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I just removed the first 5 frets for a partial re-fret. The frets came out like a dream with no chipping. (always a good feeling). I am now getting ready to install the new frets have a few questions. (I am fairly new to this)

1) Fret Hammer or Press? I have a fret hammer and have had good results with this approach but I have heard that a press works well.

2) Glue or no glue? If you do glue the frets in what type of glue do you use?

3) Any other words of wisdom for a re-fret on a bound fretboard?

Thanks!

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Brad
Avon, OH

frets.com hence the name

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

What kind of guitar?

I'd probably hammer them in. Nip the tangs at the ends first so the frets will overlay unless it's a Gibson or other guitar where the binding has nubs at the ends of frets (horrible way to do it...). Hammer gently working each end and then closer and closer to the middle...left tap, right tap, left tap closer to center, right tap closer to center, etc. If you hammer the fret too hard, it will reform into a reverse spring, and it'll fight you all the way. You must not bash frets to get them in.   Get them in nice and level, and then wick in superglue. Keep the glue off the finish. Clean up excess glue immediately with superglue solvent. If it really needed five frets done, I'd do seven; always go a couple more to make a better transition between new and old frets. Check out all the refret knowledge from Frank Ford and Dan Erlewine.   Frank can pull frets, level the board, and do a great refret on a D-28 in an hour, all the while lecturing to and answering questions from thirty students.   So you should be able to do a partial in less than two hours, even as a beginner.

Rick...thanks for the words of wisdom. The guitar is a Taylor and the fret ends are clean...not like a Gibson. What do you mean exactly but "wick in Superglue"?

Thanks again.

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Brad
Avon, OH

Use the micro-pipettes from LMI to touch just a drop of thin superglue to each end of each fret. You might tilt the guitar so that no excess can run onto the neck. This is one of those things that's easy to screw up on, but is really fast if you learn it.

As of late I've started using insulin needles with super-thin CA when I need more precision than my teflon-tubing on the bottle tip will give me. They get fouled up easily enough if you let the glue sit in them, but you can get a big bag of 'em at a pharmacy for a few bucks. They might look at you funny, even when you explain, but there's no selling restriction on subcutaneous needles (at least in Canada)

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

[QUOTE=Rick Turner] Frank can pull frets, level the board, and do a great refret on a D-28 in an hour, all the while lecturing to and answering questions from thirty students.   
[/QUOTE]

It is true, I've seen him in action! And that was with stainless steel frets... If you learn how to hammer the frets in correctly, it is very fast. Some also claim that the hammering helps to 'case harden' the frets, thereby making them last longer.

Anyways, I press the frets in with my drill press and SM fretting caul, it is a bit slower but you avoid those occasional 'reverse springs' that Rick talks about. I fashioned a cork lined wooden cradle for the neck, and use a bit of PVA or fish glue on the fret tangs before they are pressed in. I have big coils of fret wire from LMI, so the frets are already curved, which is necessary to make them go in smoothly.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

If you're hammering frets hard enough to work harden them (not case harden...that's a heat process with steel), then you're screwing up big time, and those frets will spring right up in your face.

I still think it's outstanding that somebody with Rick Turner's experience is on here giving basic fretting advice to relative beginners.

You get two big thumbs up in my book Rick!!!

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Bill...you are right....great to get advice from experts like Rick.

On a side note, I picked up some fret wire tonight and hope to get the guitar back together this weekend. I will post the results when I am done.

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Brad
Avon, OH

What you want to start with is just a bit more curvature in the fret wire than in the fingerboard.   If, for instance, you have a 12" radius in the 'board, try working with about a 10" radius in the fret wire.   I like to get the tang in at each end of the fret and see just a taste of air between tang and fingerboard center.

You'll get a feel for it, and the feel is what it's about.

I put the new frets in and it just takes a little feel. Not really all that difficult. I still need to trim the ends, level, and crown, but I figure I will tackle that tomorrow.

On a side note, next time I will make sure I get a set of Stewmac Fret Nippers to cut the tangs off for the binding.

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Brad
Avon, OH