I'm going to try and add
information and pages to this section
as soon as possible.....
This section is NOT complete.
The Guitars used to illustrate
this procedure are a : -
'Gold' Ernie Ball
Musicman Silhouette
( This
guitar needed a 'Fret Job' entirely due to string
wear 'grooving' the frets with use. The
guitar had been played a lot around the world over the years, but
rattled and buzzed too much to be used as a main instrument. This
was the last time a 'Fret Job' would be possible before doing a re-fret.)
and a
'Vintage White' Japanese Fender Stratocaster
( This
guitar had been worked on at some point in the recent past..... when somebody
had tried to do the frets, but didn't 'slacken off' the truss-rod before the job was
attempted. As a result, the neck was still curved downward when the frets were 'stoned',
leaving the frets in the middle section
of the fingerboard very low and flat with
sharp edges with the frets at both ends
having far less attention, and no attempt was made to re-profile them at
all. This had caused problems as the guitar was almost unplayable.
To solve this problem, without having to resort to a re-fret, was a tricky procedure - not one for a beginner, as this
was the sort of job that was only
really solvable when you'd had practice
& experience and was largely a matter
of 'feel'
for what was required.
Again, this was the last time this sort of job could be done on this guitar
before a re-fret.)
THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
( You can click
on each of the pix
below for
a closer view.)
The 1st Stage..... Preparation. Find a nice clean flat area that can be used and find a soft cloth or old bed sheet to lie the guitar on to prevent any possible damage. 'Swinging' room is also needed as the guitar will have to be positioned at various angles to surface used.
Requirements.....
A large area - flat, clean & stable
with a good light source. A large soft cloth or sheet.
* *
* * * * *
* * *
The 2nd Stage..... Checking
over the Instrument. It is best to lie the guitar down and check her all over for any damage, loose parts or screws..... in fact, anything that
might have to be done later, or anything that may cause a problem when trying to do the task in hand.
A small 'labeled'
container is handy to put 'bits', if any need to be taken off, or in case some do fall off !
You never know.
If they are left lying around, the guitar may be put on top of them by mistake..... and touching-in or
re-spraying shouldn't have to be part of the deal !
( Take notes if possible.)
While still strung up, the
guitar neck
needs to be looked
over to
see if there are any noticeable problems
that are reasonably obvious..... For example
- if there is a twist
in the neck, or the bass side pulls up
a lot more than the treble, if the neck is aligned
correctly with the body. If there are
potential problems at this stage, take
notes and compare
the neck when the strings are off. Only then can a
strategy
be planned .
Other things to check for are..... if any 'shims'
have been used to alter the neck angle - in the case of a 'bolt-on' neck, if there are already 'dinks' and 'dents'
noticeable on the neck or fingerboard, or any cracks or chips in the finish or
damage of any kind.
( Best to take notes again here.)
Tools Required.....
A note-book & pen, a small-ish labeled
container and a selection of screwdrivers and Allen-keys etc.
* * * * * * * * * *
The 3rd Stage.....
Taking the Strings off.
Take the strings off the guitar, put them together and safely out of the
way.
I tend to.....
unwind them from the machine heads, then wrap them round in a few circles and stash the up by the bridge, where they're out of the way. Usually I'll hold them down with a couple of bits of masking tape. It's generally best to use the 'low
tack' type, especially in cases where there may be potential problems with the finish.
The vast majority of guitars however will be no problem at all.
( This last point is very important
- some finishes may pull off
like a 'sheet', other may flake off.....
even with
the use of 'Low-tack' tape..... Great care
must be taken !)
I never throw the strings
away until right at the end, as you may not know what the exact gauges are.
So if you need to find out, you can still check them with a micrometer.
( Useful Tip.)
Tools Required.....
A string-winder is useful and so is a roll
of 'low-tack' masking tape.
* * * * * * * * * *
The 4th Stage..... Examining
the Fingerboard & Frets.
This is where things really start to happen.
Initially the fingerboard
must be checked to see if it is clean
and free from dirt,
grease and 'crap' left over from the player playing the instrument. This sort of
debris usually accumulates each side of the frets. On lacquered fingerboards, it
can usually be removed with a cloth with a bit of furniture polish - like
'Pledge'.
If it's a bit more 'stubborn', a colour restorer like 'T-Cut' can be used by carefully
and gently rubbing
it over the surface with a cloth, making sure that afterwards, all traces are
removed.
Luckily, because lacquered fingerboards are usually pretty
shiny, they tend not to collect too much
dirt.
Next, which is one of the most important
tasks of all, is to make
sure that the fingerboard is reasonably flat
from end to end so the frets
can be uniformly leveled. It is only then
that the job can really start. The best tool to use is a 2ft
straight edge - but it must be straight !
By laying the edge carefully on the frets along
the length of the fingerboard, in the area
of the centre-line and towards both the treble and the bass sides as well, you can tell
if there is for example a 'hump'
or a higher area
in the middle region of the fingerboard - around say the 7th to 12th fret. If there is a
'higher area'
here it can usually be relieved by 'slackening
off' the truss rod a
little ( 1/8th of a turn at a time
).
Occasionally slackening off the truss rod will not take out the higher middle
area - it can still be there - and in this case there are going to be problems.
( This scenario will be in an Advanced Section later.)
If there is a 'dip'
or lower area
in the middle region, rather than a 'hump', the truss rod can be tightened
gently (
1/8th of a turn at a time
) until, in most cases, the neck straightens out.
Truss rods
need to be approached with the
utmost caution
as they don't always work..... and very occasionally will break !
In the case of the Gold Musicman Silhouette here, there was no problem as she
had
uniform wear
mainly on
the
treble side, and with the strings off - the
maple neck flattened out nicely and when checked with a straight edge the frets
were reasonably level from 1st to 24th, apart from the 'grooves' which had to be
got rid of as part of the job.
The 'Vintage White' Japanese St**t here is a different proposition.
Tools Required.....
Some polish, a cloth, a 2ft straight edge and a suitable
truss-rod key.
* * * * * * * * * *
The 5th Stage..... Masking.
The point of no return
! To prevent causing any damage to the
guitar, the area of the body around where the neck joins the body has to be masked
up using 'low-tack'
masking tape. This includes : - the pickups
and scratch-plate
in the vicinity of the neck and all the parts of the body
in that area including possibly the 'horns'.
Also the top-nut
needs to be masked over.
See the picture(s) below.
It important to
carefully scan
the whole neck an body area at this stage, to see if there are any 'bare
patches'
where there is no lacquer due to
wear
or just
knocks
or
dents. This is particularly important with
Maple Necks
and
Fingerboards. No
oil, crap, grease or dirt must get in
there at all.
This is very important. If there are any areas like this you
must mask them up at this stage.
Tools Required.....
Plenty of 'low-tack' masking tape. A pair of sharp scissors. A sharp 'Stanley' blade & a
plate.
* * * * * * * * * *
The 6th Stage.....
OK ? 'Stoning' or
Leveling. At
this stage the lacquered fingerboard between the frets doesn't need to be masked
unless there is wear and damage, but will have to be masked before Stage
8.
Personally I've always used an 'Oil-stone'
for doing frets. Some people prefer to use a specially adapted file, but I find
that an oil-stone works for me
- and that's what's important..... being comfortable
with your tools.
( If you have not used an Oil-stone before, I'm planning a Section on - Tools and How to Use Them - but I've not got that far yet I'm afraid.)
With the Oil-Stone
you have to use a lubricant,
and I find the best and most cost effective is Extra
Virgin Olive
Oil. Drizzle a few 'globs' of oil on the 'face'
of the stone and smear
the oil all over the rest of the face. Let it soak in. (
If it's a new stone, it might take quite a bit of 'filling up' !)
When the oil will lie on the surface, 'stoning' can start.....
I WILL CONTINUE STAGE
SIX AS SOON
AS I CAN
Tools Required.....
A 'flat' 8" medium grade oil-stone, Extra Virgin
Olive Oil and some soft rags - No 'witches brews' or special potions required.
* * * * * * * * * *
The 7th Stage.....
Taping up the Fingerboard. Now
the frets have been 'stoned' or leveled, and all the excess oil has been wiped
away, the lacquered part
of the fingerboard has to be masked
up tight to the frets.
It's best to use the 'low-tack'
variety and I find that generally 3/4"
tape is the most useful. I usually cut off
a whole load of approximately 3"+ strips and 'tack' them to a large plate so
I can get them easily when I need them. Also needed are quite a few strips
that are half or less the standard tape width to fit between the frets higher up
the fingerboard. Scissors or a blade need to be used. The whole
fingerboard apart from the frets must be
covered, also the sides of the neck.
It is best to use an additional layer
of tape in the middle of the area between each fret which also goes over the
edge of the fingerboard and round towards the back of the neck.
Tools required.....
Plenty of 'Low-Tack' masking tape. A pair of sharp
scissors. A sharp 'Stanley' blade & a plate.
* * * * * * * * * *
The 8th Stage.....
Re-Beveling the Fret-ends. This
job is actually a lot trickier than it may initially seem to be !
A nice even 45 degree (or less) angle is
needed on the frets at the edge of the fingerboard - from the First
to the Last, which also forms in a 'straight
line' which follows the edge of the
fingerboard..... and you will be amazed how few guitars actually have this right
! Usually, when you get up to the proximity of the body, especially
on the bass side, you will find that the frets are not beveled properly and in
some cases not at all.
'Click
for Pic'
Tools Required.....
For this a 6" to 8"
Flat file is best. I'll get a photo sorted.
* * * * * * * * * *
The 9th Stage.....
Re-Profiling the Frets. This is probably the
most difficult part of the whole procedure !
I do not use 'fret files' as most others seem
to do. I cannot see how you can possibly get an even feel
to all the frets if you are working on one fret at a time when re-profiling
them..... But - Yes it is possible !
I prefer another approach, which I'll talk
to you about later.
I have used this system on all the guitars I've
made, all the guitars I've repaired and every
request for a "Fret Job". It does work.....
and works very well indeed. I personally think this is the best method to use.
I should also mention here that when I started doing this sort of work.....
'Fret Files' were not readily available - you could not get hold of them easily
anyway, so there was no incentive to use them. These days, most of the things
that 'you think you may need' are far more easily available than they have ever
been, but 'they' may not always be what you 'need' to do the job. Keep it simple
!
Tools Required.....
* * * * * * * * * *
I WILL CONTINUE THIS AS SOON AS I CAN.
The 10th Stage..... Polishing the Frets.
The 11th Stage..... Cleaning Up.
The 12th Stage.....
Putting The Guitar 'back together' again
- including any Adjustments
&
Finally giving her a 'Test out' making any further Adjustments necessary so
she's 110%.
This is a really Great Guitar !