Procedure For Getting The Fretboard Flat B4 Leveling?

[DaveC]

What I have read all says to get the fretboard flat and straight (no relief) before leveling the frets which makes sense, but nothing I have read details HOW to get the neck/board flat. Basically, what I don't understand is this, unless you have a notched straightedge that allows it to contact the fretboard and not the frets, I can't understand how you can get the neck straight with a straightedge since the frets are not of even height, which is why I want to do this in the first place. And if the frets are not of equal height I can't understand how you can use a straightedge since the high frets will prevent all frets from touching the bottom of the straightedge equally, which if the frets were level and of equal height would indicate a flat fretboard?

Also, when leveling the frets, are you only looking for a little contact at each fret? I am guessing only contact is needed since high frets would need to be brought down further and so would always have a wider cross-section than those that don't...but thought I would ask. Perhaps the crowning file gets them close to the same profile?

Many thanks,

DaveC

[Setch]

With a long straightedge you should still be able to get the neck flat - by which I mean contacting frets at both ends, and in the middle. Even if the straight edge doesn't contact *all* the frets due ti high frets, low frets etc, having it contact in the middle and both ends will make for the minimum amount of material being removed to get the frets level.

You want to just contact each fret, and yes, the crowning file should bring them all to a very similar profile after crowning is completed.

[doug]

Getting the fingerboard level BEFORE fretting works wonders. After the frets are installed the neck might take on a slight backbow so a straightedge is all that's needed to tell when you've adjusted it straight again. If your slots are the correct width for your fret tang there should be little change in the neck after fretting. Starting out level reduces the amount of recrowning necessary later on.

Setch summed up the rest...

[erikbojerik]

Yep, what they said. Make sure the fretboard is flat (and of uniform thickness) before you seat the frets.

[soapbarstrat]

You'd be doing yourself a favor by pin-pointing any hideously high frets first with some "fret-rocker" deal.

I don't have a notched SE for longer scales yet, like 30", but I still by-pass the frets to read just the board with a regular SE. Not that hard to figure out how to do it, and I consider myself to be of average intelligence (in other words, not far from being dumb).

[fryovanni]

You'd be doing yourself a favor by pin-pointing any hideously high frets first with some "fret-rocker" deal.

I don't have a notched SE for longer scales yet, like 30", but I still by-pass the frets to read just the board with a regular SE. Not that hard to figure out how to do it, and I consider myself to be of average intelligence (in other words, not far from being dumb).

Smarter than the average bear, that fella

[DaveC]

Thanks guys, a small "fret rocker" SE is a lot less money to buy than one of those notched jobs....and I already have a small SE that works for that purpose.

[Mattia]

Honestly, if the board is fretted, how flat the wood part is really doesn't matter a whit. Adjust the rod until the whole playing surface (which is the fret tops, the fingerboard is just something to hold them in place, spaced correctly, really) is as flat as can be, rock to find high frets, address, then level as a whole.

Getting the board good and level is something that's important before fretting. And if it's so out of whack the above method doesn't work, you'll notice, and be needing a refret anyway.