File Sharp Fret Ends I can always tell when we’ve had a cold winter by the guitars that come into my shop. The fret on the left has only a tiny sliver of untouched metal on the top of the freshly rounded fret; this will be the single point of contact that the strings will touch once the frets are polished and the guitar is setup. This is when sharp fret ends stick out past your fingerboard and make your guitar uncomfortable to play. Then it will process the frets … Each fret must be worked individually with special tools. To start, ask yourself a few questions about your guitar: Is your guitar starting to make unusual buzzing noises when The fret on the right still has the flat plateau on the top of the fret. This picture shows you the shape of the frets after we’re done leveling them. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. It’s not only well used guitars that can benefit from a fret dress. File the sharp corner of the fret ends with a safe-edged flat file or 3-corner file. Smooth, non-marring edges glide on the fingerboard while the fine-toothed sides deburr and round the fret. Wake Up Digital Guitars with Plug-ins – Take a Listen. 3, it will cause string rattle and intonation issues. If everything was done properly the bar will lightly kiss the top of all the frets. When folks crank up the heat during cold weather, it removes moisture from the air. That's just a rule of thumb but at that point, it's harder for me to make a clean note (less "bite" over the fret) and the fretted note starts to hit the taller downstream fret I never "dress" or level frets but I replace worn frets in a partial refret. If you have any questions about fret dresses or any other aspect of guitar repair, give us a call down at the store anytime. 3 Ways to Make Your Acoustic Guitar Sound Better, PRS Private Stock Wants to Build Your Dream Guitar, What Is Tube Amp Biasing? How It Works, Why You Should Care. A level is the filing of the top of all the frets to a uniform height. So i bought a new 2018 gibson les paul traditional. A fret dress can also be used to correct minor defects in a guitar neck that might otherwise be prohibitively expensive to repair. The strings are slacked and tucked around the back of the neck. I’ll have to do a significant amount of shaping, sanding, and polishing during the fret dress, so laying down a layer of masking tape over the wood in between each fret ensures that the wood will not accidentally be marred or dented. Once the frets have been crowned and the fret edges touched up with the three-corner file, now its time to polish the frets to a smooth, mirror shine. If any of these problems sound familiar, you may be a candidate for a fret dress, which is the process of leveling and reshaping the frets on a guitar so they have an even height and shape all the way up and down the fretboard. Guitar fret polishing is done with a series of progressive tasks. A fret level refers to the process of abrading the tops of the frets in order to ensure that each is on the same plane* as all the others. This happens because the metal that string manufacturers use to make guitar strings is made from a harder material than what the frets are made out of. 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Guitar will start to form dents in the frets after they 've been installed, trimmed flush beveled... A harder metal than the frets Stuff music Luna Ukulele is Bent out of shape has without!
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