# Sharp fret ends



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

What is the best procedure for correcting sharp fret ends


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## TWRC (Apr 22, 2011)

Is this happening all along the neck (fret sprout)? Maybe try humidifying the guitar a bit to see if that helps; if not, you'll probably need to file them down. I've used tape to cover off the neck and used a mill file to correct this in the past. Hope this helps.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I am guessing fret sprout on this one


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## LydianGuitars (Apr 18, 2013)

GuitarsCanada said:


> I am guessing fret sprout on this one


You'll need a fret end file, like this one and file the ends down.
http://www.stewmac.com/shopby/product/1175


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## J-75 (Jul 29, 2010)

Fret sprout in summer?? It's 56% in my room.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

LydianGuitars said:


> You'll need a fret end file, like this one and file the ends down.
> http://www.stewmac.com/shopby/product/1175


I've gotten more than my monies worth out of that file!

I've used it on a few guitars so far, with great results.
It's that small and acurate, that I don't even bother to tape anything off.
It has two sides without grit, one flat and the other rounded.
Smooth, rounded side down on the fretboard and roll it into the fret.
I'll use a grit side, on the fret end, perpindicular to the neck to get the edge down.

It'll take a bit of time to do both sides of the neck, depending on how bad it is,
maybe an hour or so to do a relatively small amount of sprout.
No hacking up the neck, or binding, you can feel it on the file when it's done.

Well worth the few bucks, the results are a totally comfy neck.


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## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

Gents, if you have fret sprout and file the ends down, how do you like it when the board expands back to where it was and the ends are then short?... back to the quartersawn discussion, just another reason why a flatsawn neck is a problem.


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

Scott:

is your fretboard maple or rosewood? My approach to this varies with the wood type. With lacquered or poly'd maple you don't want to mar the finish so i go with the advice given above and the Stew Mac fret-file. With rosewood, I'll use this http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Leveling/Fret_Fingerboard_Leveling_Files.html to take the fret ends down just to the rosewood then finish with something a little finer and while I'm at it I'll add a bit of roll to the fretboard edge if desired. Even with the latter, I still use the Stew Mac fret-end file to take the sharp edges off.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

This particular one is a maple board. They are just very slightly on shall I say a sharp side. Just not as smooth as I want them on the ends. I think its more of how they were cut vs wood shrinkage


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

You're taking microns off the end of the fret, not hacking it away.

There's no chance of the neck ballooning up that way anyway.
Your nut and saddles remain stationary, so you'd be in trouble filing in the first place then.

File the fret ends, it's dead easy and you'll be much happier with the guitar and want to use it afterwards.


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## Erich (Apr 23, 2013)

Well, Filing down the sharp fret ends is generally safe to do, IF you know exactly how to file them down so that you don't damage your Fret-board and "roll" the edges over.

However, in all honesty, It's very easy to screw up your frets and fret-board with a single improper stroke of the file, and then you will end up having to dish out $300 for a Re-fret to fix your mistake.. 

This is VERY common. I do stringed instrument repairs, solely, and I see guitars which have been mangled by people trying to fix them on their own EVERY DAY, and believe me when I say it is MUCH harder to fix a guitar that's been damaged, than it is to repair an instrument that has not had someone, or multiple people, mutilate it before bringing it to me; Or any other competent Luthier. 

My advice to everyone who stumbles into this thread, is to treat your guitar the way you would treat a $1000 piece of machinery. 

And please don't Romanticize guitars. Guitars are not Women.. Although they are almost as complicated!! hehe... 

Seriously though, Guitars are complex tools, built with extreme precision, and are subject to all kinds of math and complex calculations to make them work properly. 

Rather than run the risk of messing up your instrument, take it to a competent Luthier, and hell I'd charge only $20 to dress the fret ends, but that's me. You can likely find a guy who's fair and reasonable, and for between $20 - $50 dollars, having it done right, and not messing up your fret-board, is worth it. IMHO....


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## Erich (Apr 23, 2013)

LydianGuitars said:


> You'll need a fret end file, like this one and file the ends down.
> http://www.stewmac.com/shopby/product/1175


Ye gods no.. no no no... Don't get me wrong, Stew-Mac are great for some things, but they try to make "Special Tools" for every little job, and they WAY over price, and most Guitar guys can't afford to buy all the tools they need, so we mostly make our own tools. 

Here is a tool which works much better and anyone can make one for a few bucks. 










To make the file block, saw a 1 3/4" square by 10" block out of Maple or Birch. You MUST use Hardwood, as it will be rubbing against the metal of the frets during usage and will wear down fast on softwood. Cut the piece so that the end grain is running as in the drawing for section (A). Note the grain direction in section (B) and lay out a 1/4" slot, 1 1/8" deep on a 45 degree angle. Set your table saw on a 45 degree angle and making several passes, cut the 1/4" wide slot. Check section (C) closely and cut off the 3/4" wedge as marked. Then cut 3 pieces of brass of steel strap 1" long, 1/2" wide, and 1/8" thick. Drill a 3/16" hole 3/8" from the end of each strap. The holes should be drilled about 3/4" down from the top edge of the file block for the clip screws. I used a Simmons 12" "hand smooth" file as it has parallel edges, rather than tapering towards a point, and also has one smooth edge. The smooth edge should be the exposed edge so there is less chance of damaging something should you slip. If you can find "Safe Edge" Lathe files, they work great. Clamping the file in a vise with aluminum or brass pads protecting the teeth, wrap a rag around the handle (the tang) and give it a sharp strike with a ball peen hammer, Breaking it off just below where the teeth start. Do the same thing on the opposite end, using the rag to protect you from flying bits of high carbon steel. The stuff shatters like glass. Smooth off the sharp ends and set the file in the block. As in Section (D). To set the proper clearance for the file, Set the block on the edge of a fretboard, and set the file to where it will clear the face of the instrument with a couple of thin cardboard pieces taped along the edge of the board on each side for face protection.


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