Finally taking the plunge; learning to refret

[RandomHero]

I've taught myself more or less every aspect of do-it-yourself techmanship and lutherie required to bring even the cheapest knock-off ax to some level of playability and even enjoyability, but I've yet to dive into learning to refret and carve a nut. Mainly for lack of funds for buying the needed tools, and lack of spare guitars that I can sacrifice to my "learning trys," but it just so happens I have a little extra cash about and the remains of a stripped Hondo strat-copy I wanna vamp up for a friend.

I was planning on buying the $70 or so set of hand tools that Stew-Mac sells along with a book about fretwork. I figure since this is my first foray into the practice and even pros use the simple tools, I won't spend big bucks on more than I need to just get the job done.

But before I even place that order, I wanna ask you guys; have any of you done this before or have any suggestions of what methods to avoid or to go for? My plan is to remove the old nasty frets, install new ones, level and dress them, and carve a new nut from scratch. If I can get all this done, and well, there will be -nothing- stopping me from making even the cheapest of the cheapies play like satin.

[ChrisK]

So, before you refret, have you learned to properly "fret" first?

[sumgai]

This thread is fraught with fretful feelings..........




sumgai

[RandomHero]

I'm also planning on filling a tremolo cavity and learning to carve a new nut. This is gonna be one hell of a project guitar!

[sumgai]

I'm also planning on filling a tremolo cavity and learning to carve a new nut. This is gonna be one hell of a project guitar!

Lessee here.......

Most people ask "How can I add a vibrato, can I just route out a cavity like for a Strat or sumpin'?"

RandomHero asks "How can I plug up a vibrato cavity?"

Who's at loggerheads here? ;D

RH, why not just swap the body with someone who has a hardtail, and is thinking of routing it out? The both of you come up as winners!

Elsewise, talk to Frank (fobits), he did the same operation earlier this summer, remember? The thread that covered the whole schmear is here.

HTH


sumgai

[RandomHero]

For one, Sumgai, while that sounds appealing, I want to try it because it seems challenging. I have a perfectly useable chassis here, but this will be almost more of a learning experience than it will a "build a guitar for my buddy" experience. That will just be a beneficial side effect. So you guys know what I'm thinking of, here's what I have...

A Hondo H-75, strat-style body routed for one bridge bucker and a neck with nothing but the frets on. No nut, no tuners, nothing. I was thinking would leave the body black and get a black pickguard, upon which I would place a stolen "fire hazard" sticker from my place of work, the type that goes on paint. Just a red diamond with white flames, it will take up a good deal of the face. Some of it may even go on the upper frets... I'll put a DiMarzio X2N humbucker, red, in the slot, and throw in a Volume and Tone on a concentric, with a rotary switch for a pallate of options on the 'bucker. I may or may not put a P-90 neckwise, and route for a Les-Paul type switch on the lower bout under the pickguard, so he can tone it down a bit for clean passages and some jangle as it suits his needs.

I'm thinkin' standard string-through body Strat-style hardtail bridge with Graphtech saddles, a graphite nut and string trees, and Planet Waves tuners, assuming my experience with them on my Iby 7-string turns out well.

To GET there, I'm gonna have to learn to do the following...

Plug the trem cavity,
Acceptably refinish the spot where it was plugged,
Install string-through-body ferrules,
Rout under the pickguard for the LP switch (maybe,)
Refret the neck, complete with a level and dress, and
Carve a new nut from scratch.

If I can bring this guitar from where it is now, to there, I'd say it'll be worth the money spent on tools. I just went out today and purchased a Craftsman Rotary Tool, since the first thing I'm gonna get started on is plugging that cavity, and with the right attachments that tool can do just about anything.

[sumgai]

RH,

Well, that's certainly a laudable goal. ;D As they say in the education world. Learnum est funum!

So, with one eye on that thread I linked above, and another keeping track of Fret Dressing, you should be able to carry out your task.

The one tool you likely don't have yet is a ¼" diameter drill bit, 20" or 21" long. Even if the output jack is mounted on the pickguard, you'll need to go from the control cavity to the upper bout in order to run the wiring to that LP-style switch. If you're gonna paint the thing anyway (refinish the newly plugged vibrato cavity), then you might as well punch a hole in the edge where a Tele or an LP would ordinarily put the jack, and just run for the upper bout with that long drill bit. Plug and refinish as necessary.

Take pictures.... before, during and after!


sumgai

[RandomHero]

Actually, I'm planning on mounting the switch on the lower bout or close, after a bit of testing. I believe Tom Morello has one of his strats set up that way. I'll be able to just use my dremel and rout out a channel under the pickguard.

[sumgai]

RH,

Actually, I'm planning on mounting the switch on the lower bout or close, after a bit of testing. I believe Tom Morello has one of his strats set up that way. I'll be able to just use my dremel and rout out a channel under the pickguard.

You mean, as in a Jazzmaster or Jaguar?



(Ignore the cavity on the upper bout.) In this case the switch cavity is larger than needed, you can make it only as large as you wish. Many guitars put a control or switch of some kind here - Gretsch, Danalectro, Eastwood, the list goes on.

Of course, you don't need the extra long drill bit. This time. ;D


sumgai

[Runewalker]

RH:

I'm interested in the refret job. The thing I worry most about is prying the old ones out and avoiding chipping the edges of the tang kerf in the fingerboard.

[RandomHero]

Stew-Mac's toolkit for the job includes a device made specifically to grip under the edges of your old frets, and gently "walk" the frets out while keeping the existing rosewood (or maple or ebony, whathaveyou) in place. There are also fixes for little dings like that. My main concern is properly leveling and dressing them after the fact.

[Runewalker]

RH:

I bug real luthiers whenever I can, and I was shopping around a fret re-do when one showed me his "fret walking" tool. It was the same as Erlewines.

There is a little pair of pliers, sometimes called nipping pliers, but they have some sort of real name, whose head looks like wire cutters turned perpendicular. Sorry no pix.

Earlwine takes a pair of these and grinds the face so it is flat, and the edges fit flush against the fret board so that the tool grips the fret.

I can probably help on the leveling, recrowning and final dress techniques, as I have done bunches, and have it down. The tools do not have to be expensive, but there are a couple of tricks and one specialty sanding medium. But with the approach I use I can set up and do a few necks one after another. Leveling is easy. Re-crowning is close-in, attention to detail, somewhat tedious work. Final dress is basically a structured polishing approach.

[Runewalker]

admin said:

Stew-Mac's toolkit for the job includes a device made specifically to grip under the edges of your old frets, and gently "walk" the frets out while keeping the existing rosewood (or maple or ebony, whathaveyou) in place. There are also fixes for little dings like that. My main concern is properly leveling and dressing them after the fact.

RH:

I bug real luthiers whenever I can, and I was shopping around a fret re-do when one showed me his "fret walking" tool. It was the same as Erlewines.

There is a little pair of pliers, sometimes called nipping pliers, but they have some sort of real name, whose head looks like wire cutters turned perpendicular. Sorry no pix.

Earlwine takes a pair of these and grinds the face so it is flat, and the edges fit flush against the fret board so that the tool grips the fret.

I can probably help on the leveling, recrowning and final dress techniques, as I have done bunches, and have it down. The tools do not have to be expensive, but there are a couple of tricks and one specialty sanding medium. But with the approach I use I can set up and do a few necks one after another. Leveling is easy. Re-crowning is close-in, attention to detail, somewhat tedious work. Final dress is basically a structured polishing approach.

[jeremyo83]

I have never done this myself, but I do have a yamaha that sorely needs refretting, so I have been looking into it.

My friend let me borrow his guitar repair book (the name of which slips me at the moment, but I can find and post it later.. great book for everything guitar).

The author recommended applying lemon oil (just as you would use to treat your fretboard) to the fretboard around the frets to be replaced, and then use your 30w soldering pencil to heat up the fret. (make sure you don't touch and burn the fretboard.. he said he has filed a notch into his pencil to help keep it on the fret) when the lemon oil begins to bubble around the fret, use the fret walking tool mentioned in the above posts to gently work the frets out. He stresses *DON'T PULL UP* on the frets. Simply squeezing the pliers together around the fret will be enough to work the frets out.

Now, again please note that I have never done this before, I'm just relaying what I've read, so keep that in mind when trying this. It seems to make sense though.

Let me know how you do, because I'll have to do it sooner or later.

[twostring]

I've never done this either. But I had an Alvarez that I took to a pro who did the job. He said part of gettg it right was to glue the frets in place. He said they contribute to buzzing if you don't. I don't know what kind of glue he used. The job he did was amazing though. My daughter took it off to school with her as just a time filler and now wants to make a career out of bluegrass/folk. Her friends all want to borrow it when they perform.

[eldungo]

Well, it sounds as if you have more luthier experience than I do. I did however, refret my 98 Martin D-1. I'm quite pleased (proud) of the job and everyone here has the right advice as usual! Thought I'd relate my experience. My D-1' s frets were so low as to be unplayable. Local guy wanted 3 bills. I can see why. Probably take a pro 4 hours. I researched the crap out of fretting online and dove in. Turns out it ain't rocket surgery! Your probably gonna get some chips in the fretboard from the fret tangs. I got some tiny chips, and made a couple of marks on the sides of the board while filing, but it's mine, and it ain't going nowhere. They in no way affect playabilty and I certainly ain't gonna point 'em out! I would have avoided these marks with more fking PATIENCE! Take the time to mask/tape stuff up and protect all the surfaces. The pro's will grind some rosewood up with some superglue and fill the holes. Works very nicely if it's that important. I would certainly never endeavor to refret someone elses axe without filling the chips and masking everything. Anyways, water or lemon oil will work with the fret puller and solder iron. I made the fret puller from a set of end nippers. I ground the bottom down on my grinder. Walk 'em out slow and careful like. I also bought a mallet with both a rubber head and a hard plastic head. The rubber side worked perfectly to gently tap in the pre radiused frets (medium Jumbo). I tried the Stew-Mac fret setter (18.95), but after ruining the first fret I just used the rubber mallet. (Now I have a credit with Stew-Mac!) Be sure to completely clean the slots. I just used an Exacto knife and a flashlight. I used a drop of standard super glue on each fret. I put the glue on the fret with a toothpick and it spreads nicely around the bottom of the fret and tangs. I used acetone to immediately clean up any errant drips. I filed the frets with a 3 sided diamond file I have around and I leveled and dressed them with the kit from Thomas-Ginex. I also used a cork covered cawl/neck holder from Stew-Mac. Good support is important all along the neck. When it was done, I let it sit unstrung overnight and tuned up to pitch in the morning then added a little relief. Been about a year now and all is well. All told I spent about 45.00 and it plays like a new box! I never done it and it took me about 6 hours. Take your time. Tape/paper/mask EVERYTHING. And...take yer time! When I casually drop that I refretted my own git, jaws drop. Good luck. It can be done. Sorry luthiers!

[eldungo]

OH And...Just dive in....Don't....

FRET!