It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:32 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 23 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 7:57 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2011 4:21 am
Posts: 19
Over the years of me playing guitar, I have asked many other players about how they polish their frets to shine. Surprisingly, there are many different answers. Most popular ones though are:
1. Rub them using 0000 steel wool
2. Rub them using 1000 or finer sandpaper
3. Use metal polisher lub (e.g. Never Dull/Autosol) and rub them with soft cloth

I heard that in term of frets' shine. The most shiny would be using metal polisher > sandpaper > steel wool. But others said that metal polisher is not safe for fretboard wood over time. Sandpaper makes the fret smoother (1200 grit or higher), but I heard sandpaper tend to make fretboard finish gone faster than steel wool should accident happen.

What do you guys think on the pros and cons of each method?


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 8:18 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:47 am
Posts: 1256
I use 0000 steel wool

This does require some per-cautionary measures

1: using blue painters tape cover your pickups completely. The residue from the polishing with steel wool will generation a lot of dust and residue that the magnets will grab. you don't want that stuff in your pickups

I even go one step further and I will get an old T-Shirt and cover the entire body, just leaving the neck exposed. The dust from the steel wool will go everywhere.

2: protect the fret board. Just use more of the blue painters tape and cover the fretboard on both sides of the fret you are working on. You can also purchase fret board templates. but just do one fret, then you can move the tape to the next fret, until you can see, need a fresh strip of tape. As you get up the neck where the frets are closer together just cut narrow strips to fit.

If you get any tape residue on the guitar, just dab at the spot using another piece of tape, and it will usually pull right off. but any instrument cleaner/polish will take care of what little tape residue is left. (that tape will not harm the finish)

I also use these when I'm doing leveling work, (and I also use the blue painters tape as well)
http://www.amazon.com/Fingerboard-Guard ... +protector


This process will make your frets look like new, you may even notice bends are smoother and for some very very slight fret wear spots, it can help to reduce them as well.

Just take your time, and go along slowly, don't do this if you're in a hurry.

as for pros/cons.

Steel wool is very easy to use and work with, the sandpaper is not as malleable, and it just wont be as easy to work with.

You want to make sure the material you are using to clean/polish the frets will conform to the fret's crown. Steel Wool will be much easier to deal with than will sand paper.

Regarding chemical polisher, I wouldn't go that route. Some of that stuff is inevitability going to come in contact with the fretboard, (soak into the painters tape) and could even seep down in the slots and react with the glue the frets are secured with.

As a rule of thumb: Avoid chemicals that are not 100% made for guitar when doing any work on your instrument.

Like don't use Lemon Pledge to clean/polish etc..


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 11:14 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4241
Roy Buchanan used to almost soak his Tele in Lemon Pledge... :mrgreen:

If one chooses steel wool, it's best to use fretguards, too. And a special trade secret: use a magnet (wrapped in plastic foil) in the steel wool pad to collect the minuscular bits - they not only fill the pickups, but rosewood pores, too.

For a thorough fret job I use fret guards (plus occasional tape extras) with [leveling file to crowning file to] wet/dry sandpaper moistened with a little water plus soap, grits from 400 to 1000, then a quick overall touch with a Dremel polishing wheel plus some polishing compound.
And, I find the paper to be easier to control than steel wool - it all depends on preferences and what one is used to. Oh, for just a quick makeover, the Dremel/polish alone is a ten minute job.

If one covers the fretboard and uses the chemicals on frets only, the neck itself won't be harmed.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 11:41 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:50 pm
Posts: 4602
Location: ˚ɷ˚
Dremel, cotton pad, polishing paste.
Just put some gaffer tape[*] on the fretboard first.

[*] Presuming real gaffer tape made of cloth. It comes off easier than duck tape and painter's tape, and is thick enough to not burn through if you should slip. It also matches most black tolex for quick and easy touch-ups, you can tear it with your fingers, and it works great for tying cables and mics. It's a very useful thing to have.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 5:53 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2011 11:47 am
Posts: 838
Location: Hawaii
GHS Gorgomyte. It does an amazing job and it's safe for the fretboard. Just look at frets 17+. That's how all the frets looked like.
Image

_________________
"Music is what feelings sound like"


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 6:00 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2011 11:47 am
Posts: 838
Location: Hawaii
Same thing on a rosewood. Used the same polish to clean and condition the fretboard. Both these guitars were abandoned and had very corroded frets. This stuff is simply amazing.
Image

_________________
"Music is what feelings sound like"


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 3:48 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2013 12:22 pm
Posts: 718
I have used a Pink Pearl rubber eraser, it takes a lot of time and elbow grease but you don't have to worry about damage to the fret board.

8)

_________________
You can't have too many guitars!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 6:13 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:01 pm
Posts: 1598
Interestingly enough, while I'll be the first to admit that I'm quiet anal when it comes to chrome (or polished nickle), I don't as a general rule get too excited about how my frets look...just so long as I don't feel anything odd when I'm playing. If I can't feel it, then I don't sweat it (in this case, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it").

I guess it's just that I do play most of my guitars on a pretty regular basis (granted, some more than others) and as such...fret tarnish happens. Typically I just give the whole fretboard a good cleaning during string changes (typically once or twice a month on the guitars I play the most) and I usually use a good furniture polish on both the wood and the frets (and headstock, nut, etc)...although in my case, I do prefer Old English over Pledge. In recent years, I've also started using Dunlap 65 in between string changes...while that's intended as a string clearer, I'm sure some of it works it's way to the frets. In situations where I've had to do some rather excessive cleaning (say with the acquisition of a used guitar), I have used linseed oil on occasion (available at most artist supply stores) to remove heavily built up gunk, but mostly I just use the Old English and a soft cloth with lots of elbow greese.

That said, if I were doing a restoration or had something that was really excessively tarnished or something of that nature, then I'd probably use the finest steel wool I could find (000 or 0000). As others have said, tape off the fretboard to make sure you protect the wood (and that magnet idea is interesting too...never thought of that one). I would add however that I would NOT do this EVERY time you change strings or something....for a "quick polish" during a string change, I'd just stick with a bit of good ol' fashion elbow greese.

Just my $.02.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2015 6:05 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:50 pm
Posts: 7998
Location: ʎɹʇunoɔ ǝsoɹ pןıʍ
I don't normally get too anal about my frets. They get a little bit of light scrubbing a couple times a year with these or anything that does a similar job and that's about it. In my view, frets get worn. They get scratched. They get grooved. It's all part of the deal. If they get bad, dress them. Trying to keep them bright and polished would be a waste of time in my opinion ..... the never ending story.

_________________
Image
Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 1:04 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4241
lomitus wrote:
I'm quiet anal when it comes to chrome (or polished nickle), I don't as a general rule get too excited about how my frets look... just so long as I don't feel anything odd when I'm playing. If I can't feel it, then I don't sweat it (in this case, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it").
BMW-KTM wrote:
I don't normally get too anal about my frets.

If you guys can get off the orifice fixation (quiet or loud :lol: ), just give this thought a chance: polishing frets isn't (just) for looks, there's real difference in the play feel.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 4:29 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:47 am
Posts: 1256
polishing frets isn't (just) for looks, there's real difference in the play feel.

+1

The only time I really worry about it tbh is like once every 2 years or if I need to knock down a few high frets.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 1:57 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:01 pm
Posts: 1598
jmattis wrote:
If you guys can get off the orifice fixation (quiet or loud :lol: ), just give this thought a chance: polishing frets isn't (just) for looks, there's real difference in the play feel.



I suspect that's a bit subjective as I strongly suspect that for most folks it falls under "if I see it, I think I can feel it"...it's amazing how many people really can't tell the difference with such things if their eyes are closed. Either way it's just not something I'm gonna worry about. Maybe it's just that I play enough that my calluses are built up to the point that I don't feel fret tarnish...it's just not something that affects my playing. Dirty/rusted strings...that I can feel. A poor setup certainly affects my playing. Sticky goo on the fretboard will affect my playing. Booze/weed/caffeine...THOSE affect my playing. But fret tarnish? Wow.....no really.....just wow. Sorry, I got more important things to worry about........

I have to go with BMW there...trying to keep them polished would just be a never ending story. In fact, in my case since I have around 25 guitars (at the moment), constantly polishing frets would end up being a full time job...I'd never get to play them because I would ALWAYS be cleaning them. I don't mind cleaning my guitars occasionally, but for the most part I'd rather be playing them than worrying about such silliness...anal or otherwise.

:D


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:45 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2011 4:21 am
Posts: 19
I like my frets shiny and slippery like butter.

Once, I took out my dad's old guitar in the basement. The guitar is nearly 30 years old. All hardware including the frets are heavily corroded. The guitar was still playable. I felt that it did affect my playability, but not in a significant way. I was like "just deal with it". My wife pointed out the risk of tetanus infection. After some googling, I found some guy getting his foot amputated due to tetanus after he step on a corroded nail. I concluded that losing my fingers would affect my playability in a very significant way. Now, all my guitars have shiny and rust free frets.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 4:25 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:47 am
Posts: 1256
I have to go with BMW there...trying to keep them polished would just be a never ending story. In fact, in my case since I have around 25 guitars (at the moment), constantly polishing frets would end up being a full time job...I'd never get to play them because I would ALWAYS be cleaning them. I don't mind cleaning my guitars occasionally, but for the most part I'd rather be playing them than worrying about such silliness...anal or otherwise.

In the same boat, the maintenance for 20+ guitars just gets nutty if you've got the tendency to want them all spotlessly pristine. we buy em to play em.

like I mentioned, for me the only time it's a must do is if I've gone over the neck looking for high frets, well then, you have to polish them as part of the final process.

but if I'm doing a string change, and oiling the fret board, if the frets are looking like they could use it, I'll do it then, but wont go out of my way. can I testify that I feel the difference every time, hard to say unless I also took down some high frets, then yes, for sure there's a more consistent feel.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Polishing Frets. How did you do it?
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 5:41 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:50 pm
Posts: 4602
Location: ˚ɷ˚
stygionyx wrote:
Once, I took out my dad's old guitar in the basement. The guitar is nearly 30 years old. All hardware including the frets are heavily corroded. The guitar was still playable. I felt that it did affect my playability, but not in a significant way. I was like "just deal with it". My wife pointed out the risk of tetanus infection. After some googling, I found some guy getting his foot amputated due to tetanus after he step on a corroded nail. I concluded that losing my fingers would affect my playability in a very significant way. Now, all my guitars have shiny and rust free frets.

Contrary to popular belief, rust does not cause tetanus. People getting it from stepping on rusty nails get it from stepping on rusty dirty nails - the bacterium lives in soil and dirt, and does not jump up from the ground to attach to rusty metal. So your dad's guitar would likely be less of a risk than most of the things you touch throughout the day.
But it surely deserved getting a cleaning :)


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 23 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: