polishing frets...

lesterpaul

lesterpaul

New member
what exactly is involved? i know how to polish metal, like aluminum, even painted finishes, so i'm assuming it's the same process, but as a novice as far as frets go can someone detail how they do it? reason i'm asking i just got an Epi flying V and when i bend the strings it feels rough, like it's binding on the frets, so i'm assuming they need to be polished ....thanks in advance
 
0000 steel wool will work fine on frets and unfinished rosewood and ebony fretboards. Every six months or so rub in a little boiled linseed oil in the process to keep the fretboard from dying out....then wipe off excess and clean with a damp cloth.
 
The 0000 steel wool works great as Philboyd previously stated. Make sure that you apply some masking tape on the fingerboard. Believe it or not another great wonder of the world that works well is toothpaste. It is a little messy, but a mild abrasive. You may want to examine the frets, that they are not worn and grooved. If this is the case and have no experience at filing and crowning, consult with a local reputable luthier, if the frets are too worn you may need the frets replaced. Philboyd also mentioned applying Boiled Linseed Oil to the fingerboard. I have heard of this practice in the past however, I have never tried it. Linseed Oil is a very superb protector of all woods. Ol Philboyd has got the gears between my ears thinking here.
I was turned on to Lemon Oil by a ledgendary luthier many years ago, and for well over 25 years I have never experienced a problem with it in all the guitars I have owned or repaired. Also in recent discussions with fellow techs on the use of Orange Oil is not much recommended. I feel that it is more harsh and acidic than Lemon Oil. Lastly, I can't express enough on the subject of Humidity. I live in the Midwest and ,the humidity levels throughout the winter months is like a Roller Coaster. I apply Lemon Oil a bit more frequently when I change strings during the winter months more, versus the summer months. Playing time is another factor as well as clean and dry hands. Solid body guitars are a bit more forgiving than Acoustics when it comes to humidity.

Happy Pickin' Kennyboy
 
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OOOO steel wool is fine for an unfinished fingerboard, just oil the fingerboard afterwards. Lemon Oil is the right thing to use, though. Lindseed oil smells nasty. Mineral oil is fine as well, seeing as that is the main ingredient in lemon oil. But that is to clean the fingerboard and the frets, not polish them. Polishing them is a part of the job of dressing them, which is a job best left to the pros.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
I agree, if your frets aren't all "grooved" up. A little lemon oil will make that neck feel new again. All my necks have taken well to lemon oil.

And if I ever polish the bodies of my guitar (once a year maybee) I just use windex. It's a lot cheaper than guitar polish, and I've never seen it damage a guitar. (I trust it enough to shine up my vintage gibson with it).

Howerever if you really want to learn about polishing your frets here's a good link.

http://projectguitar.com/tut/fret.htm

Don't let the dremel scare you off..... Have you ever been in a jewelry store and watched them clean a ring with the big spinning soft wheel? ..... The dremel just uses a little spinning soft wheel.

If you did this, you'd have the most bling bling frets in town boy-eee! :D

But, if you're feeling lazy, like I usually am. Just go with the lemon oil.
 
:) :) :) Or you could use the dremel to bling up the frets and then bling up the fretboard with some lemon oil and then bling up the body with some windex ...... good god man, you could get on cribs with that much bling!!! :) :) :)
 
Kennyboy Skaggs said:
The 0000 steel wool works great as Philboyd previously stated. Make sure that you apply some masking tape on the fingerboard. Believe it or not another great wonder of the world that works well is toothpaste. It is a little messy, but a mild abrasive. You may want to examine the frets, that they are not worn and grooved. If this is the case and have no experience at filing and crowning, consult with a local reputable luthier, if the frets are too worn you may need the frets replaced. Philboyd also mentioned applying Boiled Linseed Oil to the fingerboard. I have heard of this practice in the past however, I have never tried it. Linseed Oil is a very superb protector of all woods. Ol Philboyd has got the gears between my ears thinking here.
I was turned on to Lemon Oil by a ledgendary luthier many years ago, and for well over 25 years I have never experienced a problem with it in all the guitars I have owned or repaired. Also in recent discussions with fellow techs on the use of Orange Oil is not much recommended. I feel that it is more harsh and acidic than Lemon Oil. Lastly, I can't express enough on the subject of Humidity. I live in the Midwest and ,the humidity levels throughout the winter months is like a Roller Coaster. I apply Lemon Oil a bit more frequently when I change strings during the winter months more, versus the summer months. Playing time is another factor as well as clean and dry hands. Solid body guitars are a bit more forgiving than Acoustics when it comes to humidity.

Happy Pickin' Kennyboy
Click to expand...

Lemon oil vs. boiled linseed oil:

Lemon oil will work fine, is easily available and certainly won't hurt anything.

Boiled linseed oil has a higher viscosity and dries out at a much slower rate. It goes back to the wooden wagon wheel days as a treatment for desert or dry conditions to keep them from cracking. Later, used on wooden automobile wheels through the 20's, and today, old car owners still carry it for rallies.

- I'm not really that old, I learned that from my uncle who was an antique car collector and show judge.
 
they're new....

it's a brand new guitar, so no fret wear...i usually use the Dunlop fingerboard conditioner i really like how it feels ....thanks for all the replies
 
New guitar? Play it, the friction of the strings will wear down the tiny little rough spots. It seems like all new guitars have a "break in' period when they feel rough someplace, I've even noticed this on some high end guitars.
 
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