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I just recently bought a new 10" file from my hardware store, the best one they had, but it is just not straight enough for fret leveling. Does anybody know where I could get a good straight file? What method do you use? I sometimes stick sandpaper to a straight piece of wood, but the sand paper wears down so quick. Any info is appreciated

There's always StewMac and LMI..

Try using abrasive belts made for metal on paper; they should 'eat' through that tiny amount of fret you've got to level in no time at all.

The abrasive belts might be something to think about. LMI and Stew Mac don’t have any leveling files as far as I know. I have the 6" diamond leveler that stew mac has but it’s to short unless you are spot leveling.

Here is a link to StewMac's fret leveling files
www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Fretting_tools:_Fret_ dressing,_polishing/Fret_Leveling_Files.html



LMI carries some as well. I use a #7 plane body with adhesive paper. It works well for me.MichaelP38404.4827893519

I like StewMac's three files( one coarse two are fine - THAT'S THEM IN THE POST ABOVE) for getting the sides of the frets. I level using their surface ground, heavy duty straight edge bars, I think they come in three sizes 9, 16, 24" I put the Mylar backed Gold 220 and the 320 to level...finish off with micro mesh up to 12K. works great everytime Dave-SKG38405.4539583333

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Check out frets.com, Frank uses a Stanley #5 plane body with some wet dry sandpaper for finishing levelling fretboards and levelling the frets after a fret job.

I love my #5 purchased used off Ebay for a pittance, seems no one wants these old planes very much. Just take the frog off along with the blade and chipbreaker. I sold all the pieces for more than I paid for the plane itself, Ebay, sometimes it's amazing.

I use a piece of aluminum tubing that I glue different grits of paper to. I would think that you could use a piece of hardwood that has been run through a jointer or made dead flat some way. I have used an old level.

You just cannot beat an old #5 plane body for leveling frets. If you get an
old one and it needs leveling, level the bottom with sandpaper and a flat
surface (top of table saw). Then stick on 320 grit sandpaper and level the
frets away! Cheap, and VERY accurate!

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Sylvan
http://www.wellsguitars.com

Go to the hobby store and look for Great Planes sanding bars, they are extruded aluminum and are DEAD FLAT and cheap. I keep four in the shop and use them any time I want a flat surface...

You can get them in different lengths, I keep 24" and 12" on hand at all times.

I'll post pics if you want...

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

I don't like using abrasives for fret leveling: they leave grit embedded in the soft metal of the frets and that eats up your fret rounding file. I wore one out in only 4 or 5 years when I was leveling with a stone. Then I switched to a file and have used the same rounding file since: more than 25 years.

The trick is to find the right leveling file. Files have to be fully hardened steel in order to be hard enough to cut everything else. All they do with them after 'cutting' the teeth into the red-hot blank with a chisle (essentially) is to quench them. This can leave a lot of stress built up in the file, and that causes it to warp. You could get the warp out by tempering the file, but that would draw some of the hardness out of the edges, and they wouldn't last very long.

The only thing you can do is check over a lot of files with a straightedge. Some of them are indeed straight, and when you find one that's straight, long, and has a fairly fine cut, _do_not_let_it_out_of_your_sight_ until you get out of the store. Take good care of it, and use it _only_ for leveling frets, and it will last a long time.

Thanks for all the info guys. On the stew mac fret leveling files their longest one is 6". Is that really long enough? I thought you needed at least 8".

Colby, I'm not sure how much you want to spend. StewMac also offers the following for fretboard and fret leveling. I think it is a fairly recent addition, last few months. Maybe some of the folks here who have purchased it will give a review.

Aluminum radius-sanding beam

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

I tried one( stewmac's aluminum radius sanding beam)after Brocks thread and then bought a bunch more...they are great and they are nice and long ...I believe 18". You need something long.They are expensive but I can't see them ever wearing out...it's a one time purchase.Dave-SKG38405.4591782407

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Very vestal, they also are good for jointing if you don't have a jointer plane or a power jointer. most of their cost is due to the machine ground edge.

I have a piece of nice old mahogany that I put a good flat surface on and glued sandpaper to. Works great. I haven't been around long enough like Al to have it give me problems yet! I do have a file that is nice and flat, but I had to search through bunches of them to find one flat enough.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."