DIY Fret Crowning and Polishing Hack, REAL TIME SAVER!

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This is a quick hack that I came up with that has gotten me stellar results at leveling, crowning, and polishing frets. It's cut my time down in half, and I have gotten awesome, consistent, repeatable results. The tool is extremely simple to build, so this hack isn't so much about the tool as it is about the theory and technique. Let me know what you think in the comments!

[@bluecollarbuddha948]

After a lot of hesitation and avoidance, I finally performed my first level, crown and polish using Dan's method and I have to say that it was practically fool-proof (I know, because I'm practically a fool). I'm really pleased with the result!

[@kerdum]

how long did the process take?

[@ared18t]

@@kerdum the world may never know

[@ironwoodbranch6720]

Bro let us know, I'm planning to do fret leveling myself, a fellow fool haha!

[@KnownUser139]

@@ironwoodbranch6720 Bro, So how did it go? 😄

[@philjhon]

nice

[@raybbj]

Finally, someone who has the background music low enough so I can still hear you talk. Great Fret crowning technique!!

[@foadrightnow5725]

raybbj - Agreed on both points! Nothing frustrates me more than watching a video with the background music too damn loud to hear the dialog!

[@jawshlitelife]

Bass boost is the worst

[@nickskindelien7502]

Dan, I love the unpretentious and diy style! You make me feel like I can do my own repairs and mods without sweating bullets. You're the man.

[@coyperez3924]

I think the workshop is definitely a good choice for your maintenance/diy/tools videos.

[@raimondspadaro718]

You are an awesome dude, Dan!! Very clever. I too have a jig for rounding frets. Imagine taking a piece of say, 1 by 2 and drilling a hole a little larger than the fret diameter. Then take said wood and split it down the middle. You end up with a groove which you then put your various grits of sandpaper in. Essentially you are making a grooved file.

[@gmjsimmons]

I retired recently and fret levelling and crowning was on my must learn list. Got good at fret levelling but still perfecting crowning. This is a great tip and way cheaper than a crowning file. I will certainly try your technique. I love simple cheap tool techniques that yield excellent results. That brief fret crown you did looked superb. Thanks, I am inspired.

[@grevedanko]

Love your videos, especially the more inscripted ones in the workshop! You really inspired me to build guitars and fix the ones I already have. Thanks man!

[@alvaroflores192]

Hey man! Just wanted to say that your channel inspired me to build-restore a guitar!

[@OverlandOne]

Excellent idea! It never would have occurred to me to preserve that thin line on the very top until I realized I now made that fret lower than all of the other ones. So obvious now that you pointed it out. Well done.

[@jefflitchfield4950]

That was possibly the best thing I've seen all day. Pretty genius. I might put felt on my little foot things for protection, but I really can't fault your design. Thanks for sharing that.

[@sonicobsessions947]

Guns and guitars bsck at it again with another quality vid!!! Still waiting for that jazzmaster im gonna cry for waiting

[@lookingforwhiteprivilege9330]

Great video, please keep it up with these types of diy help videos. Also I like the workshop setting way more!

[@Isaiah-ft5nx]

I love your luthier videos, keep them coming! You have great video production!

[@renebustos87]

Big fan of your channel and videos. Because of your channels i was inspired to go around and mess with mine and my brothers' old basses. Im at the point now where ive bought the diy jazz bass and i am turning it into a monster. I even bought the carbon fiber pickguard from Nikocarbonworks. This crowning video is just what i needed. Thanks for having the channel in general. Great inspiration

[@v-for-vieira]

Best video on crowning frets! Thank you mate!

[@blackfender100]

That is awesome Thanks Man.everyone and their uncle sell an expensive tool to do the job.Your tool works and the best part is it's almost free !

[@markbryant4641]

Thanks, mate. That's a really good idea. Well thought out. I'll be making one for sure.

[@IPushHard]

Great video. The fret crowning tool is awesome, and it seems faster and easier than the file Ive got. Valuable info for anyone doing builds or just maintenance. Thanks! : )

[@kennyLLC]

Great method ! I was considering a fret crowning tool, but not only are frets different widths and crowning curves, I am afraid of gouging my fretboards with the tool. Thanks man !

[@Pedrohsc2]

Probably the most useful guitar tip EVER! I can't thank you enough, TKS!! Thumbs up and shared!

[@IsraelBelo911]

Dude, you're awesome!!! Thanks for sharing the knowoledge.

[@avega2792]

That’s awesome, I like the DIY stuff that actually is easy to do yourself.

[@mulekickhandmadeguitars8465]

So simple. So effective. Gonna make two of them. Thanks! Great demonstration, by the way.

[@PeejWan]

You got me subscribing bro! Keep up the good work! Greetings from the Philippines.

[@MaidenXMaidenCover]

This is just awesome! I wish a knew that last year, when I was putting together my partscaster. Well done!

[@rickhubbard3569]

Hey Dan, Just wanted to let you know that your channel inspired me as well. I built the offset P90 kit from fretwire.com. Upgraded the input jack, pots, tuning keys and shielded the pickup cavity. I also had to shim the neck to get the action right. This was my first ever build and it turned out very nice. Thanks for all the great tips. Your channel rocks.

[@mikestillwagon5675]

After a lot of frustration with expensive files that leave my frets looking like I used a chainsaw on them, I tried this and I'm thrilled with the results. I think I'll try to get some harder wood to make the blocks out of. This really turned out well. Thanks for the tip!

[@GunsandGuitars]

Glad it worked so well for you!

[@carljenkins7354]

Yes, loving the workshop.

[@joshuakozee5719]

hi dan, I have been learning and wanted to say thankyou for the tips and help.

[@HBSuccess]

Good idea - thanks!! One tip back at you - don’t use steel wool. Magnetic pickups and steel wool do not mix. Trust me when you’ve done a few dozen the steel wool shards will be impossible to clean up and will find their way into everything near your bench. Since they’ll be magnetized they’ll wind up everywhere you don’t want them. They then attract moisture and rust, Making a whole new category of hassle. I switched to scotch brite type nylon pads 15-20 yrs ago - problem solved. They work just as good w none of the problems. Take care.

[@PippPriss]

Thing is, he does the steelwool procedure perhaps with the neck detached, so there should be no bigger fear of creating the hassle you mentioned. What I personally tend to do is to have a strong good vacuum cleaner ready on hands when using steel-wool. But apart from that, I totally agree - steel wool is kind of a plague in this sense.

[@GregRickard]

Just cover the guitar with a tshirt while working on it. Then wipe the bench down.

[@Cigarsnguitars]

I’ve played for 50 years and have always done my own work. I have never advocated the use of steel wool on a guitar neck. There are plenty of alternatives that are specifically designed to clean and polish your guitar and neck, including frets. I’ve used the Dunlop Cleaning System which has everything you need to clean, polish and protect a guitar, bass, etc. They don’t contain any harsh chemicals or ingredients that would scratch your instruments. You can purchase the entire set in a single box for less than $25. I am not sponsored by them but the number of people I've told should get me something!💵 Anywho, I clean using the Dunlop kit, I use my luthier tools for my fret jobs but I polish my frets with a Dremel wand. It’s a lot but I take very good care of my 14 guitars, my younger son's 3 guitars and my eldest son's 5 basses (he’s a touring bassist with the group 'Hawk'. I make sure his stuff is on the nose with setups.).

[@GregRickard]

@@Cigarsnguitars I might try polishing with a dremel. Mine has a container of polish and little polishing wheels in its kit so why not.

[@bridgemaker7143]

if you like to use steel wool, as I do, you can either wrap your pad of steel wool around a rare earth magnet or just kinda wave a rare earth magnet over the neck when you're done. It pick it up in seconds. Good trick if you're using it between coats of finish too.

[@DIYGene]

Great idea. I am building a cheap $65 strat now and I think I will try this. Thanks for the great videos.

[@swingset1969]

Great vid, and it's a slick trick. I've used several ideas like this over the years to re-crown, but I still find crowing files super efficient and so cheap it's hard to justify making your own unless you just really want to. I'd also highly recommend jeweler's rouge on a Dremel buffing wheel instead of steel wool for polishing. You can do a whole neck in under 10 minutes, and the results are really notably smoother unless you work down to 0000 steel wool (which will mean a LOT more buffing).

[@BradAngove]

Awesome tip Dan. Nice work.

[@Z-Zack]

Brad Angove A wild HANDSOME S.O.B. appears!

[@jon590]

Brad Angove I love your channel too! I've learned a lot from this channel, and your channel! 👍

[@siredeem]

Hey Brad! I'd be super cool to see you guys cooperating some time! :)

[@noahtysonhighlonesome8117]

Brad, your sexy and your work is stealer

[@robertbarker2458]

Thanks that was awesome l have just subscribed to your channel

[@fubarcomm]

Dan, great little DIY tool idea! I never look forward to this step either, but I agree it's critical. I made a bass notched straight edge tool out of a cheap ruler same as you did in your other video!

[@barrypwalkerable]

Absolute genius. You deserve your own TV show!!!! Live your videos!!!!

[@joecormier6720]

I will skeptic about this at first. But I decided to go ahead and give it a shot and to my surprise it really work thanks dude for showing me

[@andrewsmith1520]

Awesome tool idea. I will be using this. Thanks.

[@adamulias2315]

STELLAR VIDEO DAN!!!! Thanks for taking the time to make it and share it. 😃👍

[@davidebissoli]

LittleBone fret file has been around since 2011. It can be made with sand paper as well.

[@freedommatters9596]

This was a pretty spectacular episode. Good stuff. 👍

[@zericleduc]

This video and 2 others from your channel gave me enough courage to attack my bass in an attempt to lower the action. I replaced the steel wool by the stainless bundles they sell at the dollar store. I was able to level the frets, crown them and then adjust everything to get the lowest possible action. I managed to lower the bridge by at least 3 mm I now have 2.5mm at f12 !!! I have been playing my bass too high for like 40 years. I even brought it to a pro shop once and they did not do a job as good as I was able to accomplish with your help. Thank you.

[@semidvdcdt8433]

Thanks for sharing your up to date ideas of DIY tools :) haven't fishing my neck job and winter is almost done.... Can't wait to get a peice of wood :)

[@guitarguy382]

re: Steel-wool shavings getting stuck to the pickups. Use cheap modeling clay (Play-Doh) to remove the shavings. Works like a charm!

[@Ottophil]

Or put tape over them before you start

[@FirstLast-om8li]

Going to steal this for my magnetic pickers in my garage with all thier irremovable shavings

[@ckmoore101]

@@FirstLast-om8li after you do a clean, put a grocery store plastic bag around them before picking up shavings, then just remove the bag when done. To get bag flat to the magnet to start, just put some washers on them to hold bag flat.

[@sunnys3325]

I've made something like this for quick easy fix's. Works like a charm👌

[@figtreeguitars2159]

Great video dan!!!!

[@thanosp.8140]

Amazing video, thank you for this demonstration!

[@der_Schreiner]

That's been my biggest gripe with leveling the frets. The tool, I bought for doing it, seems to not have the same curve to it, as the frets have, resulting in frets, that are the exact opposite of what I've been striving for. Great tip, Dan! This really solves a problem. Although I still wished, there was an easier way.

[@lavrgs]

I really like the concept- I decided to try and 3d print a version...we'll see how it goes Thanks

[@strips34000]

Great video. Really helpful tip! Hope the upgrade mosrite kit is coming soon. Cheers from france!!

[@frankpmarsala7682]

Thumbs up Dan! I am considering making their Rickenbacker clone. You make it look easy!

[@runningwithscissors0911]

I really enjoy and appreciate your very clever, usually easy and inexpensive (I'm a cheap Son-of-a-Biscuit too!) hand fashioned tools. And they really work! Thanks for sharing what you do and how you do it. Please Sir, I'd like some more!

[@grahambeyer1]

Great video! Awesome content! Thanks Dan

[@dennisnashville7114]

What a great idea. Thank you for sharing this.

[@johnriley8314]

What a great trip/idea and love the diy aspect-seems easy enuff too LOL-😁🎸🎼🎸glad I took the time to look be ause I'm fixing to do some work on my acoustic and this was spot on of what I was looking for

[@brandonlee2237]

Tried this method and was really amazed with the results 😁😁

[@mindfuc]

The absolute best video on Fret crowning!

[@IntoTheBass]

Thanks for Your Great Ideas and Videos!

[@markalladinyaon2147]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge sir. It helps me how to start to fix my guitar

[@noahtysonhighlonesome8117]

Just made one of these. Thanks for the tip! Any tips to quicken fret work, is much appreciated!

[@tubergenmotorsports4193]

Thanks for the info Dan!

[@averagebarband]

Thanks for making this video. Great tip!

[@NPC-mt1cz]

I very much needed this, thanks!

[@TheWastelander86]

REALLY useful tip, and just in time. Got a Craigslist Ibanez and it needs fretwork! Thanks Dan!

[@WestCoastSwinger]

Big fan of your how-to video Dan. You did a perfect job of explaining the theory and subtle details of 60 cycle hum and shielding in your last video. Really thorough fret crowning demonstration in this one! I have a question about the Fret Wire guitar kits. What size frets do they come with? Medium-jumbo or jumbo? Are they fairly tall frets? Thanks!

[@paulgartner4619]

just made your little tool. works great. thanks

[@charliedurham1954]

Great little tool! Thanks.

[@Jaidezilla]

Another great video. I always learn something.

[@sturlalagreid3860]

Awesome video! Can't wait to try it out :)

[@davidsteinart]

Hi Dan. Great tip. Just bought a new triangular crowning file and I may never use it again after this!

[@TimothyEdDoran]

Great demonstration. I don't want to buy more single purpose tools so your method is perfect. Thanks

[@juliodifelippo]

Great tip! Thanks for share it!

[@Liberty4Ever]

I bought some fancy luthier tools but I love the home brew on the cheap version. I'm very tempted to 3D print a couple of these. Thanks for the great videos.

[@GunsandGuitars]

That’s a great idea! I’ve been trying to think of how to make a cheap plastic versions to sell, 3d printing might be the way to go

[@benjaminbeivides299]

Put it up on thingiverse please!

[@Liberty4Ever]

I mailed Dan a couple of 3D printed fret crowning tools, as well as making a couple for myself and a couple for a guitar playing friend. I'll wait to see if Dan has any feedback. When it's to his liking, I'll upload to Thingiverse if he's OK with that.

[@HBSuccess]

Guns and Guitars : I think you could improve on the design- for example making a way to load a small “roll” of self-adhesive sandpaper and a simple no-tools way to expose new abrasive. There are various grits of emery cloth that plumbers use to clean pipes and jewelers use in their fabrication - maybe some of that product could be used in some way you’d need some strategically placed slots- one behind the flat “tip” so there is still no abrasive there. There is a handheld plastic sander Norton used to make that had a similar mechanism- used rolls of sandpaper.

[@scuddy100HYA]

@@Liberty4Ever how did your 3d printed versions turn out?? Thanks Lee

[@PK-nq3pp]

That's fantastic! Would try it!

[@74dartman13]

That is such a cool idea! I'm gonna make one asap! I've made other tools from your previous videos and they work great! I've realized, like you said, that the difference in prices of guitars is the amount of work put into them, not just the materials they're made from. I've used your tips recently on a Tele kit and it turned out fantastic! Thanks so much! The last thing I did to it was to make a bone nut from scratch. It took a while, but was a great learning experience and to me, it was so much cooler than buying one. With your tips and now the bone nut, my cheap kit plays like a thousand dollar guitar! I love it! Thanks again!👍😎🎸🎶

[@user-uo6wv6vf6g]

Subscribed to this Channel for your builds, but i really like where this is going. I just have one suggestion: can you also record your customer builds? Not fancy like the reviews and ultimate builds, maybe just a timelapse without commentary. And I also wanted to say that I love the workshop set. It's much more professional than the greenscreen.

[@ZemPdRay]

Really helpful tips, thanks a lot!

[@TheDVM1]

awesome and genius idea!! So glad I found this. I am at this point on a les paul kit I am working on and was fearing doing it with files. THis seems way safer and easier..

[@Slothclawcolseslaw]

Best guitar building channel on KZbin. This dude rules

[@MrEkks]

just made my DT fret tool, have not tried yet. i'm sure it will work perfectly.

[@vinkerdoodles]

Thanks man, awesome video

[@stevechapman9820]

Thanks Dan, just picked up a P Bass neck from Pitbull and i am in the process of building a P bass body out of Paulownia timber. Basically copying my old 1980 P bass (but lighter)so this video was timed perfectly for me. Going over to your patreon page to check out how it all works.Thanks for your efforts and sharing your knowledge.

[@tadersalad7283]

Were you going to "His" patreon page to copy that too? Or were you feeling grateful and decided to contribute because he sparked something in you that was dead?

[@markmorrisjones62]

Great idea. I'm going to give this a go

[@deanmacka4975]

Great stuff mate thanks for that tip

[@rhyskenny6429]

Ye I totally have to make one of these! I need it!

[@al76groovekeeper]

U r the man love the way u make tools. U r a great artist!!! Thanx for your videos

[@emochinchilla]

Genius idea! Thanks!

[@123Ir0nman]

Definitely will make this for when I re-fret my strat! I like the workshop/shed setting for the DIY tools and maintenance videos Question: Are you ever going to follow up on that cheap reverb pedal that you didn't actually get to review because it came broken?

[@thegarage5919]

I'll give this a try. I will say I did purchase a cheapish crowning file that works pretty danged good but I'm always looking for homebrew alternatives and this seems to do the same job with less finish work. I would also like to suggest that for the final polish if you want them super slick hit theme with Autosol automotive chrome polish. Makes them slick as glass. Thanks for all your tips Dan.

[@saulgoodeguitars]

Thanks I’ll be using this👍👊

[@onpsxmember]

I haven't seen a vid from you in a long time. I'm glad you "stuck to your guns". I remember the videos when some people gave you shit for combining your two passions.

[@patrickwayne9074]

Thanks for this video. It looks like any dummy like myself can do this, and improve their guitar’s playing and looks. Good stuff!

[@Tubedriver42]

Great stuff!

[@danteedee8204]

Awesome video!

[@killintime165]

Thanks! This should definitely save me some time.

[@RudeMoodBand]

Great video!

[@boudewijnborger1492]

Cheap and fast. Great! Thanks for sharing

[@herbross6612]

Just what i needed, thank you

[@JSmith-mu3fq]

Genius brother! 🙌🏼

[@doc221978]

Awesome. I have done a few this way, but since I do this a lot I have gotten some gurian files. One thing I'd like to add as optional is polishing. A dremel and some rubbing compound gives it a brilliant shine real quick.

[@GunsandGuitars]

Lots of people have suggested this, so I’m gonna try it next time.

[@Life-Row-Toll]

So much work, but I bet it's worth it. Thank you!

[@jamesmyl3061]

Amazing at a whole nudder level. Thank you Dan.