Nice test and tutorial Dave. Before I level frets, I check them with a fret rocker. If I have five or less high frets, I’ll just spot level the offenders. If I have more than five high frets, I’ll level the whole neck. But I do try to ‘bang them in’ first. 😊 I usually set the action before I tackle the nut. If the action is high and you do the nut height first, you could end up with the open strings buzzing on the first fret after you lower the action.
Very helpful video, Dave! I appreciate your pragmatic approach to “level or not level.” As always, I also appreciate your conscientiousness about camera placement and lighting. It’s really valuable to be able to see what’s going on, and few build channels do as well at that as yours does. - Paul
Fretting and listening for rattles is a bit long-winded. I find it much more methodical to have a collection of different length straight edges (made from a cut up steel ruler) and go across the fingerboard, three frets at a time, checking for rocking.
Oh no the fret rocker cycle 🤔 I have so much trouble working that way. I find that the middle fret is high so I take a bit off, then on the next three the middle is a little high and again I take a bit off. But, oh now the first three frets start rocking again and on it goes until I’ve taken loads off each fret. All I want to know is which frets rattle when the action is about right. So working with the strings on seems the best approach for me, I accept it’s not for everyone. Thank you for a great suggestion I hope you don’t mind my response and thank you for all your help I’ll be in touch soon. Cheers Dave
Its looking really nice Dave. 1) Regarding tear out. My brother gave me the tip of rubbing down masking tape over the intended drill site. It works pretty well at holding those top fibres in place. 2) My last 3 guitar builds all use zero frets, its so much easier and its always perfect. From a manufacturer point of view its more expensive, I assume thats why they dont do it?
Hi Dave - great to have you back guitar building again - love your logic. Just a couple of thoughts - re fret levelling, I’ve always found I’ve had to do some levelling, although I’ve never done a bass that would obviously have higher action. Problems I’ve encountered with fret seating correctly tended to relate to things like consistency of fret slot depth and width, or imperceptible humps on the fret board. I think you’d be very lucky to get things perfect first time. Re type of wood etc. not effecting guitar tone - as Jim Lill brilliantly demonstrates an electric guitar is dependent on electromagnetic signal to pickups not wood construction and a microphone. But wood type can effect sustain, which in turn will effect the character of the sound of the guitar.
@@DaveDickensHi Dave - yes I have seen it, and watched it again just now. He does make a strong case against wood having any effect on sustain. However, irrelevant in this instance I know, it will effect unplugged sound for noodling. I'm clutching at straws now.😅
If you have gone to the trouble of levelling the neck face and the fret board, why not spend a little time levelling the frets? If you compare the fret board of a guitar before and after levelling you can see a difference ( at a similar angle to the shot at 19:19 ). After all, hammering frets into the slots is not an exact science compared to sanding the board. It is an extra fine tuning of the playability of the instrument. You mentioned that you used to use a beam, or a stone on the frets. Did you check what was happening by using a straight edge?
I am trying to be a little contentious in this video and you have a good point, having spent time preparing the fret board why not just level it. Well that’s what I do every time, not because it’s my experience that tells me to level them, it’s what others teach. Sometimes I think it’s helpful just ask the question why do it? I didn’t check it with a straight edge but in my opinion the most important thing is how it plays, hence my approach this time. Next time, well I might just level them. Thank for your great comment, cheers Dave
Of course wood selection can change the tone of the guitar. But luckily we have bult-in pre-amps, foot pedals and EQs on our amps to fix all that anyways! 🤣😂🤣
Hi Dave, I think your volute may be in the wrong place. It looks like its to far onto the headstock. Shouldn't it be more or less in line with the nut?
Hi Simon, me and volutes don’t seem to go together 🤔 I am sure you are absolutely right. I only started adding these recently and I think I may go back to just a straight join. Cheers Dave
