Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on February 1, 2012 at 10:30am

not worth it, you'll never get em right..

get a dremel or a sander, doesnt take more than 20 minutes to fret a neck.

get the 6" lengths off gitty, far less wastage

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Permalink Reply by Gary Williams on February 3, 2012 at 8:13am

" Do you use a Dremel for cutting frets??

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on February 3, 2012 at 12:02pm

I do yeah. I get the six inch lengths off Ben. Tap four or five in, trim them with the dremel cut off wheel, then repeat. I find the wire goes further for me. Sure it's cheap, but when I get a pound of the stuff I want it to do as many necks as possible. Also I go to the effort of tapering my necks, so the first few are substantially shorter than the last.

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Permalink Reply by Randy S. Bretz on February 1, 2012 at 12:16pm

Jay of  Tiny Guitars use to sell pre-cut fret wire, not sure if he still does. But look him up he still might. He also was sellin pre-made  necks already fretted.

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on February 1, 2012 at 12:18pm

Cutting fretwire takes but a second with a pair of endcutters, and once the frets are in it only takes a couple of minutes to file down the ends.  No need for fancy tools, I use a pair of pincers to cut my fretwire (more leverage than small sidecutters or endcutters) and a 6" flat file bought from my local hardware shop, total investment $5.

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Permalink Reply by Malcolm Wright on February 1, 2012 at 12:35pm

As the Chicken man says, cheap tools and a bit of elbow grease and it's job done. I must admit it's the bit of the build I hate most, but once it's done it's done and I'm always pleased with the results. Just get a cold beer ready in the chiller, get your wires, clippers, file, hammer on your bench and go for it - in thirty minutes or so you'll be glugging down the ale and wondering what all the fuss was about! 

Keep up the good work fella.

Malc

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on February 1, 2012 at 1:24pm

If you check out my fretting video on my page here, I can fret an entire neck from start to finish in under 30 minutes. I don't think you will save much time by getting 1.5 inch fret wire pieces.

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Permalink Reply by Hip Bone Bellaire on February 1, 2012 at 3:14pm

Thanks all... looks like I'll need to learn to fret... these pin strips are cool bit the fear of fretting MUST go, even if it's takes a six pack or 2.. I just have to remember to not use the band saw.

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Permalink Reply by Gary Williams on February 3, 2012 at 8:14am

Do you use a Dremel for cutting frets??

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on February 3, 2012 at 9:23am

As ChickenBoneJohn alluded to, using a pair of side cutters does not take very long. If you can find a pair that cuts flush, you will have less metal to file down.

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on February 4, 2012 at 1:38am

Screw filing em, get a belt or disc sander

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on February 4, 2012 at 2:04am

That's what I use...

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