Fret dressing - fun with files

[fieldgrade]

I traded my Taylor 816 to my son who is graduating since he plays more than me, and got my Taylor 410 back in return. Both my boys are guitar players, and both have sweaty hands, so the 410 needed strings, and the fretboard needed cleaning up. The frets had what I’d call just beyond nominal wear, so I have files right?!

I’ve never dressed frets before, but figured if I mess it up I can take it to Hanson and Crawford. They’ve dressed my banjer frets before and do a good job.

Anyway, I forgot a “before" picture, but the pickers here on CFF know what your first three frets start to looking like at the first three strings. I used the same needle files I use for my amateur smithing projects.

I left slight evidence of the “before” because I just didn’t want to take the frets down too far and end up with string buzz due to the fret heights being off.

Dressed, and cleaned up with some 4 ought steel wool.



And restrung with Elixir Nanowebs, but in “custom lights” instead of my usual “lights". So basically “elevens”, instead of “twelves”. The 410 is a dreadnaught body which really should get “mediums” but I abandoned my attempts at flatpicking years ago, and am strictly a finger picker.

 

[fieldgrade]

Last blast with the 816. Don’t ask me why a twitch.

 

[steelciocc]

I appreciate your courage but I’m not filing on any frets!! I leave it to the professionals:

https://www.thefretking.com/

 

[fieldgrade]

I appreciate your courage but I’m not filing on any frets!! I leave it to the professionals:

https://www.thefretking.com/

It’s not hard.
Just gotta take your time, like fitting sights, beavertails, and all other 1911 parts.

 

[steelciocc]

You’re a better man than me!!

 

[fieldgrade]

One thing I forgot to mention, I lay down a double layer of masking tape on either side of the fret before filing and polishing to help avoid boogering up the fretboard

 

[hp468]

Last blast with the 816. Don’t ask me why a twitch.

Show off

 

[NKD]

So, you just re-profiled the offending frets? Or did you flatten them all and redress after?

I've never built up the confidence to mess with frets other than polishing. Nice guitar, btw.

 

[Tailhunter]

All that and you didn’t even set it on fire.

 

[fieldgrade]

So, you just re-profiled the offending frets? Or did you flatten them all and redress after?

I've never built up the confidence to mess with frets other than polishing. Nice guitar, btw.

They weren’t very worn, although I bought this thing twenty years ago. I got distracted with 5 string banjos for about a decade.
I’d say just lightly re-profiled them.

 

[sixtysevensg]

If you were closer, you could have borrowed my diamond crowning file. It's a specialized tool, but makes things soooo much easier/faster. Good job on going at it yourself.

 

[fieldgrade]

If you were closer, you could have borrowed my diamond crowning file. It's a specialized tool, but makes things soooo much easier/faster. Good job on going at it yourself.

Thanks.
It’s shocking what I will attempt to repair without the right tools. @Bailey Boat nearly had an aneurism when I opened up a pristine 1974 S&W Model 19 with dad’s 1950’s Craftsman screwdrivers. No screws got boogered in the commission of that repair.

I did this with a borrowed bench grinder, dremel, and a bastard file. courtesy @Mike V

 

[sixtysevensg]

You are braver than I, sir!

edit: I really hope you had some drawers on in that first pic.

 

[fieldgrade]

You are braver than I, sir!

edit: I really hope you had some drawers on in that first pic.

It’s okay. It’s not a wartch pic.