# Hosco Fret File and Baroque Fret Eraser Trials



## Tone Chaser (Mar 2, 2014)

I kind of inherited a Marina M-ST Stratocaster, that I believe was Korean made in the 80’s.

A few years back I did a quick setup on the guitar for a long time friend, during a visit, and told him that I would like to go over the guitar better someday. The little bit of work at that time transformed it into a better player. It actually intrigued me, and gave him some enjoyment, as his first electric guitar.

When he passed away his brother was gifted his high dollar acoustics and a 12 string. The Marina Strat wound up in the garage, so I heard from his brother. I offered to buy it, if it was available. It was gifted to me with thanks for my past consideration.

I have played it for a week now, and made some decisions about what I felt it needed.

The frets needed attention, the beautiful thick slab rosewood fretboard was dry.

I recently bought a Japanese made Hosco fret file and a set of Baroque Fret Erasers. This was a candidate to try and learn how to handle the file. Also to see what the erasers do. I also cleaned the fretboard, and oiled it









As usual, I dug in and forgot to take a before picture. It took a little time to figure out how to hold the file, choose a starting point, and get good results.
The frets don’t have 100% of the worn divots out of all of the frets, but they are now rounded peaks, instead of flat, widened frets. The neck is straight, and check out OK with the fret rocker. I didn’t want to get carried away with the file, and create new problems on my first attempt with this new tool.

I will see what kind of difference there is, when I play the guitar again.









That rosewood slab is about a quarter inch thick.

I have a casual hour involved with disassembly, filing, polishing, cleaning, and oiling.

Some microphonic problems were noticed today and I also pulled the pick guard. I had to cut wires, or get out the solder gun to pull the pick guard. It was impossible to pull it up and turn over with both a solid ground wire, and input wires being much to short.

I found a ceramic magnet broke loose and slipped down. I think I will just put one of my loaded guards in, lengthen the wires, improve the grounds, and perhaps do some shielding.


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## Tone Chaser (Mar 2, 2014)

You work the file in one direction. I probably have to figure out how to keep that metal build up from clogging the file. It worked better, with less scratches on the frets, with the less aggressive side of the file.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

@Tone Chaser How did this work out for you? I have several guitars with uneven frets that I am going to learn how to level frets and I will have to profile the frets and I am following these types of threads.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

I'm thinking those fret files are dangerous for the novice. I might go with the 3 corner file from Stewmac. The idea as I understand is to file the top flat and then round or crown the frets. 






3-Corner Fret Dressing Files - StewMac


Specially made for traditional fret crowning and shaping.




www.stewmac.com


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

MarkM said:


> ... I am following these types of threads.


Me too. I recently had a fret level done and this sort of work intrigues me. Thanks for posting!


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## Tone Chaser (Mar 2, 2014)

MarkM said:


> @Tone Chaser How did this work out for you? I have several guitars with uneven frets that I am going to learn how to level frets and I will have to profile the frets and I am following these types of threads.


I have not had the time to reassemble the guitar. It has been a bad couple of weeks, and my thoughts about guitars are on hold. My father was approaching the end of his life, and passed.

As for the file, it was bought as a crowning file, and used as a crowning file. The Fret Erasers were tried as an alternative to steel wool Scotchbrite, and other common polishing approaches.

After a little experimenting and experience with these tools I can recommend them.

There are different sizes of files for frets available that would make the job faster and efficient. I would have loved to buy Z files in all sizes, and may do so sometime when long term in the States. They are ridiculously expensive to ship to Canada. The Hosco winds up being about half the price of a single Z file, and is quite effective for a novice, working with care, even on vintage tall frets. This particular file is intended for use with jumbo frets, which more of my guitars happen to have. I have not used a Z file, but the Hosco, even used on a narrower fret, is near foolproof when the time is taken to observe and file with only as many passes as needed.

I decided to try the tools first on certain guitars, before my most cherished. I have an acoustic to work on next, that needs some serious salvage work with regards to crowning. I am also going to replace the piezoelectric pickup, controls, wiring.

So the thread about the Hosco file will be updated as I find the time to get back into the projects.


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

player99 said:


> I'm thinking those fret files are dangerous for the novice....


^This is true.

These high quality fret files probably should come w/ a gentle warning that you could permanently maul your frets if you're new at it. The job itself isn't difficult, but the precision work and attention to detail throws some people off.


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## Tone Chaser (Mar 2, 2014)

FatStrat2 said:


> ^This is true.
> 
> These high quality fret files probably should come w/ a gentle warning that you could permanently maul your frets if you're new at it. The job itself isn't difficult, but the precision work and attention to detail throws some people off.


That was my prime reason for wanting a Z file, and buying the Hosco. Also Z files were sold out at that time. Simply lay flat the smooth edges to the fretboard, and learn how much pressure is required to make the file movement correctly. I quickly found to use the less aggressive side of the file. The coarseness or cutting side of the file choice likely can vary by the hardness of the fret material. The file can be used without taping of the fretboard. I tried it, but decided to tape off. I strongly suggest the tape. I actually managed to rip or tear the tape a couple of times while learning how to get the proper technique.

I previously bought a three sided fret file. I studied the tool, and decided that it was poorly machined junk. It went back. I am sure there are better ones out there. Good tools make any job easier.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

@Tone Chaser I am so sorry to hear of the passing of your father! I am not a prayer guy, my thoughts do go out to the loss your family and friends are experiencing. My Dad just turned 77 and I have noticed he is aging quickly, I am starting to become concerned about losing my parents. They are important to me and I never thought about this before.

Take care.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

I have been picking up cheap epi Jrs and fixing them up for my grandsons, everyone of them needs a fret job and it's hard to justify spending money setting up a $200 guitar so I need to learn how to do it myself. This is the next step in that process.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Tone Chaser said:


> That was my prime reason for wanting a Z file, and buying the Hosco. Also Z files were sold out at that time. Simply lay flat the smooth edges to the fretboard, and learn how much pressure is required to make the file movement correctly. I quickly found to use the less aggressive side of the file. The coarseness or cutting side of the file choice likely can vary by the hardness of the fret material. The file can be used without taping of the fretboard. I tried it, but decided to tape off. I strongly suggest the tape. I actually managed to rip or tear the tape a couple of times while learning how to get the proper technique.
> 
> I previously bought a three sided fret file. I studied the tool, and decided that it was poorly machined junk. It went back. I am sure there are better ones out there. Good tools make any job easier.


Not a Stewmac 3 cornered file?


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## Tone Chaser (Mar 2, 2014)

player99 said:


> Not a Stewmac 3 cornered file?


The Stewmac files are probably quite good, but likely aren’t as forgiving as a file that lays flat, straddling a fret. Greater hand control, patience, experience or familiarity the tool, good vision, and decision making are required with something like the Stewmac crowning files. I am not as good with vision and patience as I was even a couple of years ago. So I want simple and near foolproof. I was wearing a magnifier for vision while doing the work, which does not translate from brain to hands as quickly yet. More familiariarity should lead to higher confidence, and I was working with a tool that I felt more comfortable with. The easier a tool cuts and shapes, with desired results is what I was after. If I was a luthier, I would likely have quite an assortment of great tools to tackle any situation. The Hosco is a compromise of one file, that so far worked to my satisfaction on one job. The next guitar, I will post before and after pictures.

The file that I initially ordered, came through Amazon.ca.
I just wanted a fret file to dabble with making small crowning corrections. It just didn’t seem to be a quality tool, that would make me feel confident working with. I can’t remember the brand name, but it was likely a Chinese made tool. The Hosco is made in Japan. The price nearly doubles, for every country it travels through.

I watched many videos on YouTube. There wasn’t much on the Hosco file, but the short video, that I haven’t found since, made it look almost as easy as Z files. It sounded like the Hosco file is a relatively new product.


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