Essential Fret Repair Tools
Source: Fret Repair
Optional Fret Repair Tools:
If your are going to embark on a fret repair, whether it is repairing just one fret or re-fretting an entire instrument, there are some basic tools and specialty tools you will need to have. I have divided the tools into 3 separate categories:
Essential Fret Repair Tools:
These are tools you cannot do without. No matter what level of fret work you wish to complete, you will need these tools and materials.
Optional Fret Repair Tools:
If you are going to do more than minor fret repair, more than one fret job or have a guitar repair business, these are great tools to have around the shop.
Third Party Fret Repair Tools
These are tools that are made for the specific purpose of making fret work much easier, faster and a more enjoyable experience. Not essential tools, but if you do more than occasional fret work you will want one or more of these tools. Look for some reviews on some of these tools in the future as well.
Some of these tools you can fabricate yourself, and I will show you how to do this and will stock the Plan Shop with free plans for making these tools. Other tools can be purchased and modified to meet your needs to aid you in fret repair.
The Optional Fret Repair Tools and Materials:
Dremel Rotary Tool:
At first I had this tool listed in the Essential Tools above, but moved it down here, because you can clean out just a few fret channels with a hooked Xacto knife blade.
This tool is used to clean out the fret tang channel to prepare the way for new frets to be installed.
The Dremel Rotary Tool is one of the most versatile guitar repair tools you are going to find. Its use goes far beyond the fret repair duty.
You can use it to cut binding channels, purfling grooves, rosette channels and lots more.
Fret Rocker;
The fret rocker is a diagnostics tool you can use for check for high or low frets. It is a tool you can make yourself with 4 different face dimensions for fast and convenient analysis.
With the Fret Rocker you can check between 3 frets or between 2 frets and see if you have a high or low fret. If a high fret is encountered, the Fret Rocker will indeed “Rock” on the high fret.
As per the diagram to the left make the Fret Rocker from a piece of old saw blade or an old scraper blade. Rough cut with a hack saw and finish up on the Belt Sander, being sure that all 4 surfaces are dead on straight.
Bag of Lead Shot:
This is used as a shock absorber for the fret installation over the face of the guitar top plate. Trying to set frets in this are results in excessive “bounce” of the hammer and you can get nowhere without a good sold mass to absorb the shock.
All you have to do is buy lead shot from the ammo department of a sporting goods store like Dicks Sporting Goods or similar. You can buy the shot for reloading shells. Just place the shot in a heavy canvas or leather bag and hold it beneath the fretboard while pounding in frets over the guitar face. This will minimize the “bounce”.
FFret End Dresser:
The Fret End Dresses can make the difference between an rookie job and a professional.
It is rather easy to make and you should have one of these tools to make all of your fret ends perfectly consistent both in angle and in length.
Once you use one you won’t believe how you got along without one. We have an article detailing how to make one and will be making free plans available for one of these dressing tools in the Plan Shop. See the article Fret End Dressing Tool for more information.
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Neck Support Cradle:
It’s not that neck support isn’t essential, you can support your neck in a haphazard manner of blocks, protection pads etc. But having a Neck Support Cradle is the way to go. Learn how to make one.
Good Sturdy Workbench:
This doesn’t even need to be said. We will be issuing plans for a great Ultimate Guitar Workbench that is geared especially for guitar building and repair.
We need special vices. heights and work areas to work on our guitars. The plans will accommodate those needs. Look for that soon.
Excellent Workbench Padding;
OK this is simple. Just use an old (or new) throw rug or get a soft carpet remnent from the home improvement store. I like the carpet with the integral rubber backing that make it non-slip on the bottom.
Guitar Top Protection Template:
Doing an entire fret job? You better protect that top against a wayward slip of a tool or from dropping something on the top. Yikes!!
A simple template can be made from poster board. Just trace the guitar outline on the board and mark out a generous bridge area and cut it out. Cut out the area for the fingerboard and you can tape it in place.
For a more permanent solution, consider a thin (1/32″) piece of white polystyrene soft plastic. This will make a long lasting template and save you lots of time. Just make a few different sizes for different shaped guitars and you will be set.
Guitar String Winder:
I use the Planet Waves 5 in 1 String Changing System.
The unique 5-in-1 guitar tool.
A dual-mode (strobe or sweep) chromatic tuner with unique, patent-pending rotary user-interface combines with the indispensable Pro-Winder multi-tool to make this the must-have accessory for every guitarist.
Experience quick, easy string changing and fast, accurate tuning, all in one ergonomically designed tool.
Tags: Fret Repair, how to repair frets, optional fret repair tools, tools for fret repair
