How To Level, Crown, And Dress Guitar Frets. The Oak Guitar Build Part 9. 

Finally someone shows close-ups when fret-end dressing! Thanks Chris

I see a Highline Guitars video, I hit thumbs up! Usually before even watching...

It is the little things that kill they say... I am no pro, but I have leveled and dressed frets. But you did something in this video that was so simple and I can't believe I never thought of that made me feel dumb and super grateful - vacuuming the fret dust! I always have trouble with that mess and I never thought to vacuum it... always used damp cloths and just made a total mess... so, I wanted to say thanks... always excellent content and in this case a simple thing revolutionized things for me! Awesome.

Wanted to Thank you for this video. I recently took an interest in doing all of my own guitar work and decided to attempt re-fretting an old Stratocaster. Your video was invaluable for this process. The end result turned out fantastic! Really enjoy your videos.

Top notch video. You had crowning closeups before, but this one packs it all together.

very useful information, just finish refret work, going for level, crown and dress, thanks for share...

BTW all the video looks great, especially the close-ups.

Comment boost, great stuff has always. Greetings from Brazil

Youre a great communicator. A rare skill

I've been gone from you channel for a while so this is the first time I heard about EGuitarPlans. It's FANTASTIC! Thanks so much for making that site!

Thank you: the dressing part has really helped my technique

What a great video. Thanks Chris.

Thanks for putting in the work , you have your own take on it, like hearing and seeing how others git er done

Hi Chris. I started looking through your vidz yesterday, and it's nice to find a logical person, that explains theory, and detailed information. I like all of your clips that I have watched. Thanks much.

yes, compound video would be great

Subscribed! This is very well made video, with close-up angles, technical comentary, considerations, variations. Most other channels are just showing-off.

Thank you, this video was exactly what I wanted to see. Your explanation and technical commentary were second to none. Good job, now subscribing to your channel.

Wow ur totally amazing what u do!!

Thanks for this video. Very thorough explanation. I've wanted to do this on my guitars, and I had a few questions that you answered here.

Great video thank you. Added to watch later. Appreciate the knowledge

Brilliant video. You explain and show exactly what we need to know. I will be doing this to my GLP in the next few days and after watching your video I feel pretty confident I can do it. Thanks for sharing your skills. You also have a new follower. 🎸👌👍

Thanks for the close-ups! Great video !

Bravo!!!! What a great and understandable video. I learned quite a bit. Thank you.

Why would anyone dislike this video. Man, the info here is spot on.

I’m about to have to do this on my tele deluxe kit

Useful thanks.

Whenever I work on a fretboard, I use the same tools that Gibson uses. A cheese grater.

Your videos have been so helpful. I hope you do The video you mentioned on leveling compound radius Frets. I've searched the Internet and there is not much helpful information.

Likewise , I tried some fancy diamond files etc and went back to the three corner files, takes a little long but always does a better job.

You are thr best teacher on the field. I wonder what tool do you use and how you level compound radius fingerboards. As you said in this video its a different story. I was thinking about using a 500mm reference plate with sandpaper attached to the narrow 9mm side moving it from low to high E.

Great detail, great explanation! BTW, a good leveling beam is a scrap length of stone backsplash. I have a piece of granite 1 x 4 x 12” . The top is polished flat and its weight lets it do the work. Most shops that make counter tops will have scrap you can pick through. Also, if it gets dinged, stone chips instead of denting, so no raised spots are created.

I thought 'fall away" was also because bending strings actually means the radius of the neck can make a very slight hump in the way of the string ringing freely, from its most bent point, back up to its saddle , in the upper frets. this can be an issue because of the string ringing more freely, as you mentioned , in the upper areas of the board, . . this is also why the compound radius is popular now , to combat that. . . . . but I'm probably wrong .

Excellent work, thank you. Subtitle in spanish please

This is truly amazing. Whats the best way we can identify the material of the frets?

Is it all the same process with a compound radius fretboard?

It's amazing how the quality of both the guitars and the videos keep improving. Great job mate. I'm curious about something: As a guitar player, even though I was born in the 90s and didn't experience any of the guitar craziness of the 80s, I'm a huge fan of the old super strats in flashy colors, like the floyd rose era kramers (baretta, striker), charvels(model 2, etc), jacksons, ESPs with the hockey stick headstock, you know what I'm talking about. This kind of guitar seems to be vanishing for good from the market, sometimes you get a reissue here or there (and usually they sell out before you can even try to get one). From your market experience, do you think there are still enough buyers out there to keep in business a company or a high-skill builder such as yourself that would focus on this kind of product instead of the more trendy fancy wood, transparent finish, extended range/fan fret/non-locking guitars?

Great video and demonstration of how to level frets. If I level the frets with a straight beam should I then use a radius block? I read too many different opinions on whether or not you should use a radius block to level frets or not even use a radius block after leveling with a straight beam. I also noticed you did not have the guitar under tension, but I always read that it is best for the neck to be under tension. I am only asking because you seem very knowledgeable and I would like to know your opinion. I am not asking in a critical or judgmental way.

I'm building a guitar with a 27.5" baritone neck. Should I just make my own with a straight aluminum bar I have? Or does the notch depth and spacing need to be spot-on? *EDIT 4:20 Brother Highline got you covered if you don't have a notched straight edge.

You mention using a notched straight edge to check and adjust the neck for straightness before fret leveling. Have you run into situations where the neck is not perfectly straight even after adjusting the truss rod. If so, how common is this and how do you handle? Thank you very much!

Question for the masters out there: Why don't you want to adjust the truss rod to make the top of the frets as level as possible, instead of leveling the fret board? You're working to level the frets anyway, it seems like you could possibly remove less fret material doing that? Just wondering...

Thank you for the great video, I have one question: how can I stick the sandpaper on the iron bar? I'm worried to use glue because an uneven glue thinkness between the rod and the sandpaper could change the straightess of the bar ( sorry for my bad english! ) I Hope you'll understand, thank you !

how much would it cost to get a stainless steel refret on an ec1000 esp?

Thanks for you vids! Will you do falloff if the customer requests it?

👍

Great video. I have a Gretsch hollowbody and I love playing it but feel the frets are too tall for comfort. I would like to have a luthier lower and crown the frets for more comfortable playing. Is this video the steps and description of the process? Is this a common job for a good luthier? Thanks again.

It's been a while since I've seen your setup table, and it looks like you've updated it. Would you mind doing a video on how you built your table? Also, where did you source your steel leveling beam? I have used a Nicholson file for several years on your earlier video recommendation. Have you tried a Stew-Mac Z-file? I apologize for all the questions- your techniques and education are so effective that I want to soak up as much as I can

I'm thinking on swop my strat neck (9.5") to a 12" radius one. Or maybe putting new frets with 12" radius. Will it works?

Did you ever make the fret leveling tool?

No polish?

Excellent videos! You don't seem to build a lot of compound fretboards yourself? Any reason why? Not worth the effort?

Hi. About how long does it take for u to complete fret installation (including crowning and polishing)? And how much longer do u find it takes for stainless?

When are we collabbing? Come on man let's do it!

Hello, would it be a good idea to get the neck straight, then let it sit overnight and check it again?

How do you use the radius board with a Les Paul that has fret nibs? I haven’t seen a video on fret dressing/leveling with a guitar with fret nibs like a Les Paul has.

I am a bit confused. You first showed a flat metal device with sand paper to level frets but then used a curved one that you made. Is it critical to have a curve in the fret and how do you do this if you use the flat leveling bar. Thanks

Just for grins, I searched “how to breathe”. Don’t bother. That territory has been covered!

Do you use the same radius for sanding the fretboard and frets? But the fingerboard and frets have different radii, the radius of the frets is slightly larger than the radius of the fingerboard.

I understand why the frets have to have curvature at the top of the neck.. but why can't a guitar neck be flat from the middle to the end? wouldn't having a curve at the bottom half of the neck be counterintuitive?