How to Dress Frets

When guitars or other fretted, stringed instruments are played heavily, the frets become worn and affect the playability of the instrument. Frets tend to wear unevenly due to pressure from the strings and the player's fingers, and they need to be smoothed after a long period of time. The process of smoothing and rounding Mulberry Shoulder Bags the frets is known as fret dressing. On a prized instrument, you are safer leaving the process to a professional, as over-sanding the frets will leave your instrument nearly unplayable. Before leveling the frets, you need to make sure you are working with a perfectly level fretboard. Use a hex key to adjust the truss rod until the neck is perfectly level. A fret leveler is a long, metal, U-shaped tool that is ideal for sanding frets smooth; they can be purchased from guitar supply stores. The tool will Mulberry Bayswater Bags need to be fitted with an abrasive surface before use. 180-grit sandpaper is the best choice for sanding frets. Run the fret leveler along the length of the fretboard in long, smooth strokes. Be sure to carefully follow the radius of the fretboard to ensure Mulberry Women Purses that the frets are smoothed along the profile of the fretboard. To smooth the tops of the frets completely, you will need to use a smaller sanding tool with a finer-grit abrasive. The best tool for this is a diamond-coated steel fret leveling block, which can be purchased from guitar supply stores. After sanding the frets smooth, you need to restore their profiles to a round shape with a thin, flat strip along the top. To do this, use a fret crowning file on each fret. These files have a rounded profile to them that matches the fret's profile. After smoothing and rounding the frets, polish them to a shine using a polishing or finishing pad. You can clean any metal filings off the fretboard with a clean cloth.