fret height/width, how to measure?

[riffmeister]

is there a special device?

[bjorn-fjord]

I use a dial caliper. Like this:




You can measure the height of installed frets by placing the end of the caliper "bar" on the top of the fret and extending the sliding "pin" down until it reaches the fretboard.

[riffmeister]

looks great.......thanks! where do you find these, at your friendly local hardware store?

[Sweb]

Sears has some. The easiest way to use this is to set the dial at zero with the caliper closed. Then, slide it open to about an inch. Put the tip of the extended bar on the fretboard next to the tip and collapse whole thing down onto the fret. This way you can watch that you maintain parallel with the board without having to try to move the thumb roller at the same time. Because the tip of that little bar is flat it is possible to rock it onto one corner or the other giving an inaccurate reading.

[Freeman Keller]

I use a digital caliper - right side of the pic. Reads in both metric and english units. If you know a machinist you might be able to borrow one.



You could also use feeler gauges and a straight edge on top of the frets for height, but I don't know what you would do for the width. StewMac gives the dimensions for all their fret wire.

[riffmeister]

stew-mac has EVERYTHING!

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for:_Fretting/Luthiers_Digital_Caliper.html