EXACTLY. I just came back from a luthier. I had 6 frets too high, just by a little. He said I needed all frets addresses and will lose height on them. It will play differently. Since it was a squire (fender) if it ever needed more work, get another guitar. Charge $200. I went home and with the end of a 1x1 soft wood stick, gently hit each one. Some need a few tap. Some more. I raised the action ( mine was too low ). My tele is now perfect. This was a private music store and I love the staff. But I’m not happy with the luthier. I asked if talking them down would work. He said no.
Only piece of advice I'd give to anyone trying this out for their first time, is that before crowning the frets with the crowning file, actually re mark the frets with the sharpie again, so you can see where and how much material you are actually taking off. Only a thin line should be visible after using the crowning file to recrown the frets
Theres one more piece of advice, if you really want level frets all across. You need a straight edge and alot of light and you need to see if they are level all across. This isn't necessary that much if you are someone that plays with medium action, but it matters if you like it low as possible
Not many know that,and it is CRUCIAL to get on the money and know where U been! . If I've got some deep divots, I'll replace the bad one's the dress. (Ie, 1st 7 frets on my Taylor 714CE)
Is it safe (is the file designed too) to go back and forth with the fret dressing files? Typical metal files are not designed or used in a back and forth motion (not in the world of machinist at least).
@@mathewbrown5989 These you can go back and fourth, but should stay in the center and not all over the place, you should have a thin pin stripe down the center.
I typically can not make it through an hour "how to" video. But your video was fascinating and very useful. Thank you for making the video and sharing your knowledge and technique. Awesome!
I bought a lot of tools off stew Mac years ago and I noticed some of them were actually cheap tools resold for a lot more money. I saw them sold other places for less.
When using multiple grades of abrasive paper, you should vary the direction 90 degrees for each grade so that you can see when the marks from the previous grade have been removed. Each finer grade of paper is only there to remove the marks of the previous grade, so this lets you know when you are done without removing too much. I do this on silver jewellery and end up with a smooth shiny surface even before I apply the rouge.
One of the best videos I've seen on this subject. I did a fret level on a classic vibe telecaster. Best hour and half I've spent on guitar. Played like an absolute dream. Don't be afraid of attempting this. As long as the truss rod is adjusted correctly at the beginning it's a breeze. I panicked at first but shouldn't have!
The best feeling in world when u achieve this to ur guitar,I'm not a professional I'm far from it,I do no bits about guitar but only basic set ups! But you are right dont be afraid to try this,just make sure kneck is 100% straight and u cant go wrong follow this video and u will achieve this and u wont be disappointed I guarantee u all.
@@paulyoung4781 so you tighten the truss rod till the neck is straight ? then level the frets, then loosen the truss rod to put some relief back in the neck ?
@@bigfilsing I just made sure my kneck was totally straight buddy before I touched any my frets!! If u dont u will end up making them all uneaven it just will not work,,first thing to do,straighten kneck ye then do ur frets double check ur kneck relief if u want but make sure kneck is straight bro,when ur finished all the fret job then put all back together it's time to check kneck relief then action u will have super low action bud
@@paulyoung4781 Yeah technically it makes absolute sense the neck ( finger board) needs to be straight before leveling/dressing the frets it's just on the many YT vids ive seen nobody seem to mention it . Thanks for the quick reply
Yup. Here's a brand new Fender licensed neck and we're just gonna SCRITCH SCRATCH SCRATCH..... Just a great clip sir. You took the time to explain the process and took all the risks before I have to. Beautiful.
I just finished tonight! One of my guitars needed it badly. Took me nearly 6 hours, but it worked! That guitar plays SO much better, now. It's not quite as scary if you take it slow.
Handy tip, with the fret file move your hand up a bit and use the pressure of your finger over the top of the fret so the file follows the curve naturally. Will help getting the edges evenly. Great video by the way very informative.
Thank you. I found your video. Jan. 18 2024.I like how meticulous and step by step you work. Very calming to watch. I am getting ready to level frets on my beloved acoustic. I will be referring to this video. Great job.
Sir, you certainly know how to explain the work that you do in a way that even a child can understand. And THAT is a huge compliment because there are many videos in which the instructor fails to convey the purpose of each step and the issues that may be introduced if not done properly. I'm not a luthier. I am a beginning guitar player (60 year old male), and I cannot afford expensive instruments; however, watching videos allow me to learn how to fix different issues I encounter as I learn to play, and your video (this video) is the best video I have learned from (and I can say that I've watched several hundred videos). Thank you for posting this video and I hope you continue to upload more videos. Sincerely, Mike V. Albuq., NM
Hallelujah, it WORKED! Yours was one of several videos that I watched on this, & it helped immensely! I have a Fender Baja Telecaster with a very unruly neck where I couldn't get the action below 2.5mm at the 12th fret because the fretboard wasn't 100% straight, unfortunately. Relatively close, but it affected the frets above, horribly. Their quality team shouldn't have let that pass. The work was pretty time consuming, but now the action is at 1.25mm with almost no fret buzz when bending any string in any position. ❤️❤️❤️ Scary at first, but well worth it! THANK YOU.
i appreciate the level of detail in this video - thanks for not speeding up some of the basic parts. i'm aspiring to learn these skills with no previous background so this has been super helpful. thank you!
EXCELLENT VIDEO!!! This is exactly the stage I am at with my guitar and I have viewed countless videos only to be more confused at the end. Yours is clear, concise, and very well orated with useful information vrs the self serving fluff or sales pitch of the others. Thank you again for helping me through this process. I’m subscribed!!
I am so glad you shared this. I was just looking at my buffing wheels and Rouge for my Dremel tool today planning on trying it on my first fret polish. I am so glad I watched this. You are a great teacher. Thank you.
Absolute great video! I'm 66 and been playing for years but only lately attempting fret work. Your video is extremely helpful, I am subscribing today, thanks!!
Gotta do it for the first time eventually. Just start on a Squire or Epi. You may find it plays as well or even better than your $2000 USA guitar when you’re done. Just need to get better pickups at that point!
Hi, I just finished following your complete guide step by step to the letter in real time to your video. You were literally right in back of me on a 50 inch roku tv. I bought all the tools you had before starting. My project guitar is a new 40th anniversary fender squire telecaster. It came out FANTASTIC!!!! I also upgraded my bridge saddles to gotah compensate saddles for spot-on intonation. My telecaster is blond, just like yours also with the same kneck. I really wish I could show you my work and shack your hand for making this possible. This carries over to any guitar. Plays and feels like a high end guitar. Ken from the USA.
This is the best video on the subject I have seen. You are an amazing teacher and I’m grateful that you shared this with us. Now I need to go and do this to a few of my guitars. Cheers 🎉🎉🎉
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I watched it the first time through, just to see if it all made sense to me, and it did. Then it was time to follow your steps. I already had a little Amazon guitar tool kit. I had all of the sandpaper grits left over from painting cars. When I told my wife, I would need to buy a Dremel tool, she said she had one. She had been holding out on me. lol Even had the red jeweler’s rouge. I leveled and polished, while also watching your video, to be sure I didn't forget any steps (I'm old). It turned out great! Thank you!
I am coming back to working on guitars after 15ish years, and I appreciate this being done in real time! For fret ends, I use a nail pad, one of the 4 sided sponge types, to polish them.
Thank you! I've watched MANY videos on this subject in preparation of my own fret leveling project, and this is one of the best. I appreciate how patient and thorough you are, it is incredibly helpful! Also I'm learning (as you mentioned) there isn't just one "right" way to do this, there are many viable methods. Anyway, thanks again, you are awesome :)
I took an old 35 dollar Squier that had too high of action and instead of adjusting the truss rod I went to town. Well, what do ya know.... it worked! I told my friend that I could amaze someone for 100 dollar's. He said it was fantastic! Quality of a Fender due to the hours I spent on the neck. It had a cost for a disabled man though. Stressing alone did not neck in and I went and got some stew mac tool's. I'm too old I guess. Make things easy and less pain but what a result. My friends gave me a new name and are setting me up with a business. Lol
Terrific video. I'm with you - Dremel for the win! I've been using polishing tools (big wheels, etc., since I was working with plastics in grade school, and then later, on motorcycle fins,and then finally with my dremel for the last 20+ years. Much better method than steel wool. It makes your frets feel like glass and gets rid of the micro scratches that steel wool leaves behind.
I like the trick with the paintings behind you on the wall. Beautiful. I refretted one of my favorite cheap guitars last year...it's a simple process but perfection is elusive.
I am building my first cheap kit guitar which has some fret level issues. This video is fantastic .. truly the best I've seen. Just what I needed to attempt my first level and dress. Thanks.
Thank you for making this a full-length video. I won't feel bad when I put quite a bit of time into my project after seeing how much actual time someone with experience puts into it.
I thought I had one fret to deal with, but now I realise I need to go back and make sure the neck was straight when I run the rocker, I overlooked that. Great vid, think I’m going to enjoy the full process. Thanks - working on your guitars helps you know them better, saves some moolah, and is meditative . Thanks again.
The very last fret can be filed much lower than the others because it only comes into play at the last position.It helps eliminate any buzzing on very low action.
Not necessarily. It still needs to have proper intonation in relation to the rest of the frets. I can't tell you how many guitars I've had to level or refret because someone had a go at doing "fall away" and completely ruined their intonation. You can definitely go lower, but i wouldn't say more than a tenth of a millimeter. Just gotta be careful.
I recently built my first 3-string cigar box guitar and my fret work was not all that great. Lots of buzzing and generally hard to play at some spots. I followed your instructions precisely and took my time. The results were absolutely incredible. Like a new guitar. Just amazing how much of a difference accurate fret work makes. Thanks a million for the great instructional video.
You are a guitar tech, the way Bob ross was a painter, so smooth , so relaxing, i loved the way you talked during the video , great job , many thanks 🙏🙌🍀
This is a great video, but one thing I have observed is that majority of the spots are on the edges of the fretboard not in the centers of the frets, id try taking a brass fret hammer and checking first to make sure that the frets are seated right. They may have lifted due to temperature shifts in the shipping process. Those mighty mite necks are known for that. Not good to take off material you don't need to.
If you don’t mind me recommending something, you can also use a sharpie mark before crowning, but in this case you want to have a thinner line at the end but it should be there. Otherwise you need to level again.
Tony, Stellar video. You take the fear out of doing a do-it-yourself fret level. Keep up the great work. God Bless your patience and knowledge. all the best, Ron (San Jose, CA)
I had a luthier level my frets with a stone block didnt mark the frets or anything didnt even adjust the truss rod. He mustve been a magician too cuz got my guitar to play at the lowest action iv ever had on a guitar 😳 i think around 1mm how the hell did he pull that off?
@@jeffreyquinonez8964experience. You can watch all the tutorials you want, but nothing teaches experience. Considering he's a luthier he probably have dozens if not hundreds of fretboard jobs on his belt.
Excellent video! Thank you for taking the time to teach your method. I found the best way to watch this is to turn the speed up to 2x and your voice is still understandable, but time to watch is cut in half.
Good job thank you for sharing the video learn something new everyday I work and try to work on my own guitars sometimes I have to take to a Lutheran to refrett the neck
I just wanted to take a minute and say thank you! I'm new to cleaning/setups, and restoring(only about 6 months as a trade skill), but this video has been invaluable to me. I have 95% of the tools in this video and watching you shows me how to improve my craft. I'm a guitarist for over 20 years and I love the fact that I can still learn how to work on and fix things that I love! Thanks again!
This is the definitive fret leveling/dressing video, your audio is clear and image clarity is excellent, by far the best! I've learned so much, with this new knowledge I will confidently level and dress my guitars frets.
great video! Im building a bass from scratch at the moment. Ive never built an instrument before but i have been woodworking for a little over a year. Im actually close to being finished with the build. I just installed the frets yesterday and filed the fret ends and put a bevel on them. Now im just waiting for my fret rocker to come in the mail so i can level and polish. then all i have left is installing the tuners and electronics and just put it together and im done!! Its a PASSIVE musicman stingray style bass. Ive been posting my progress on instgram too
Great video, thanks so much Tony! I love the idea of being able to peel all the tape off at once, brilliant idea. Not sure why I never thought of this, because it really is a pain otherwise. Sometimes the most obvious ideas are not always so obvious.
Excellent video for players that are nervous about trying to level and polish frets. Stewmac do some great tools to make this job easier, but they are expensive. My advice is if you are like me, and don't want to risk wrecking an expensive guitar, buy a cheap entry level guitar, they almost always need a fret job. Thanks for this guide Tony, full of how to do a good job without expensive tools.
Thanx a lot for sharing your knowledge. I really appreciate this. What I like is not only the content but the way you present it. You do it in a such relaxed and sympathetic manner I could watch for hours and hours ;-) A little hint how I polish the frets without any machinery etc. By accident I found out to use a rubber eraser works for me very well. Low cost perfect result (for me!). I would be happy you'd make a vid about how to handle with sticking out fretends on the edge of the neck. Kind regards from Germany
It was an interesting video.Not at all boring. You gave a comprehensive easy to understand video. I've worked on a guitar years ago and got good results,but recently bought a very cheap guitar and tried my same method but didn't get results. So instead of taking a chance and ruining it, I stopped.Your video gave me the PEACE of mind to realize I should send it to a Luther some day when I save up the money and take care of other issues first. The only concern is that I don't know how to find a good competent Luther. ( Yes I know I misspelled but the computer can't recognize that word and misspells it).
All of the fret leveling videos I've seen are Fender necks that are off the guitar. I'm going to do my Flying V with a set neck. I know the principles are the same but it would be nice to see a set neck job being done. That was amazing. Near real-time and not really all that time consuming. Great time-saving tips too. Thank you for doing this video!
Thank you for this video! very inspiring and professional. ill give it a shot, I used to build my own guitars when i was teens and 20's, I'm 57 now haven't done work on guitars in years, but I'm back to playing and want my guitars pristine!!!
I know everyone loves their fret rocker, as do I, but it's just part of the diagnosis. Not enough people realize that you might not necessarily be identifying a high fret. You may actually be tricked by an adjacent LOW spot. Lots of novices make that mistake and end up filing a fret that didn't need it and creating a domino effect, ending up with a full fret level being needed. I would also suggest using gauges, a very good caliper, or some means of measuring fret height to confirm your feet rocker data. And if there's more than 4 or 5 high/low spots on any given guitar, don't even bother spot leveling. Just do the whole thing and you'll be in a much better position overall. Just use an actual fret level, not a spirit level. They're NEVER perfectly flat unless you make them that way, which takes forever. And try not to go back and forth like this guy does when leveling. Use one motion across all frets as much as you can. By going back and forth, you will end up sanding the frets in the center MORE than the frets up high and down low. It's ok for a few passes, but if you're goal is to take down as little material as possible while also accomplishing a perfectly level board, single direction strokes are best, even if it takes more time and effort. Lastly, if you have any doubts whatsoever, always take it to a technician to either do it for you or at least guide you.
@@phi7420you probably won’t see this after a year but… use a beam leveler long enough to cover all frets at once. Secure your neck and make sure there’s zero bow to it. Then, instead of sanding up and down the neck, sand side to side (equalize the pressure while holding the beam with both hands). Or use an X pattern but still side to side. That way all frets get the same degree of attention.
Various grits of abrasive work well, but instead I use fingernail buffing pads. They come in different grits and the foam construction conforms to the fret shape while taking off the flats from levelling.
Thanks so much for your video and that you didn't fast forward through the time it actually took you, and the tips along the way. I have the tools except the file that I wasn't sure I was going to buy because I was missing the balls to do this job. But thanks to you and your video I've built the courage to do it. Thanks again 👍
Okay, it was painfully long, but you kept the time filled with little tidbits of wisdom that I've not learned from other videos. That and learning patience - which is very important in any skilled endeavor. You did a fine job! Not that I'm likely to level my telecaster, but i have a lesser acoustic that needs leveling. I might give that one the treatment!
Good video , I made a mini body to screw the neck onto. I found levelled frets could get humps on the higher frets once tightened back onto guitar. Tightened to a scrap of wood with 4 holes drilled in seems to replicate the compression and gives me better results.
This is essentially perfect. The only thing I would suggest is touching up with a fret end file before sandpaper. Unbelievable results for finished frets though.
Pretty good video. A couple things,,,isnt it best to mark your frets again with a marker before the crowning process? Also,.when sanding I think its best to have a level that is about 12 inches longer than the fret board, that way i center it lengthwise and only move 5 inches left, back to center, 5 inches right and back to center. Repeat,, until marker is gone from all frets. That way no fret is getting more sanding surface more than another, which is easy to do if you dont work methodically.
thank you for uploading this video, very informative! the local guitar shops here roughly Estimate 140 - 165 dollars for fret dressing and then + for setup. I bought 150 dollars worth of guitar tools and waiting for a few more pieces. I worked on my Cheap Les paul as a first time test and I have been feeling great reward that i been able to do them myself. If however i mess up i can always take it to a shop but this saved me over 500 dollars in shop money that i can put into guitar parts! The Fret work turned out great although i need to go back and do one more pass as i didnt file enough! so i got a couple spots here and there that i need to spot level. Thanks for the video!
My first and only fret job was about 45+ years ago. I didn't bother re-stringing the guitar. With better knowledge (step by step such as this video) I can do the I think I can choo-choo with low steam, of course; patience.
This is how I do all my necks and this is the best way to do them. I also use a small file and round the fret ends as well before the sanding and polishing.
i'm building a bass right now and have watched a few videos on people leveling, crowning, polishing, and right as I was thinking your magic trick was a dremel... out came the rotary tool :D Dan over at Guns and Guitars used a brown polishing compound for a "quick but good" polishing with a dremel while admitting it isn't going to be a mirror polish but plays great. I think I'm going to try the brown, and then the rouge, and then the whole sanding to final rouge you showed here because honestly that wasn't slow or anything and I do acknowledge slowly working one's way through finer and finer grits. Thanks for sharing! It was an hour well spent.
Have you seen the "Fret Maestro" fret leveling...? What I like about it is that you are not shaving off so much fret material and more accuracy. I myself call it the manual PLEK system. Cheers....!!!
@@Patrick-857 I'm going to say you are correct.....I tried the fret maestro on my telecaster and it did not work well.Sometimes the new mouse trap isn't what it's cracked up to be.
I go to a bloke who works on Joe Walsh's guitars he isn't cheap e.g. $380 AUSD but it includes a lot of other work like truss rod adj' filing down your saddles/bridge etc etc Leo is brilliant. His shop is The Guitar Jungle in Redfern.
This is a great, easy to understand video that shows you that a beginner could do this if they take their time and is prepared with the right tools and supplies. One thought I had is at the 17:30 point in the video, before putting the full, solid Sharpie line across each fret wouldn't it be a good idea for reference to draw an arrow on the tape on each side of the high points on the frets that you had found? That way you would not forget where they were if you had a number of high points, because you could get easily mixed up where they were once you put the solid line across every fret.
Hi tony, here’s a time saving tip, sand once with 220 or so then use a bench grinder with an 8 by 1 inch buffing wheel and green buffing stick make a few high speed passes and your done. Just don’t cross sand the frets when sanding. They will be perfect and fast
Very good process. The only real risk or pitfall not handled is the need to maintain the radius. It would be very easy, especially for a novice, to flatten the radius by sanding the middle more than the edges for example. Or, to reintroduce high fret points by sanding a little more on one fret than another. Using a radius sanding block from about 1500 grit on would either correct or at least show if/where that happened so it could be addressed.
Nice video. I watched most of it. Where I differ is at the end. I don't really need frets to sparkle, because sparkle doesn't last long. So, rather than buffing wheel I use 0000 steel wool and be done with it.
This video was of extreme help to me on a couple of kit guitars I am getting ready to start. I have done many of the other set up and mod work to my existing guitars, but never a fret level. Thank you so much for this.
One luthier said “ the first three or four frets need to be slightly lower than the rest”. I’m replacing all the frets on a acoustic. Guess I’ll figger out as I go. Thanks for the video
Wow I cant believe the difference now,after leveling and crowning my frets I can get perfect action that I wanted,i could go low but medium Is what i want,I'm low E 2mm high E 1.4mm its absolutely perfect for my preference before fret leveling i was high action like low E was way upto 3.2mm i couldn't get past that without constantly buzzing!! I'm so glad i did this,,,it even sounds better too holds more sustain now than before wow wow wow if anyone needs to do this my advise take the time and do it u will be surprised believe me.
@@addictedtogear and that feel of smooth new finish frets after crowning them going through all the grits of sandpaper I did use steel wool at the end that is when the magic happend!! Then polish the black that came of was well wow I was amazed haha ye a well set up guitar is out this world best feeling in the world,I only had to tweak my truss rodd slightly then it was perfect then took my bridge height action down and wow absolutely amazing I'm still buzzing sorry haha
Before sanding a high fret, i highly recommend giving it some taps with the hammer first to ensure it is fully seated
EXACTLY. I just came back from a luthier. I had 6 frets too high, just by a little. He said I needed all frets addresses and will lose height on them. It will play differently. Since it was a squire (fender) if it ever needed more work, get another guitar. Charge $200. I went home and with the end of a 1x1 soft wood stick, gently hit each one. Some need a few tap. Some more. I raised the action ( mine was too low ). My tele is now perfect. This was a private music store and I love the staff. But I’m not happy with the luthier. I asked if talking them down would work. He said no.
Only piece of advice I'd give to anyone trying this out for their first time, is that before crowning the frets with the crowning file, actually re mark the frets with the sharpie again, so you can see where and how much material you are actually taking off. Only a thin line should be visible after using the crowning file to recrown the frets
Theres one more piece of advice, if you really want level frets all across. You need a straight edge and alot of light and you need to see if they are level all across. This isn't necessary that much if you are someone that plays with medium action, but it matters if you like it low as possible
100%correct
Not many know that,and it is CRUCIAL to get on the money and know where U been!
. If I've got some deep divots, I'll replace the bad one's the dress. (Ie, 1st 7 frets on my Taylor 714CE)
Is it safe (is the file designed too) to go back and forth with the fret dressing files? Typical metal files are not designed or used in a back and forth motion (not in the world of machinist at least).
@@mathewbrown5989
These you can go back and fourth, but should stay in the center and not all over the place, you should have a thin pin stripe down the center.
I typically can not make it through an hour "how to" video. But your video was fascinating and very useful. Thank you for making the video and sharing your knowledge and technique. Awesome!
I bought a lot of tools off stew Mac years ago and I noticed some of them were actually cheap tools resold for a lot more money. I saw them sold other places for less.
When using multiple grades of abrasive paper, you should vary the direction 90 degrees for each grade so that you can see when the marks from the previous grade have been removed. Each finer grade of paper is only there to remove the marks of the previous grade, so this lets you know when you are done without removing too much. I do this on silver jewellery and end up with a smooth shiny surface even before I apply the rouge.
One of the best videos I've seen on this subject. I did a fret level on a classic vibe telecaster. Best hour and half I've spent on guitar. Played like an absolute dream. Don't be afraid of attempting this. As long as the truss rod is adjusted correctly at the beginning it's a breeze. I panicked at first but shouldn't have!
The best feeling in world when u achieve this to ur guitar,I'm not a professional I'm far from it,I do no bits about guitar but only basic set ups! But you are right dont be afraid to try this,just make sure kneck is 100% straight and u cant go wrong follow this video and u will achieve this and u wont be disappointed I guarantee u all.
@@paulyoung4781 so you tighten the truss rod till the neck is straight ? then level the frets, then loosen the truss rod to put some relief back in the neck ?
@@bigfilsing I just made sure my kneck was totally straight buddy before I touched any my frets!! If u dont u will end up making them all uneaven it just will not work,,first thing to do,straighten kneck ye then do ur frets double check ur kneck relief if u want but make sure kneck is straight bro,when ur finished all the fret job then put all back together it's time to check kneck relief then action u will have super low action bud
@@bigfilsing just go slow too bro,no hurry,small at a time is the key to success trust me.
@@paulyoung4781 Yeah technically it makes absolute sense the neck ( finger board) needs to be straight before leveling/dressing the frets it's just on the many YT vids ive seen nobody seem to mention it . Thanks for the quick reply
Yup. Here's a brand new Fender licensed neck and we're just gonna SCRITCH SCRATCH SCRATCH..... Just a great clip sir. You took the time to explain the process and took all the risks before I have to. Beautiful.
I’ve seen a lot of fret dressing videos. This was is by far the best and easiest to understand! 👏👍🏼
Thanks consider subscribing more to come
Best video on YT for this
I’m currently on night shift trying to stay awake. This video is helping. I’ve never been brave enough to attempt any kind of fret work on my guitars.
Get back to work then.
@@DaveTaste Nice
I just finished tonight!
One of my guitars needed it badly. Took me nearly 6 hours, but it worked! That guitar plays SO much better, now. It's not quite as scary if you take it slow.
Hope you're not something like a bus driver or a surgeon.
Handy tip, with the fret file move your hand up a bit and use the pressure of your finger over the top of the fret so the file follows the curve naturally. Will help getting the edges evenly. Great video by the way very informative.
Thank you. I found your video. Jan. 18 2024.I like how meticulous and step by step you work. Very calming to watch. I am getting ready to level frets on my beloved acoustic. I will be referring to this video. Great job.
Sir, you certainly know how to explain the work that you do in a way that even a child can understand. And THAT is a huge compliment because there are many videos in which the instructor fails to convey the purpose of each step and the issues that may be introduced if not done properly. I'm not a luthier. I am a beginning guitar player (60 year old male), and I cannot afford expensive instruments; however, watching videos allow me to learn how to fix different issues I encounter as I learn to play, and your video (this video) is the best video I have learned from (and I can say that I've watched several hundred videos). Thank you for posting this video and I hope you continue to upload more videos.
Sincerely,
Mike V.
Albuq., NM
Hallelujah, it WORKED! Yours was one of several videos that I watched on this, & it helped immensely! I have a Fender Baja Telecaster with a very unruly neck where I couldn't get the action below 2.5mm at the 12th fret because the fretboard wasn't 100% straight, unfortunately. Relatively close, but it affected the frets above, horribly. Their quality team shouldn't have let that pass. The work was pretty time consuming, but now the action is at 1.25mm with almost no fret buzz when bending any string in any position. ❤️❤️❤️ Scary at first, but well worth it!
THANK YOU.
i appreciate the level of detail in this video - thanks for not speeding up some of the basic parts. i'm aspiring to learn these skills with no previous background so this has been super helpful. thank you!
EXCELLENT VIDEO!!! This is exactly the stage I am at with my guitar and I have viewed countless videos only to be more confused at the end. Yours is clear, concise, and very well orated with useful information vrs the self serving fluff or sales pitch of the others. Thank you again for helping me through this process. I’m subscribed!!
I am so glad you shared this. I was just looking at my buffing wheels and Rouge for my Dremel tool today planning on trying it on my first fret polish. I am so glad I watched this. You are a great teacher. Thank you.
Absolute great video! I'm 66 and been playing for years but only lately attempting fret work. Your video is extremely helpful, I am subscribing today, thanks!!
Thanks for the sub
I watched this entire thing twice because I’m about to do this to my guitars and can’t afford to mess up. Thank you.
How'd it go!
Gotta do it for the first time eventually. Just start on a Squire or Epi. You may find it plays as well or even better than your $2000 USA guitar when you’re done. Just need to get better pickups at that point!
Thank you for taking your time. Especially for newbies and I just replaced my tuners for 1st time. Slow is the way to go! Build your confidence first!
Glad to help!
This is the best video I've seen of this process yet. Thank you. Your video is much appreciated.
Hi, I just finished following your complete guide step by step to the letter in real time to your video. You were literally right in back of me on a 50 inch roku tv. I bought all the tools you had before starting. My project guitar is a new 40th anniversary fender squire telecaster. It came out FANTASTIC!!!! I also upgraded my bridge saddles to gotah compensate saddles for spot-on intonation. My telecaster is blond, just like yours also with the same kneck. I really wish I could show you my work and shack your hand for making this possible. This carries over to any guitar. Plays and feels like a high end guitar. Ken from the USA.
I’m glad it was helpful for you my friend! Enjoy
This is the best video on the subject I have seen. You are an amazing teacher and I’m grateful that you shared this with us. Now I need to go and do this to a few of my guitars. Cheers 🎉🎉🎉
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I watched it the first time through, just to see if it all made sense to me, and it did. Then it was time to follow your steps. I already had a little Amazon guitar tool kit. I had all of the sandpaper grits left over from painting cars. When I told my wife, I would need to buy a Dremel tool, she said she had one. She had been holding out on me. lol Even had the red jeweler’s rouge. I leveled and polished, while also watching your video, to be sure I didn't forget any steps (I'm old). It turned out great! Thank you!
I am coming back to working on guitars after 15ish years, and I appreciate this being done in real time!
For fret ends, I use a nail pad, one of the 4 sided sponge types, to polish them.
Thank you! I've watched MANY videos on this subject in preparation of my own fret leveling project, and this is one of the best. I appreciate how patient and thorough you are, it is incredibly helpful!
Also I'm learning (as you mentioned) there isn't just one "right" way to do this, there are many viable methods. Anyway, thanks again, you are awesome :)
I took an old 35 dollar Squier that had too high of action and instead of adjusting the truss rod I went to town. Well, what do ya know.... it worked! I told my friend that I could amaze someone for 100 dollar's. He said it was fantastic! Quality of a Fender due to the hours I spent on the neck. It had a cost for a disabled man though. Stressing alone did not neck in and I went and got some stew mac tool's. I'm too old I guess. Make things easy and less pain but what a result. My friends gave me a new name and are setting me up with a business. Lol
Love it!
Terrific video. I'm with you - Dremel for the win! I've been using polishing tools (big wheels, etc., since I was working with plastics in grade school, and then later, on motorcycle fins,and then finally with my dremel for the last 20+ years. Much better method than steel wool. It makes your frets feel like glass and gets rid of the micro scratches that steel wool leaves behind.
I like the trick with the paintings behind you on the wall. Beautiful. I refretted one of my favorite cheap guitars last year...it's a simple process but perfection is elusive.
Practice makes perfect
I am building my first cheap kit guitar which has some fret level issues. This video is fantastic .. truly the best I've seen. Just what I needed to attempt my first level and dress. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful. I hope you considered subscribing to the channel! Cheers!
@@addictedtogear I did sub thanks!
Thank you for making this a full-length video. I won't feel bad when I put quite a bit of time into my project after seeing how much actual time someone with experience puts into it.
I thought I had one fret to deal with, but now I realise I need to go back and make sure the neck was straight when I run the rocker, I overlooked that. Great vid, think I’m going to enjoy the full process.
Thanks - working on your guitars helps you know them better, saves some moolah, and is meditative . Thanks again.
Yes always start with a straight flat neck
The very last fret can be filed much lower than the others because it only comes into play at the last position.It helps eliminate any buzzing on very low action.
Not necessarily. It still needs to have proper intonation in relation to the rest of the frets. I can't tell you how many guitars I've had to level or refret because someone had a go at doing "fall away" and completely ruined their intonation. You can definitely go lower, but i wouldn't say more than a tenth of a millimeter. Just gotta be careful.
@@LeviBulger so you won't recommend doing a 'fall away'?
Very interesting I think I will get some tools and have some practice on my dunger guitar before I work on my bass thank you very good video.
I recently built my first 3-string cigar box guitar and my fret work was not all that great. Lots of buzzing and generally hard to play at some spots. I followed your instructions precisely and took my time. The results were absolutely incredible. Like a new guitar. Just amazing how much of a difference accurate fret work makes. Thanks a million for the great instructional video.
You are a guitar tech, the way Bob ross was a painter, so smooth , so relaxing, i loved the way you talked during the video , great job , many thanks 🙏🙌🍀
Nice thorough fret tutorial 👍👍 .. one thing I might add is just make sure all frets are seated..
This is a great video, but one thing I have observed is that majority of the spots are on the edges of the fretboard not in the centers of the frets, id try taking a brass fret hammer and checking first to make sure that the frets are seated right. They may have lifted due to temperature shifts in the shipping process. Those mighty mite necks are known for that. Not good to take off material you don't need to.
I mail ordered a neck and now i have the confidence of making the purchase worthwhile.
Just found your channel and will be back.
I like how he takes his time.yes I'm one to get bored but not with him. He knows what he's doing. I like watching him .
Excellent technique and explanation. Thanks!
If you don’t mind me recommending something, you can also use a sharpie mark before crowning, but in this case you want to have a thinner line at the end but it should be there. Otherwise you need to level again.
Tony,
Stellar video. You take the fear out of doing a do-it-yourself fret level. Keep up the great work. God Bless your patience and knowledge.
all the best, Ron (San Jose, CA)
Thanks Ron
Thanks for most interesting taping of a fretboard!
Marking the frets with a permanent marker before crowning helps to see how much to go.
That's the ONE thing I made sure to do, that wasn't mentioned here. Saw it on another video, but besides that, this one was very thorough.
I had a luthier level my frets with a stone block didnt mark the frets or anything didnt even adjust the truss rod. He mustve been a magician too cuz got my guitar to play at the lowest action iv ever had on a guitar 😳 i think around 1mm how the hell did he pull that off?
@@jeffreyquinonez8964experience. You can watch all the tutorials you want, but nothing teaches experience. Considering he's a luthier he probably have dozens if not hundreds of fretboard jobs on his belt.
@@davidepannone6021lol 😂true he’s 70yrs oldand been doing this forever lol 😂 he works on very expensive guitars
@@davidepannone6021he was leveling the frets with the guitar on his lap while telling me stories lol 😂
I have all this tools and never tried doing the polishing in that way! It’s seems much more practical. Thanks
Excellent video! Thank you for taking the time to teach your method. I found the best way to watch this is to turn the speed up to 2x and your voice is still understandable, but time to watch is cut in half.
Good job thank you for sharing the video learn something new everyday I work and try to work on my own guitars sometimes I have to take to a Lutheran to refrett the neck
See, I always go to a Calvinist.
Excellent job, I'm still leery to try it. I'll watch you guys a little longer. Thanks for the training/demonstration👏
I just wanted to take a minute and say thank you! I'm new to cleaning/setups, and restoring(only about 6 months as a trade skill), but this video has been invaluable to me. I have 95% of the tools in this video and watching you shows me how to improve my craft. I'm a guitarist for over 20 years and I love the fact that I can still learn how to work on and fix things that I love! Thanks again!
Glad I could help!
This is the definitive fret leveling/dressing video, your audio is clear and image clarity is excellent, by far the best! I've learned so much, with this new knowledge I will confidently level and dress my guitars frets.
Glad it was helpful!
great video! Im building a bass from scratch at the moment. Ive never built an instrument before but i have been woodworking for a little over a year. Im actually close to being finished with the build. I just installed the frets yesterday and filed the fret ends and put a bevel on them. Now im just waiting for my fret rocker to come in the mail so i can level and polish. then all i have left is installing the tuners and electronics and just put it together and im done!! Its a PASSIVE musicman stingray style bass. Ive been posting my progress on instgram too
It sounds like a really cool project let me know how it turns out.
Thank you for taken the time to show that this is doable for anybody with a few tools.
Great video, thanks so much Tony! I love the idea of being able to peel all the tape off at once, brilliant idea. Not sure why I never thought of this, because it really is a pain otherwise. Sometimes the most obvious ideas are not always so obvious.
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent video for players that are nervous about trying to level and polish frets.
Stewmac do some great tools to make this job easier, but they are expensive.
My advice is if you are like me, and don't want to risk wrecking an expensive guitar,
buy a cheap entry level guitar, they almost always need a fret job.
Thanks for this guide Tony, full of how to do a good job without expensive tools.
Thank you for taking time to explain this process in detail.
Thanx a lot for sharing your knowledge. I really appreciate this. What I like is not only the content but the way you present it. You do it in a such relaxed and sympathetic manner I could watch for hours and hours ;-) A little hint how I polish the frets without any machinery etc. By accident I found out to use a rubber eraser works for me very well. Low cost perfect result (for me!). I would be happy you'd make a vid about how to handle with sticking out fretends on the edge of the neck. Kind regards from Germany
I think I will definitely try this out on an older guitar I have .. thanks for posting, you made it look easy .
It was an interesting video.Not at all boring. You gave a comprehensive easy to understand video. I've worked on a guitar years ago and got good results,but recently bought a very cheap guitar and tried my same method but didn't get results. So instead of taking a chance and ruining it, I stopped.Your video gave me the PEACE of mind to realize I should send it to a Luther some day when I save up the money and take care of other issues first. The only concern is that I don't know how to find a good competent Luther. ( Yes I know I misspelled but the computer can't recognize that word and misspells it).
All of the fret leveling videos I've seen are Fender necks that are off the guitar. I'm going to do my Flying V with a set neck. I know the principles are the same but it would be nice to see a set neck job being done. That was amazing. Near real-time and not really all that time consuming. Great time-saving tips too. Thank you for doing this video!
Thank you for this video! very inspiring and professional. ill give it a shot, I used to build my own guitars when i was teens and 20's, I'm 57 now haven't done work on guitars in years, but I'm back to playing and want my guitars pristine!!!
I know everyone loves their fret rocker, as do I, but it's just part of the diagnosis. Not enough people realize that you might not necessarily be identifying a high fret. You may actually be tricked by an adjacent LOW spot. Lots of novices make that mistake and end up filing a fret that didn't need it and creating a domino effect, ending up with a full fret level being needed. I would also suggest using gauges, a very good caliper, or some means of measuring fret height to confirm your feet rocker data.
And if there's more than 4 or 5 high/low spots on any given guitar, don't even bother spot leveling. Just do the whole thing and you'll be in a much better position overall. Just use an actual fret level, not a spirit level. They're NEVER perfectly flat unless you make them that way, which takes forever. And try not to go back and forth like this guy does when leveling. Use one motion across all frets as much as you can. By going back and forth, you will end up sanding the frets in the center MORE than the frets up high and down low. It's ok for a few passes, but if you're goal is to take down as little material as possible while also accomplishing a perfectly level board, single direction strokes are best, even if it takes more time and effort.
Lastly, if you have any doubts whatsoever, always take it to a technician to either do it for you or at least guide you.
"Use one motion across all frets as much as you can" : I didn’t understand your technique at all... Do you have a video that shows this? Thank you
@@phi7420you probably won’t see this after a year but… use a beam leveler long enough to cover all frets at once. Secure your neck and make sure there’s zero bow to it. Then, instead of sanding up and down the neck, sand side to side (equalize the pressure while holding the beam with both hands). Or use an X pattern but still side to side. That way all frets get the same degree of attention.
Various grits of abrasive work well, but instead I use fingernail buffing pads. They come in different grits and the foam construction conforms to the fret shape while taking off the flats from levelling.
Thanks so much for your video and that you didn't fast forward through the time it actually took you, and the tips along the way. I have the tools except the file that I wasn't sure I was going to buy because I was missing the balls to do this job. But thanks to you and your video I've built the courage to do it. Thanks again 👍
Okay, it was painfully long, but you kept the time filled with little tidbits of wisdom that I've not learned from other videos. That and learning patience - which is very important in any skilled endeavor. You did a fine job! Not that I'm likely to level my telecaster, but i have a lesser acoustic that needs leveling. I might give that one the treatment!
Good video , I made a mini body to screw the neck onto.
I found levelled frets could get humps on the higher frets once tightened back onto guitar.
Tightened to a scrap of wood with 4 holes drilled in seems to replicate the compression and gives me better results.
This is essentially perfect. The only thing I would suggest is touching up with a fret end file before sandpaper. Unbelievable results for finished frets though.
Pretty good video. A couple things,,,isnt it best to mark your frets again with a marker before the crowning process? Also,.when sanding I think its best to have a level that is about 12 inches longer than the fret board, that way i center it lengthwise and only move 5 inches left, back to center, 5 inches right and back to center. Repeat,, until marker is gone from all frets. That way no fret is getting more sanding surface more than another, which is easy to do if you dont work methodically.
thank you for uploading this video, very informative! the local guitar shops here roughly Estimate 140 - 165 dollars for fret dressing and then + for setup. I bought 150 dollars worth of guitar tools and waiting for a few more pieces. I worked on my Cheap Les paul as a first time test and I have been feeling great reward that i been able to do them myself. If however i mess up i can always take it to a shop but this saved me over 500 dollars in shop money that i can put into guitar parts! The Fret work turned out great although i need to go back and do one more pass as i didnt file enough! so i got a couple spots here and there that i need to spot level. Thanks for the video!
Great material! A must watch for someone who hasn’t done this before like myself!
My first and only fret job was about 45+ years ago. I didn't bother re-stringing the guitar. With better knowledge (step by step such as this video) I can do the I think I can choo-choo with low steam, of course; patience.
This is how I do all my necks and this is the best way to do them. I also use a small file and round the fret ends as well before the sanding and polishing.
i'm building a bass right now and have watched a few videos on people leveling, crowning, polishing, and right as I was thinking your magic trick was a dremel... out came the rotary tool :D Dan over at Guns and Guitars used a brown polishing compound for a "quick but good" polishing with a dremel while admitting it isn't going to be a mirror polish but plays great.
I think I'm going to try the brown, and then the rouge, and then the whole sanding to final rouge you showed here because honestly that wasn't slow or anything and I do acknowledge slowly working one's way through finer and finer grits.
Thanks for sharing! It was an hour well spent.
A ton of info, plus great comments. Thank you
Thank you ! I've used this video to write myself down instructions (for future jobs).
Best video ob fret leveling!
Have you seen the "Fret Maestro" fret leveling...? What I like about it is that you are not shaving off so much fret material and more accuracy.
I myself call it the manual PLEK system.
Cheers....!!!
Yes I have. Thanks
It's not a good idea. It completely defeats the purpose of fret leveling.
@@Patrick-857 I'm going to say you are correct.....I tried the fret maestro on my telecaster and it did not work well.Sometimes the new mouse trap isn't what it's cracked up to be.
I go to a bloke who works on Joe Walsh's guitars he isn't cheap e.g. $380 AUSD but it includes a lot of other work like truss rod adj' filing down your saddles/bridge etc etc Leo is brilliant. His shop is The Guitar Jungle in Redfern.
Learned a lot about fret repair and maintenance....good tutorial.
Frets looked fantastic afterwards for sure!
This is a great, easy to understand video that shows you that a beginner could do this if they take their time and is prepared with the right tools and supplies. One thought I had is at the 17:30 point in the video, before putting the full, solid Sharpie line across each fret wouldn't it be a good idea for reference to draw an arrow on the tape on each side of the high points on the frets that you had found? That way you would not forget where they were if you had a number of high points, because you could get easily mixed up where they were once you put the solid line across every fret.
Nice tip thanks!
Hi tony, here’s a time saving tip, sand once with 220 or so then use a bench grinder with an 8 by 1 inch buffing wheel and green buffing stick make a few high speed passes and your done. Just don’t cross sand the frets when sanding. They will be perfect and fast
Very good process. The only real risk or pitfall not handled is the need to maintain the radius. It would be very easy, especially for a novice, to flatten the radius by sanding the middle more than the edges for example. Or, to reintroduce high fret points by sanding a little more on one fret than another. Using a radius sanding block from about 1500 grit on would either correct or at least show if/where that happened so it could be addressed.
Nice video. I watched most of it. Where I differ is at the end. I don't really need frets to sparkle, because sparkle doesn't last long. So, rather than buffing wheel I use 0000 steel wool and be done with it.
Yes, please continue with the maintenance videos. Great job with the frets! Nice and slow so I could grasp it!
You got it!
I did it today. All good. Thank you Tony.
How did it turn out?
@@addictedtogear Really well. it´s a chinese Axis like. Now I´m changing the pickups. Thank you.
Please more videos like these. Thanks for the great video Tony.
This video was of extreme help to me on a couple of kit guitars I am getting ready to start. I have done many of the other set up and mod work to my existing guitars, but never a fret level. Thank you so much for this.
Glad I could help!
Best video about leveling frets. Thanks bro for the high quality video.
Glad you liked it!
Thanks for this video, you explanation is very clear!!!
I subscribed because its so relaxing to watch your video
This was great. Very informative.
Absolutely Spectacular Video !!!!!
Great video!!! Thanks for sharing!!! I just subscribed too…. Rock on from Winnipeg Canada!
Thanks master! Nice work and teaching method, relaxing to watch as well.
that´s the best video about fret leveling.
Good job. That's exactly how I do it 👍
One luthier said “ the first three or four frets need to be slightly lower than the rest”. I’m replacing all the frets on a acoustic. Guess I’ll figger out as I go. Thanks for the video
Interesting, I will have to look that up.
Wow I cant believe the difference now,after leveling and crowning my frets I can get perfect action that I wanted,i could go low but medium Is what i want,I'm low E 2mm high E 1.4mm its absolutely perfect for my preference before fret leveling i was high action like low E was way upto 3.2mm i couldn't get past that without constantly buzzing!! I'm so glad i did this,,,it even sounds better too holds more sustain now than before wow wow wow if anyone needs to do this my advise take the time and do it u will be surprised believe me.
Hey Paul I’m glad you like the results you got. Nothing beats a well set up guitar…thanks for watching.
@@addictedtogear and that feel of smooth new finish frets after crowning them going through all the grits of sandpaper I did use steel wool at the end that is when the magic happend!! Then polish the black that came of was well wow I was amazed haha ye a well set up guitar is out this world best feeling in the world,I only had to tweak my truss rodd slightly then it was perfect then took my bridge height action down and wow absolutely amazing I'm still buzzing sorry haha