EAST BAY GUITAR REPAIR
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What's a Fret Level and Why Do I Need One?


  • The string (dashed line) should pass over the tops of all of the frets.
  • A high fret (area in red), interrupts the vibration of the string when playing one or several frets before it, causing fret buzz, dead notes, and muted or "choked" bends. 
  • Conversely, low, flat, worn, and divoted frets can cause this issue as this lowers fret height, making the subsequent fret higher.​
Picture
  • To fix this, the fret needs to be levelled, crowned, dressed, and the guitar properly setup to optimize the new fret heights
  • Levelling is the removal of this high area by using sandpaper, aluminum beams, files and sanding blocks. There are many different fret sizes and shapes, each requiring a unique approach.
  • Crowning is the reshaping of the now flattened fret top, or "crown" with diamond coated files, so that it's round and gives the string a narrow point of contact or "nodal point". A very flat nodal point can actually cause intonation issues since the string is making inconsistent contact with the fret. 
  • Dressing is fine smoothening and polishing of the fret. I use fine grits around 1500-2000 for this, as opposed to rougher grits like 320 used for the levelling. 
  • The last step is the setup, which is detailed here, to ensure that everything else on the guitar is in harmony with now optimized fret plane.

Hours

By appointment

Email

repairs@eastbayguitars.com

Address

4600 Adeline St.Unit 116
​Emeryville, CA 94608
  • Home
    • Testimonials
    • Experience
  • Tour the Shop
  • Services
    • Standard Setup
    • Level & Dress
  • Contact & Location
    • East Bay Guitar Repair
    • San Diego Guitar Repair
  • Blog
    • Community
  • Merchandise