I want to start with a few setup tweaks to my guitars - theres a few with the odd high fret that needs attention. Im pretty skilled at metal work so am happy to start fret work tweaks.
I discussed with the Crimson guitars team at the Guitar Show and saw their tools (listed below). They seem good quality and I believe in buying good stuff, but are there any cheaper solutions to any of these at similar quality?
Crowning File £20
Levelling beam - 16" £33
Notched Straight Edge £40
Fret End Beveling File £40
Fret Levelling File £36
Adhesive backed sandpaper 180 / 220/ 320 / 400 £8.50 each 25mm x 5m
Karma......
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Ive seen notched strait edges self made from a metal rule
Fwiw, a triangle file with edges ground off is not really a crowning file. Yes, It can be used to crown the frets, but there are specific crowning files that do that task better.
Great for dressing the ends though
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1. Fret rocker. Mine is an impulse purchase from Ben on the Crimson stand at the Guitar Show a couple of years ago.
2. Levelling beam. You can make your own with a section of extruded aluminium, double sided tape, and good quality abrasive paper.
3. A crowning file. Mine is from Chris Alsop. With it came a fretboard protector and fine grade abrasives for polishing. https://www.chrisalsopguitar.co.uk/shop/guitar-tools
Regarding fret levelling beams, somebody post here recently about Metals4U.co.uk who can cut aluminium box section to custom length for a really good price.
off eBay:
cheap fret rocker,
cheap fret crowner,
some of those (excellent) flexible sanding squares
I stick sanding paper to spirit level for leveller.
Made my own notched bar to check neck is straight.
I'm not knocking people spending a lot on super tools, I would love them all but my life is on a budget. Everything has worked fine, made 6 instruments so far.
https://theartoflutherie.com/fret-crowning-files/
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Ian
Lowering my expectations has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.
Going to see if a mate can level the bottom of an old metal spirit level to do the levelling beam.
I have a 24” straight metal ruler so will use that to check neck is straight.
I see there are hollow radiused diamond crowning files available - are they easier to use than a triangle type?
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I settled on the offset handle diamond file, same as the link I posted above. I actually also use it to dress the ends
The one crimson sell as a crowning file is arguably better for learning how to crown, but not best for speed and repeatability
I also had a normal hollow crowning file , gurian file set and half round file, and didn't like any of them. Just got chatter
More recently I had a cheap diamond file from China which had no shape to the hollow curve at all
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A fret-rocker is a must
Files are a personal thing, I have the cranked-neck 3-in-one file with a blobby handle and a straight one for crowning, and a ground-edge triangular file for the rounding the fret ends (admittedly from Stewmac, but back when the exchange was good!)
I dont use a notched edge, and whilst handy I have a niggling suspicion they are a solution looking for a problem,
Fret rubbers/micromesh for polishing afterwards (Dremel polishing mop and Autosol is fantastic if you have one)
Thats it really.
Have given a guitar with a few cowboy chord divots a light skimming to get methodology sorted, and now in the middle of one that needed a good level (two high frets) in middle of fretboard.
Made a make shift levelling gauge with three guitar ballends (spaces ruler 3mm off fretboard) and a straight metal ruler - works ok!
So thank for all the advice - Im happy with what Ive got just need to source a quality set of emery papers (600 - 1000 grit).
What brands/suppliers are good for wet and dry papers?
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Fandeli, 36002, 120 to 2500... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08F8HKJK1?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share