Do I Have To Buy Those Expensive Fingerboard Levelers?

[dinkyguitar]

Hi All,

Those levelers aren't cheap...I understand that if you're leveling a fingerboard you want to be as accurate as possible so you're defeating the purpose of leveling a fingerboard if you're using something that isn't "perfectly" straight...but come on....do they have to be so expensive????

I bought a marble saddle from home depot thinking it was straight, but it had a slight dip in the center...and I know on ebay there's a guy selling a quartz leveler for $43...should I just buy it?

I could also use this "accurate leveler" to true up other things like a straight edge for putting on top of frets...or making a fret rocker...etc.

Any opinions/suggestions?

dinkyguitar

[warlok]

I made my own fret leveling tools and they work perfect. Do you have access to a surface plate? Or you could even use a piece of glass.. An aluminum level works great as a beam. I found an old one and lapped it flat. Did the same with some thin aluminum bars (1"x1/8"), one for a straight edge and one I made cuts to fit over the frets to check the board. And some shorter ones as "fret rockers". I got a pic somewhere. But you could use a steel ruler for the straight edges too. Get a long one and cut it to the sizes you need. The only tool I bought was the crowning file and some micromesh pads that made it easier to polish but not necessary either.

[warlok]

Here's the thread when I was going through it. I even have videos but never uploaded them (takes way too long..)

http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/110963-First-attempt-at-fretwork.?highlight=fret+leveling+beam

[dinkyguitar]

warlok,

Good thread....where did you lap your level?

And the crowning file you have in the picture on the other post...I noticed it's the diamond one...Is it made for jumbo frets?

There's one on ebay for $55 and it's made for jumbo frets...I was thinking on getting this one but now I'm leaning for towards a regular metal crowning file due to cost...$38 vs $55.

dinkyguitar

[warlok]

I work in a jet engine shop and lapped all of it on the granite surface plate (nice perk of my job.. lol). And I lucked out and got on ebay 10 minutes after someone put the ad up for this brand new diamond crowning file for $50 shipped IIRC. Yes, for jumbo frets. It's the one that's like $95 on stewmac. I thought about one of the cheaper, non-diamond files, but this one (or one like it) really makes quick work out of it. Especially for a newbie like me.

[LexLuthier]

I've used an old I beam level I got at a junk store, been using it to level fingerboards for 25 years. I had a machinist friend check it for straightness. Hint, become friends with a machinist! LOL I've had him make stuff for me that kills the Stew Mac stuff, like routing templates laser cut from tool steel instead of plexiglass. I usually trade guitar repairs for his machine work (he is a guitarist).

I have used the same old Gurian fret file since 1985, Stew Mac still sells them and the replacement inserts. I've gotten so used to them it's hard for me to use anything else.
I have a couple of other fret files and a diamond file but I still like the old beast.