San Dimas 2

[SD2]

Hi all, new here and to make a long story short, or shorter I just received my San Dimas 2 but something feels odd. I noticed the strings felt scratchy against the frets. I thought it was dirty strings but upon close inspection, it looks like the tops of the frets have a flat spot. I would think they would have a round top to them. I thought maybe it was from wear, although its supposed to be a new model, but it looks like every fret 1 - 22 and from high E to low E has this characteristic. Is this normal? Is this more of an annoyance or something serious to consider?

Thanks

[Chubtone]

The remedy to this scratchy feeling between string and fret is to do a string change. When the strings are off, take some #0000 steel wool (make sure there are FOUR ZEROS on the package of steel wool) and rub the entire fretboard face and the frets and the back of the neck with the steel wool. It will polish the frets and make the oil finished neck feel even smoother. I steel wool my neck everytime I change strings and do the back of the neck whenever I think of it. i have been doing this to oil-finished Charvel necks for 26 years. This is in my understanding the proper care and feeding of necks like this and after you do the frets and put new strings on it feels so smooth.

Don't rub the steel wool on the paint. Many will say to be careful you don't get the metal shavings from the steel wool into the pickups, but I haven't been careful of that ever and I have never had a single issue.

[SD2]

Thanks I'll try that out, but should they be like that from a guitar that is supposedly new?

[SoJoMike]

Sounds like you either have rusty/dirty strings or fine scratches on the crown of the frets. A string change and fret polishing should make a huge difference. In additions to what Chubtone is suggesting, finish up by polishing each fret from end to end with the steel wool (across the fretboard) before putting the strings back on. Could be they didn't do this final step in the factory, which would be for shame if so.

[cvansickle]

Put a strip of masking tape over your pickup poles before steel wooling. Makes cleanup easier.