Do You Need To Prebend Frets If You're Going To Press Rather Than

[fyb]

What do you think?

*edit*

Sorry, it looks like some of the questions was cut off in the original title. I was wondering if you need to prebend fretwire is you are going to press the frets in rather than hammer them. I'm going to be using my drill press for the fretting with a caul from StewMac.

Thanks for the info!

Edited August 20, 2006 by fyb

[Southpa]

ALWAYS prebend frets to a slightly smaller radius than the fretboard, regardless of how they are installed.

[jaycee]

I have to agree with Southpa and practically everyone will give you the same advice to Pre-Bend frets with a tighter radius than your fretboard, that way the ends of the frets will "dig into the board" when pressed. I have just fretted my guitar with pre bent frets, but rather than use a drill press ( I don't have one) I had a good size plastic spring clamp which I used to hold the fret into place, which worked exellently.

Edited August 20, 2006 by jaycee

[fyb]

Thanks for the info!

[soapbarstrat]

I don't think there's a need for over-bending with the press method.

[Setch]

I'll bow to your greater experience, but I would overbend very slightly. It's insurance against the possibility of underbending, which can still cause problems. You don't need to overbend as much, since you don't have to protect against the ends springing because of tapping in the centre of the fret, but it's still better to have the ends seating a little before the middle so they have zero inclination to lift.

[soapbarstrat]

Nothing to bow to with me. I also over-bend slightly, just because it would be too much trouble to get it dead on, but I think if the fret-wire had a perfectly matching radius to the board, I could press it in with no problems. I also want to avoid the middle of the frets popping up, which can happen from over-bending, even more so these days, because the fret-wire I use now is harder than wire I was using before, plus I now have faster, more consistent, methods of "work hardening" the fret-wire. The harder fret-wire is more springy, and wants to retain it's shape more.