Members Hand Amputation Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 My frets are beginning to feel sharp on one of my favorite guitars. They're not too bad yet, but I don't want them to get worse. I definitely don't want to try to file them myself or pay someone for a refret.FWIW, it's a rosewood board, lightly tinted maple neck.Any decent remedies out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mockchoi Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 Originally Posted by Hand Amputation My frets are beginning to feel sharp on one of my favorite guitars. They're not too bad yet, but I don't want them to get worse. I definitely don't want to try to file them myself or pay someone for a refret.FWIW, it's a rosewood board, lightly tinted maple neck.Any decent remedies out there? Hard to say. Is it fret spout? In that case you could try humidifying the guitar. Otherwise, filing fret ends is really not a real big deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lz4005 Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 Get a humidifier. Frets stick out more when wood shrinks due to dry winter air. Why do you not want to file them down? Tape off the wood on either side and carefully file them down. It isn't rocket surgery. edit: typed that while mockchoi was posting the exact same thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hand Amputation Posted January 8, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 It's not that I don't think I could file them down. I was just hoping there would be an easier way. I'm gonna try a humidifier for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members megawzrd Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 Winter is the ideal time to file fret ends, that way you don't have to worry all year round. Since it is rosewood, you could also try a little fret doctor if the board is dried out that would help a little in the wood expansion. But the low temps and low humidity is primary cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peskypesky Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 noticed this on a couple of my guitars in the past week. Tis the cold, dry hands of winter.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 It happens because of weather changes - an experienced pro can do the job for you in very little time time and it won't cost much - it should not require a refret One of the nice things about the Gibson style of binding the fingerboard is that this sort of thing is a non-issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wagdog Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 File them, it's not a big deal. All of my fenders, except my srv, needed this done this year. I'm sure if you google it there will be plenty of info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted January 8, 2013 Moderators Share Posted January 8, 2013 Originally Posted by megawzrd Winter is the ideal time to file fret ends, that way you don't have to worry all year round.Since it is rosewood, you could also try a little fret doctor if the board is dried out that would help a little in the wood expansion. But the low temps and low humidity is primary cause. Indeed and the Fret Doctor will prevent this from happening again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 If it it's rosswood use some lemmon oil on it. Just lay the guitar flat and rub enough on with your finger so you can see a nice layer. Do it again in about 20 min. It will not take up more than it needs. Then just wipe it down and string her up. Day or two they will be gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lonnie99 Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 It's not only in the cold. My wife is European and keeps our house near 80 year round. Every guitar I bring in the house that doesn't have a bound neck eventually gets it. Frustrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thecornman Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 Normal thing to happen at this time of the year! Well where I live it is normal for about half the year which is winter. I have filed a couple of mine down in the last couple of weeks as well as tweaked the truss rods on all of mine in the last little while. I just look at it as part of maintenance to keep my guitars in top working order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thecornman Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 Normal thing to happen at this time of the year! Well where I live it is normal for about half the year which is winter. I have filed a couple of mine down in the last couple of weeks as well as tweaked the truss rods on all of mine in the last little while. I just look at it as part of maintenance to keep my guitars in top working order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scott Abene Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 Originally Posted by Hand Amputation It's not that I don't think I could file them down. I was just hoping there would be an easier way.I'm gonna try a humidifier for now. Proper humidity for instruments is 40% to 60%. If you are under 40% or even close you will notice fret issues and many other problems will develop over time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billythegoat Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 +1 on dryness/shrinkage. The rosewood on my Strat I tend to keep well oiled and it seems to be fine. The maple on the Tele however isn't fairing so well and frets are getting bumpy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hand Amputation Posted January 8, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 Thanks for the replies. I am going to try lemon oil when I change the strings tonight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peskypesky Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 how about taking the guitar into the bathroom with you when you take a shower? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sillypeoples Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 Originally Posted by mockchoi Hard to say. Is it fret spout? In that case you could try humidifying the guitar. Otherwise, filing fret ends is really not a real big deal. lol Originally Posted by lz4005 Get a humidifier. Frets stick out more when wood shrinks due to dry winter air. lol. Yeah because the whole world lives in a dry climate during the winter. Originally Posted by Hand Amputation It's not that I don't think I could file them down. I was just hoping there would be an easier way.I'm gonna try a humidifier for now. lol. Originally Posted by megawzrd Winter is the ideal time to file fret ends, that way you don't have to worry all year round.Since it is rosewood, you could also try a little fret doctor if the board is dried out that would help a little in the wood expansion. But the low temps and low humidity is primary cause. Yeah, because what you really want is to soften up the wood. lol. Originally Posted by DaleH If it it's rosswood use some lemmon oil on it. Just lay the guitar flat and rub enough on with your finger so you can see a nice layer. Do it again in about 20 min. It will not take up more than it needs. Then just wipe it down and string her up. Day or two they will be gone. lol. Originally Posted by Hand Amputation Thanks for the replies. I am going to try lemon oil when I change the strings tonight! There you go. If that doesn't work, just jump into a hot tub with the guitar. Originally Posted by peskypesky how about taking the guitar into the bathroom with you when you take a shower? Ha. You beat me to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hand Amputation Posted January 8, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 Thanks for the informative and helpful reply! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Canadian Jeff Posted January 8, 2013 Members Share Posted January 8, 2013 The proper way to fix your issue is to have the fret ends filed down. Humidifiers are great if you don't mind this becoming a recurring issue; they only hide the issue until the board dries out again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mockchoi Posted January 9, 2013 Members Share Posted January 9, 2013 Originally Posted by Sillypeoples lollol. Yeah because the whole world lives in a dry climate during the winter.lol.Yeah, because what you really want is to soften up the wood. lol. lol.There you go. If that doesn't work, just jump into a hot tub with the guitar. Ha. You beat me to it. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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