Cure for "dented" frets without having to refret?

[Number Of The Priest]

Started my big fretboard ebonizing project today. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I took the strings off and proceeded to clean the fretboards of my RG560 and KE3, noticing that the first to third frets had some "dents" due to where the string contacts the tops of the frets. You know, fret wear. I took some fine grade steel wool to the frets with the help of lots of elbow grease, and the frets looked BEAUTIFULLY smooth, shiny, and slick, but the damn dents were still there.

How would I smooth 'em out using minimal equipment? I don't want to have to refret these guitars... yet. The previous owners must've been ROUGH with the lower frets because I tend to play higher up the neck. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Thanks brothers! [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[jgcable]

Re: Cure for \"dented\" frets without having to refret?

Many guitar have dents in the first few frets. If the guitar plays good and doesn't buzz don't worry about them. If it does, you can have the frets leveled or you can go the easy route and shim the nut.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Cure for \"dented\" frets without having to refret?

If you just take the dents out of those frets, they will be too low in relation to the rest of the fingerboard and you'll wind up chasing it all the way down the board.

This a fret level job, or grind and polish. It involves some tasty filing work to restore both the crown on the fret tops and the bevel on the edges after the frets are uniformlly lowered a hair. Probably the single most important thing between an awesome guitar and a turd is the attention paid to the final fret work.

Don't try this on your best/only guitar. Take it to a pro and have a G&P done. Shouldn't be too expensive, and if you don't live in the sticks like I do, you should be able to find someone local to do it.

All good guitars that get played a lot show fret wear there, and if it isn't too bad, then don't sweat it. But sooner or later, you will have to have this done. Frets wear.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Cure for \"dented\" frets without having to refret?

If it is true that stainless steel frets are virtually indestructible, I pray that more companies use these. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Yep, it's really not too bad but I do notice the dents when the strings are off and the light hits the frets at certain angles. And, I RARELY bend notes at the first three frets so they don't impede my playing. I guess I could wait a little while longer, then send the two guitars to my tech to do the fret levelling procedure and I'll probably ask him if I could watch him do that. Would be a handy thing to know. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

If you kept getting the frets levelled like this, I guess you'd eventually have a "fretless wonder", wouldn't ya? [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Guess it'd be time for a refret then. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Thanks for the info!