All About Grinding Frets
Playing guitar strings is a difficulty that will upset anyone with hearing. Moreover, it can occur even on a recently purchased instrument. Grinding will help eliminate this problem. And it is worth considering how to perform this procedure yourself.
When do guitar frets need polishing?
The causes of the phenomenon lie in several factors. Firstly, final grinding is often excluded from the production of budget models. Without the involvement of specialists, it is possible to reduce the cost of the instrument, but in fact the savings are made on the sound quality.
Second, if the regions where the guitar is manufactured and sold do not match, the instrument is exposed to climatic influences. Due to changes in temperature and humidity, the tree begins to dry out and become saturated with moisture. As a result, the radius and height of the frets change.
Sometimes there is a human factor, including carelessness during transportation, using a set with a smaller gauge when changing strings. Fret uniformity is also lost with wear.
What do you need?
Before work, you will need to assess the condition of the tool. If the deviations from the norm are small, it makes sense in grinding. If there is a significant amplitude of fret movement in the cuts, they will have to be glued in order to achieve the desired fixation. At the same time, experienced craftsmen recommend their complete replacement. Considering that in cheap guitars the frets are made of soft alloys, this procedure is inevitable.
To grind and polish the tool you will need:
- masking tape;
- ruler;
- marker;
- bar;
- files;
- hammer;
- file;
- sandpaper (1000, 1500, 2000);
- polishing wheel.
Steel wool and cloth-based abrasives are also used for sanding.They can be polished after leveling and rounding.
Technology
The frets on an acoustic guitar are polished according to a specific algorithm.
- First you need to remove the strings and seal the pad with masking tape.
- Then the deflection of the anchor is removed. On an even fretboard, it will be easier to assess the consistency of the fret heights.
- A long, thick metal ruler is now used. It should be placed on the frets and its position checked. Ideally, the attachment will lie flat and secure. If a deflection has formed under the ruler, then one of the elements is lower than the others. And a fret that has come out will lead to the ruler swinging on it.
- Then the frets are painted over with a marker. At this stage, they will have to be sanded with a perfectly flat bar and sandpaper. At the same time, it is important to maintain evenness of pressing, moving from one side of the fret to the other.
- After a couple of passes, it is worth assessing the state of the markers. If color marks remain, then these areas are below the sanding level. Then you need to reapply the marker to the surface and grind it off so that there are no painted areas.
- When making an adjustment, you need to take into account some of the nuances. So, the first fret may be slightly higher than the rest. And starting from the 12th, it is permissible to lower the height a little.
- If you find frets that have come out of the groove, you should use a hammer and a block.
- The sills are flat after sanding. If you immediately pull the strings on them, then due to the larger area of contact, they will vibrate worse. Therefore, now the edges of the profile need to be rounded off with a file.
- Now care should be taken to return the frets to their former smoothness and shine. This requires 3 passes with sandpaper. The first time you need grain 1000, then - 1500, and finally - 2000.
- The finishing touch will be polishing. The procedure requires a special circle. Alternatively, you can use GOI paste and soft rags. Each fret will have to be rubbed with these funds to a shine. In this case, the elements should not overheat. Otherwise, they will move out of the grooves again.
Now you can put on strings, adjust their height, neck position and evaluate the result of the work. The grinding is done well, if the strings become easier to clamp, the chords sound without discordant impurities, and when tightened, the strings glide better along the frets.
Useful Tips
- Before starting sanding, it is worth making sure that it is the cause of ringing and overtones. Sometimes the problem is the curvature of the neck and has to be addressed differently.
- When examining, it is important to take into account the height of the sills. If they are too low for turning, it is best to replace them.
- Do not overestimate your own strengths. So, if we are talking about the restoration of an expensive guitar, and not about putting in order a budget analogue, it is better to trust a specialist. Otherwise, an attempt to save money will result in large monetary costs.
Let's summarize. Uneven frets in height negatively affect sound quality, which reduces the enjoyment of playing. Musicians who have recently bought an instrument and owners of old guitars face this difficulty. If frets are uneven, they need to be ground and polished. Although the work can be entrusted to a master, it is not difficult to align the frets on an acoustic, bass, or electric guitar with your own hands, following simple instructions.
For more information on polishing the frets of the guitar, see the video.
