Fret leveling kit

nutboxnutbox Frets: 34
edited August 2014 in Making & Modding
Hi there, I am looking at leveling some frets on my ltd guitar and have come across this tool kit ,and was wondering if anybody has used it or has any thoughts on it. http://www.fretrefinishing.com/combokits.html Cheers dazz
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Comments

  • FezFez Frets: 499
    Have a look here as well http://www.stewmac.com/
    Don't touch that dial.
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  • Zodiac51Zodiac51 Frets: 340
    edited August 2014

    I got one of these off da fleabay, can thoroughly recommend, the little brass block (fret crowning file) he also sells is a total waste of time though.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNDERSTRING-FLK-fret-leveling-with-strings-on-/321033705676


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  • nutboxnutbox Frets: 34
    Thanks for the suggestions,what I am asking is whether the idea is good and whether anybody has used the linked kit? Cheers dazz
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  • MegiiMegii Frets: 1670
    Some may not approve, but I have used a 2 foot box level bought from B&Q for around a tenner, to do 8 of my guitars, plus 6 for other people. Basically this approach, although I've refined it a tad:



    Crimson guitars do a nice range of tools for working on frets:


    And they've done some good videos on doing a fret job, such as this one:



    - there are more useful videos from them on YouTube if you do a search.
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  • nutboxnutbox Frets: 34
    What about using a radius block to do the leveling,I know some people say no and then some say there great? Cheers dazz
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  • MegiiMegii Frets: 1670
    nutbox said:
    What about using a radius block to do the leveling,I know some people say no and then some say there great? Cheers dazz
    Doesn't appeal to me personally - imagine you have a bit of a general high-low-high-low pattern for example, going along the length of the fretboard. I would have thought a radius block will tend to follow that general pattern, and you won't end up with perfectly level fret tops. Localized high or low frets will have been taken care of to some extent, but not on the larger scale. I like the idea of using some sort of levelling beam which is at least the length of the whole fretboard - that way you hit all the frets at the same time. I've not found any issues with not being able to keep the radius right - as long as I pay attention to sanding evenly across the frets, everything seems to turn out fine.
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  • CorvusCorvus Frets: 2924
    tFB Trader

    Long box sander (ground box section, about £18 from an ebay shop) and a selection of diamond files, and a 3-1 nut profile file bought s/h. Before that I used oilstones for 20-odd yrs which are dirt cheap nowadays. But choose carefully, there's brutal grades out there.
    Neck level gauge made from a straight-edge. I don't trust steel rulers, seen them bent on-edge.

    Link with tools pics


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  • Just read your link @Corvus cheers for posting.  I've been pondering ordering the tools to do this for a while, your guide seems nice and clear.
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  • CorvusCorvus Frets: 2924
    tFB Trader
    Thanks @guitarfishbay, hope it helps a bit. Lots of ways to skin the cat and plenty of tools without spending lots of ££s.
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