Hello nation! Some advice please...
On my latest build the 4th fret is a tiny little smidge high. When I fret the 3rd fret I get some buzz. The notes still sound they're just buzzy.
I don't want to create a cascading problem down the rest of the frets by over adjusting it...
Should I bash it or file it?
Thanks!
Replies
Some good information in here! I take all of this stuff I learn on this site and put it in my building arsenal. I like the custom sanding idea, Ed!
I was too lazy to take off the strings so I used a tiny chainsaw sharpening file to get under there and file it down. Worked quite well. It only buzzes on the G when barring a chord (cause the downward pressure isn't as much as when individually fretting.). Not much at all - in fact very forgivable.
I'll probably file it slightly more today to get it perfect.
It's a build for a charity auction. A girl a lot of us in the STL music scene know got breast and lung cancer at the same time so a bunch of bands are getting together and putting on a show. There is a big raffle and a bunch of businesses have donated as well as tattoo artists and whatnot. I am donating this guitar. So I want it to be perfect (for a given value of 'perfect' for a CBG). It's close! I love it and want to keep it. I hope whoever gets it loves it and I hope we raise a bunch of dough.
Hey Craig, I am doing the same thing to raise money for a girl I know going to Haiti to save some lives. I know the pressure you feel. Try finishing it off with some 400 grit where you filed. I also donated to a guy here in town who got shot. Got $50 bucks for the easy stick in my photos. You may want to e-bay this guitar, which is what I am going to do with the Haiti guitar. I think you'll make more money for her that way. Plus, you can tell us CBG fans about it, and maybe we will bid.
Take a piece of hardwood and cut a narrow groove on a narrow side. Then put a piece of sand paper over a good fret with the grit facing UP. Now run that groove back and forth over the sand paper so you make a fret shaped groove in the hardwood.
Once that is done you can wrap the sand paper around the block grit facing out and use the new groove to take height off the high fret without making it flat. Tape off the fingerboard unless you want to spot sand that from your scratches.
It is fast and easy and doesn't cost $35 like a fret file. About any scrap of maple or oak will do the job really well.
For multiple high frets I use my diamond honing stone used for sharpening knives. About a half dozen passes of the 6" stone across the fretboard knocks everything down to the same level.
Then file if you have to
Over all level a problem glue some 240 grit on a 12 long flat board to level the board then dress the frets
:-)
I also put masking tape on the first couple frets up and down the fretboard on either side of the high fret so I know if I happen to nick them.
Oh, a little heads up Criag. depending on the grit paper you use the sander takes the fret down pretty quick so don't get too aggresive. Watch the fretboard and keep an eye on the shavings coming from the fretwire.
Should work fine sanding it down, I've done it and you can't tell it's been done.
Sweet. Thanks!!!! These little problems, fixes are where I'm really learning.
It's seated just a tiny tiny bit off. If I was keeping the guit I'd live with it. Gonna try sanding it down. It's really just barely almost imperceptibly off. But I don't want to screw it up, lol!
Thanks!
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