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Geez Evan, thanks, I didn't even think about that option, I was thinking so hard the obvious escaped me, Oh Boy!!

Greg

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Gwaltney Guitars

I know Greg its one of those I need to eat a bunch of lead paint chips to dumb myself down to understand the simplicity of this kind of thing. I love stuff like that. Years ago the first person I saw hammer a fret down I was like that. "oh you just hit it with a hammer"...
Best, Evan

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http://www.NewYorkGuitarRepair.com

[quote=Evan Gluck] It is so quick it is scary.[/quote]

    Yea! Your sure right Evan! I'm pee'd my pants!!!!   

    Thanks Evan on the heads up on flatness! It occured to me that you could work relief in to the channel/angle also while czeching out the flatness if this is a concern.

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Ok!! Rick so you are cursory pre leveling the frets with just pre tension on the truss-rod (no relief). Then you string her up use your method to to level while under tension with normal relief. Have I got this right so far?

I have a client that despises relief in his necks. So I could see using your method to level the frets with no relief as long as the truss-rod is under tension but without noticeable induced relief. I always have to chase buzzers between 5-11 when I set one up for this client. your method if I am right may be my answer.

I was pretty excited about hearing this one, as well. This crosses the final bridge in assuring good action, as the guitar is in it's final state.

As an example, imagine if it were just as easy to carve braces after the box was assembled and neck was on where we'd be in terms of voicing guitars...

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Yes, we'll do a level when we put the frets in. The we'll do the Al L angle thing if we need to chase anything out after we get string tension on. I also use the Al L method for instruments that come in for setups, etc.

And Bob...don't think I haven't thought about that, too!

You could voice bracing & tops with a jig that held the tops clamped into a rigid frame. Bounce a laser interferometry rig off the top while vibrating it, have a program that responds to the nodal patters that the laser "sees", and drive a CNC machine to carve for a particular pattern of nodes and anti-nodes. Pretty out there, but possible...

Of course, this isn't as easy as a short length of aluminum.

Hey Evan, what part of NY did you get yours?  I just picked up a 3' piece in Rochester and paid $4.25.  Do you think it would be worth the 5 hour drive to the city to save $3?   Darned NY prices!

[QUOTE=Rick Turner]
And Bob...don't think I haven't thought about that, too!

You could voice bracing & tops with a jig that held the tops clamped into a rigid frame. Bounce a laser interferometry rig off the top while vibrating it, have a program that responds to the nodal patters that the laser "sees", and drive a CNC machine to carve for a particular pattern of nodes and anti-nodes. Pretty out there, but possible...
[/QUOTE]

I think that would even qualify as feasible, if you had the right guys to put the machine and code together. Of course, there are only a few companies around with enough cash for such a monster and I don't think they'd bite on something not guaranteed to reduce warranty work or sell more.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Terry and all, no I don't. It's one of those things you just have to try. You'll find the thing going over that first fret with very little problem... If need be, then pop the string you're working under up onto the top of the nut, but I rarely do.

It's funny...it's so easy to get all up in your head and intellectualize this to death, but you just have to try it to find how simple the whole thing really is to do. This is one of those cases where I say, "Stop thinking about it, and just do it."   

Oh...If you're totally happy with how you currently level frets or if you just love jigs and clamps and dial indicators and want to look like a mad scientist, that's cool. Do it your way...

Could someone kindly show me the way to the plans of this wonder jig please?

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www.MaillouxBasses.com
www.OzBassForum.com

I'm pretty sure it is in this thread.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

[QUOTE=Phil Mailloux] Could someone kindly show me the way to the plans of this wonder jig please? [/QUOTE]
Phil,
Welcome to the OLF. There are no plans for this "jig". It is just a 1/2" x 1/2" piece of aluminum 1/16" thick and about 2 feet long. Put self stick sandpaper along one edge. (220, 340, 400 grit) Bring the guitar up to tension and slip the bar between the strings and sand level for each string.

Might better say 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/16" aluminum ANGLE just in case it was missed earlier

At the risk of being redundant, I think it is worth re posting here, as posted by Evan in the other thread. It isn't very long, and sounds pretty clear to me.  So here:

"Great Rick thanks!

Here is what Rick wrote



"Buy a 36" length of simple aluminum angle iron, 1/2" on a side or
3/4" on a side with about a 1/16" wall thickness. Cut different lengths
and smooth the ends and round them a bit. Get some of the 3M self stick
220, 320, and 400 sand paper rolls. Stick it on lengths of the aluminum
angle.



Now work under the strings without loosening them or taking them
off! Level the frets under real string tension. Chase down any problem
spots, play the guitar while you're doing this. Move from under one
string to the next to the next.



There is nothing like leveling frets with the strings on and up to
tension for getting it right. Forget the Stew Mac neck jig. Forget
taking the strings off unless you're dealing with a refret. Once you
learn this technique, you can work relief just where you want it, and
you'll work faster than you ever thought possible.



When the guitar plays well, loosen the strings and crown the frets
with a Stew Mac diamond concave fret crowning file. Then work from 400
grit up to about 1200 across and lengthwise. Then go to gray, then
white Scotch Brite, and if you must, mask off the fingerboard and buff
on a wheel charged with Tripoli compound.



If it takes you more than a half an hour or forty five minutes to do this then you're doing something wrong."



Try this it works great, I am doing an old Kay semi hollow right after I type this period...... There its done already

Best, Evan"

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

    One additional tip to consider for using this little angle leveling tool is
one that i've always used.

   I like to have several hanging around my main bench at all times and a few
of them have two differenr grit papers adhered to their outer surfaces.

   The two grits allows you to simply rotate the leveler 90 degrees to make
you next pass on the fret tops.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

Yep...

Rick
   Hopefully you will check back into this thread and reveal what lengths of "L" stock you have and which you use the most.

John

John, if it helps, I made a 4" and a 6", yesterday I made a 2 1/2" that was perfect for a rising fretboard extension on an archtop (think last 3 frets). I seem to be using them all and I also thought to use multiple grits for each side of the L.
Hope this helps,
Best, Evan

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http://www.NewYorkGuitarRepair.com

Thanks Evan that does help.

John

I made up a couple of these little beauties over the weekend and I'll second that they work a treat.

No buzz, low action in less than half an hour.

Thanks Rick. Brilliant tip.

Cheers

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

Anyone got any photos of this tool in action?

One picture is worth ...

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

fret tool
Just happened across this tool on Ebay. Anyone used it?

Looks way too short to actually level things properly.