Polishing Frets

SPECTRUM001

Hi guys - this will sound like a dumb question - but if you don’t know…you don’t know (meaning me !!).

I want to gently put some shine back onto my frets, so was hoping to use a Dadarrio product (they do not need any major treatment, just a bit of polishing). Am planning to mask off the rosewood board first, but before I do - can someone advise if I am ok to use low tack masking tape (typical stuff used in decorating) ?

Or could that leave grease/glue/white residue in the rosewood grain ? I don’t want to use anything that may contaminate a beautiful fretboard.

As always - many thanks for some steering !

Redlester

I'll let the luthiers among us give a more informed response, but I have a packet of the D'addario fret polishing paper, and it comes with a card template that goes over the fretboard and leaves the fret exposed- perfectly adequate for the job in my experience. 

WezV

As long as it comes off within a few hours it's fine.  Leave it too long and it can leave residue.   

Even if it does leave residue, it can be removed easily.  The most stubborn residue from years old masking tape can be removed easily with a bit of white spirit.


If you want it to be lower tack, stick it to your t-shirt first.

richardhomer

Funnily enough, I was considering a thread about this.

If you’ll forgive me for a partial thread derailment @SPECTRUM001, I’m going to buy a Squier Affinity Tele for my son to take to university. The ones I’ve played have decent fretwork - except for the lack of a final polish. Would the various commercially available products be sufficient for dealing with this, or do I really need to pay to have done by a pro?

TrentGuitars

If you need to do a more substantial job finishing them up a simple way to do it is with the micromesh pad sets and then just hit it with some Autosol and elbow grease.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Micro-Mesh-Soft-Touch-Variety-Pack/dp/B000H6EC4C/ref=asc_df_B000H6EC4C/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=256007919056&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10010203213096675116&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045715&hvtargid=pla-406644622055&psc=1

Work up through the grits, the fact that they are foam backed means youre unlikely to change the shape of the fret.

Yellow frogtape is pretty nice to use and the price isnt bad if youre only doing one job.

SPECTRUM001

Thanks for the replies, and no worries @richardhomer; the more info the better !

My hesitation derives from other threads I have read about the difficulty removing white residue in rosewood grain once embedded (I don’t know how true this is).

notanon

Late now but bump this tomorrow I know there are lots of links out there, a fairly simple and safe process if you have the basics of hand eye coordination.

Polishing frets makes a guitar feel awesome (assuming everything else in good shape).

WeZ84

I use Crimson Guitars fret rubbers. You can get a set of four different grits but I tend to use the fine and superfine most of the time. 

skunkwerx

I just use some 0000 wire wool and Dunlops fret collars. 

That does a good job if the frets arent too too bad to begin with. 

Slash'N'burn

Yes just use a high quality masking tape as some cheap ones can end up getting stuck.

If you have an old nitro finish with lots of checking, sometimes masking tape can lift little slivers of nitro, so tread carefully.

absolutpepper

Miracle Cloth…plus your axe will smell like coconut…mmmm

DrumBob

Tape off your fretboard with blue painter's tape and polish the frets with very fine steel wool. Works great. 

hassleham

Slash'N'burn said:

If you have an old nitro finish with lots of checking, sometimes masking tape can lift little slivers of nitro, so tread carefully.

This has happened to me too.. got to be careful with older guitars!

I'm also careful not to wrap the tape over the edges of the board and around the back of the neck now. I just leave it hanging loose at the edge of the board.
I've always used masking tape and the cheap stuff (or stuff that's been in the shed for years) always leaves more residue. It's easy enough to get off, just a hassle.
There is a type of frog tape (yellow?) which is for more delicate surfaces and works well.

SteveRobinson

I find that neither 0000 wire wool nor fret rubbers achieve a mirror shine. For that you need Autosol (messy) or fine Micromesh. The D'Addario polishing paper (OEM 3M I think) works well.

hollywoodrox

I’ve never heard of the D ‘ Addario polishing paper it sounds good plus the fact you get one of those templates sounds a win . I’m assuming that using this you don’t need to cover your pickups like with wire wool 

stonevibe

These which are basically Gorgomyte in massive sheets

freakboy1610

Plus 1 for Gorgomyte but go for Miracle Cloth which is the same thing but half the price.

axisus

I use low tack masking tape and micromesh pads, or when I'm doing a very quick job I skip the tape and just use one of those small metal fretboard shields that leave one fret exposed at a time. I did that just 2 days ago as it happens, on a £5 nylon strung acoustic

Offset

absolutpepper said:

Miracle Cloth…plus your axe will smell like coconut…mmmm

Do you still need to mask off the frets with this?

jeromegreenday

Also mask off the pickups so the filed off fret material / slash debris from for 0000 wire wool isn't magnetically attracted to the pickups, you'll never get the filings off.

freakboy1610

Offset said:

absolutpepper said:

Miracle Cloth…plus your axe will smell like coconut…mmmm

Do you still need to mask off the frets with this?

No. It can also be used to freshen up your fretboard.