Fret Leveling Tool

[olddog]

I just want to get few opinions on leveling tools. I already have the16 inch bar (stewmac #4578), and I'm debating whether to get the adhesive sandpaper for that bar, or get the diamond leveler,(5256). Also, I already have the 3 in 1 crowning file with the replacable burrs, what is the best crowning file around? Thanks

[GuitarGuy]

I just want to get few opinions on leveling tools. I already have the16 inch bar (stewmac #4578), and I'm debating whether to get the adhesive sandpaper for that bar, or get the diamond leveler,(5256). Also, I already have the 3 in 1 crowning file with the replacable burrs, what is the best crowning file around? Thanks

if you already have the bar use it. Stewmac's sandpaper is a rip off tho. try eastwood.com they have good quality self adhesive sandpaper double the quantity at half the price.

[Acousticraft]

16" is probably the bare minimum for a straight edge bar so you can do all frets at once. I have a nice straight thick piece of MDF that I glue 180 grit 3M gold paper on to with paper adhesive. Just those glue sticks kids use at school are all you need. You dont need to buy special sandpaper IMHO but I do recommend the 3M gold as it lasts so long.

Check the high frets with an accurate straight edge and mark them with Sharpie pen and file them down first until they are close. Then you can mark all frets with your sharpie and use you sanding bar to level them until the sharpie wears off all frets.

As far as fret crowning files go, I have the Stew Mac double edged file that has medium and jumbo fret edges. That does the job nicely.

[Jon]

I use an 18" radius block, double stick tape, and sandpaper. I'm a fret leveling newb, but it works great for me.

[GuitarGuy]

see the problem with leveling with anything other than a known straight edge is that you can introduce a wobble into the fretboard. If the sanding stick you have is anything but true you can get high and low frets as youre sanding. being out .005-.010 is a lot in fretwork. It can mean the difference between a smooth guitar and a buzzing fret.

At the very least joint the piece of wood you are using as a sanding stick. But ideally you want somthing that has the same flatness as the flatness you ar trying to achieve.

[Woodenspoke]

Why do I ever get involved.

1. 16" yes 6" not so good

2. You cannot really perfectly level a fret board and frets unless you have the board and frets set under tension, the tension exerted by the strings you are planning to use or are using. You do that buy using a neck jig. As soon as you put tension on the neck with strings you no longer have a really flat fret board. Thats why I just built a neck jig since in truth a flat board and frets will not really look flat until the strings are on and its tuned up to pitch. So you can knock yourself out put on some medium strings and find you are in need of a truss rod adjustment first off. I think what I am saying is do the best you can with what you have.

3. As long as the device you are using is flat and you can measure its flatness over a measured distance, even if its crusty underwear your ok. LOL

4. Remember you can move a beam or block side to side and front to rear, some food for thought.

This thread was about what to use not how to go about using the tools. For the most part everyone uses what they have or can afford and there is no wrong tool or right tool to do the job as long as the results are satisfactory. If you dont have a neck jig so what; you do the best you can and sometimes luck is on your side.

Fretwork is more about thinking rather than just doing, I found sound advice from friends and SM videos helped me get through some misconceptions I have had since the 70's. I have seen some pretty weird styles even just using sand paper over the fingers to level frets. Again what ever works for you.

My 2 1/2 cents worth or useless babbling, now go level your frets already

Woodenspoke

Edited July 10, 2007 by Woodenspoke

[olddog]

Thanks for the advice. I have that sm tape you mentioned, it was the reason for my question. The guy selling the stewmac bar was using that, but the other experts were using the diamond leveler and the other guy a short file block. I was wondering what the "word on the street" was. Another question I have is; if you have the guitar in a jig to simulate string tension, do you set the relief also? I'm guessing it would have to matter.

[soapbarstrat]

I think in some cases a shorter leveler is better (something 6" to 8" long). (maybe I should have said *few* cases) I'm talking about a more quick and dirty fret-level on a neck that has a moderate amount of relief and it just gets more screwy when you try to dial it out with the T-rod nut. So, you just leave the relief and level the frets with a shorter leveler. It's not ideal, but the neck will play better than before. There are a lot of necks where if you level the existing frets with a long leveler, some frets will just get knocked down too low when you've finally leveled them from one end of the neck to the other.

The gold sandpaper really is superior. I have 4 long levelers (yes, of course the long levelers are ideal for a complete fret-job, where the wood is leveled first), and with the more coarse grits for fret-board leveling, I keep using them on neck after neck with the same gold abrasive stuck on them, and the abrasive isn't even near having noticeable wear. The 600 and 800 grits are about ready for replacement, but I've done 3 or 4 fret levels with the same gold abrasive on those levelers. I begin leveling frets on a complete fret-job with 600 grit. On a quicky fret-level (frets I didn't put in), I could start as coarse as 220 grit.

When I switch to 1000 and 2000 grit, I also switch to my one 8" leveler, because it has clips that hold plain backed abrasive. It's also nice to just use clip-on abrasive for the lower-end quicky fret-levels. If it's gold paper, it's probably going to be clipped back on the leveler again at least a few times.