Sharp fret ends

timmypix

Popped into GuitarGuitar Birmingham for their 15th birthday event yesterday. Lovely shop, friendly and helpful staff, and best of all refreshment and cake!

There were a couple guitars I wanted to try, first being a 7-string Chapman Ghost Fret as I'm considering a second 7. Nice satin finish, gorgeous colour, nice weight... and nasty sharp frets on the treble side. Compared it to a PRS SE SVN (which is what I have at home), which somes out of the same factory and is £200 cheaper, and feels much, much better. Disappointing but it's stopped me lusting after a silly pointy guitar.

Then by the entrance they had the "old" 2019 LP Junior doublecuts going for £600, and I rather fancied one. Again, gorgeous satin feel, lightweight... and sharp frets on the treble side at the top end of the neck, making it uncomfortable to play.

I ran my fingers up the side of the necks of a few lower end Gibsons, and they were all the same; it was only when you get up to the Studios and models with binding that the frets were smooth.

Frankly, I'm shocked. How hard can it be for manufacturers to sort out sharp fret ends? I'm sure I'd have liked both guitars if it weren't for that, and it's a straight forward job for a tech, but why should the customer have to do that on a new guitar that's anything other than the cheapest of Squiers or Epiphones? 

Anyone else noticed this or was it just a case of Guitar Guitar having some bad examples?

Maynehead

On the plus side, you can brag about playing it till your fingers bled, without wasting hours trying to make them bleed.

Bridgehouse

Maynehead said:

On the plus side, you can brag about playing it till your fingers bled, without wasting hours trying to make them bleed.

So that’s how Bryan Adams did it!

GoldenEraGuitars

@timmypix that’s just mass manufacturing on budget - mid priced guitars for you. Corners have to be cut to maintain production time scales and budgets.

skunkwerx

I find it hit and miss, though i'd expect it to be more hit on cheaper end guitars. 

For example, the last 2 guitars I've bought have been great. One an American Special Fender tele for £800

And an Ibanez Rgd for £550. 

Both guitars were set up well, intonation in check and everything right out the box. I'm sure a tech could further smooth the fret ends, but it certainly doesnt catch my hand as I play. 

Now when I bought a Fender mim tele, the ends were sharper down the dusty end, but the actual set up was ok. 

When I bought a chapman ml-2 (the second run), it was set up perfectly and not a sharp fret end in sight. Think it was about £400 but weighed a tonne. 

My oldest guitar an Esp ltd ex 360 came with terribly high action and I'm pretty sure the fret ends werent so smooth. 
It also needed a new jack socket and nut within 2 years which was disappointing. That was £700 odd new.

A prs se tremonti I bought for about £400 had sharp fret ends but the rest of the set up was again perfect. 

So I'm left confused really. 
Dunno. 

One time when I was initially looking for a tele, I popped into dv247 and the bloke there was more interested in selling me a J&D. I feel that was their own brand or something. 

Anyway I wasnt interested to begin with, I wanted a cream coloured Fender and had the cash burning a hole in my pocket. 

But I had a little play of it, think it was £120 new and it was enough to make me shit myself. 

The fret ends were Horrendous. Not just a little pokey outy, I mean fully you would rip your hands clean open. I even saw some 'flash' still on there.. like metal shards just sat there where the ends had been cut and basically just left like that with zero polishing or filing at all! 

skullfunkerry

I've had the opposite experience: my Squier was less than £400 and the frets are perfect. It feels very similar to my Charvel, which was around twice the price

brucegill

Humidity in the shop maybe? 

I got an Avalon acoustic from dawsons (online) a week ago, arrived with every fret end sticking out, more so at the dusty end. The fingerboard had shrunk so much it had cracked the top (treble side) just next to the glue joint. Having played a few Avalon’s, they have all had amazing fret work, so know that’s not the issue. Came from the Leeds branch I believe. Obviously I sent it back... 

Danielsguitars

i was going to say it's possibly the weather too, where it's kept etc, that can affect fret ends 

SteveRobinson

They are probably okay when they leave the factory but using cheap wood that isn't properly seasoned means that the fretboard shrinks, exposing the fret ends.

I wouldn't expect this of Avalon guitars though!

RandallFlagg

My new 2019 Gibson SG Junior has nicely rolled fret ends, no issues here at all.

timmypix

Hadn't considered the humidity/wood shifting - and it would explain why only noticed it in guitars with unbound necks.

brucegill

SteveRobinson said:

They are probably okay when they leave the factory but using cheap wood that isn't properly seasoned means that the fretboard shrinks, exposing the fret ends.

I wouldn't expect this of Avalon guitars though!

Guess it wouldn’t matter how good or expensive or cheap or mid range, if the shops really dry, it’s going to have an effect. 

sweepy

I’ve worked on a few Gibson Tributes with sharp fret ends, it’s one of those time consuming jobs that makes all the difference if done properly

guitars4you

timmypix said:

Hadn't considered the humidity/wood shifting - and it would explain why only noticed it in guitars with unbound necks.

Such issues can happen - But my issue is that if you've noticed it, then chances are so have other customers, but more importantly the staff have, or should have noticed it - Then put it on the bench to be repaired as required - It is not fit for sale and should not be on display until repaired

ICBM

When I hadn't been playing long I sliced all four of my left-hand fingers open on a guitar with sharp fret ends in a shop - it was an old Hofner that had been badly refretted, but I've come across new guitars with almost equally dangerous frets. Since then I've always been more careful when picking up an unfamiliar guitar.

Sassafras

Unless you suffer for your art it means nothing.

DeeTee

Sassafras said:

Unless you suffer for your art it means nothing.

I'm just at the point where everyone else suffers for my art.