Last Update: 09/01/06

Online Apprentice-
Install the Frets

In this lesson we will install the frets.

Make sure you have read this lesson all the way through before beginning the lesson.

Make some action height spacers. Thickness two pieces of wood, one to the desired bass height and the other to the desired treble height. You also need to de-barb two fret tangs so that they are smooth and can slide into the fret slot easily.

Put your dummy frets in the 1st and 12 fret. Then lay the action spacers on the 12th fret. Put a straight edge on the first fret and on the action spacers. At the saddle location check to see that you have arrived at your desired string height. If it is too high you will need to plane the fingerboard down at the 12th fret by half of the overage in height. For example if it reads 12mm and you want 10mm you will need to shave 1mm off at the 12th fret. Blend the new taper into the fretboard so it is flat. Then add about 0.010"-0.020" relief by taking a sanding block and sand between the 3rd to 12th frets. Check the relief with the straight edge on the fingerboard and a feeler gauge at the 7th fret.

Once you have the correct angle in your fingerboard sand it smooth with 220 and 320 grit sandpaper followed by 0000 steel wool.

Use a triangle file and give each slot a couple of strokes of the file.

Cut 19 frets with about 1/4" oversize for each slot and place them in a fret holder labeled for each fret.

I install my frets dry with no glue. Start with the first fret working toward the 19th.

Take some end nippers and cut the ends of the fret flush to the fingerboard.

For the frets above the 14th fret I use a bag of bearings as a counter weight to absorb some of the shock of the hammer blow.

This bag is inserted and held in place with one hand as the other hammers in the frets.

All done!

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