Members GrantsV5 Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 Let me explain. At the weekend I tried about 100 guitars at a show. Some felt kinda weird when bending notes, like the strings were not sliding over the frets smoothly and the fret metal was grabbing the string as I bent it. Is this a fret polishing problem, or is this what happens with narrow fret wire? Or is it the strings? Can anyone explain? Thanks,GrantsV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burgess Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 There's a coating on frets of new guitars. Some mfgrs will finish the frets to remove that coating, some won't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GrantsV5 Posted November 7, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 Thanks!Will it go away after playing in for a few hours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MONGOOZ Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 you can take 0000 steel wool and "polish" the frets, and they'll be a LOT smoother.....i do this (and oil the finger board, if its rosewood) about twice or three times a year, just as a matter of ongoing maintenance.....you don't have to rub hard either...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GrantsV5 Posted November 7, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 The guitars with the 'scraping' feeling were brand new ones, different brands.This is an instant way of a manufacturer putting someone off an instrument! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MONGOOZ Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 The guitars with the 'scraping' feeling were brand new ones, different brands. :This is an instant way of a manufacturer putting someone off an instrument! yea....your right.....however, that's the way mass production works....they make and put all the parts together, but the "fine tuning and setup" is gonna be up to you/your tech..... if you want a guitar that is "all ready to go" and perfect... then peel off several thousand dollars and get a fender custom shop or high end gibson....or prs...or....... sorry....but that's how it is if you don't wanna spend more than 200 or 300 on a guitar...... this is why you get to be "friends" with the tech at your favorite guitar shop..... :wave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burgess Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 Originally posted by GrantsV5 Thanks!Will it go away after playing in for a few hours? Yeah, you can play it away or like Mongooz says, many guys will use steel wool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StringSnapse Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 If its a maple neck I use a razor blade on top of the frets to get the coating off , if you use steel wool you are going to mar the finish between the frets . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mdog114 Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 Originally posted by StringSnapse If its a maple neck I use a razor blade on top of the frets to get the coating off , if you use steel wool you are going to mar the finish between the frets . Not if you tape off the fretboard with some masking tape. This happens with Maple neck guitars because when the spray the hard finish, they Spray it over the entire neck, including the fretboard. If the guitar you ultimately buy has this problem, just get some masking tape and some 0000 steelwool. Tape the spaces between the frets and use the SW on the frets to polish them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 500Hz Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 another thing it could be is dirty strings...the gunk has a tendency to accumulate on the underside and will definitely give that feel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mel Cooley Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 If left in a case for long periods of time frets will develop what is essentially rust, which feels pretty rough when the string is bent. Just play it for a while and it'll go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SlyStrat Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 I bend a lot and eventually the strings start getting grooves in them, actually cutting it. This will feel rough as I bend. Run your finger along the fret side of the string, see if you feel little grooves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mind Riot Posted November 8, 2005 Members Share Posted November 8, 2005 Originally posted by MONGOOZ you can take 0000 steel wool and "polish" the frets, and they'll be a LOT smoother.....i do this (and oil the finger board, if its rosewood) about twice or three times a year, just as a matter of ongoing maintenance.....you don't have to rub hard either...... I usually clean the fretboard, tape it off, and steel wool the frets. Then I'll pull the tape and oil the board if it needs it. But whether it does or not, the last thing I do is hit the frets with Brasso metal polish using a Q-tip to apply and a clean shop towel to remove and buff. I do this every other string change or so, depending on what it needs. All the frets on my guitars have a mirror shine on them, and they're just smooth as glass to play and bend on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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