Installing Stainless Steel Frets In A $75 Guitar. Sharpen My Axe

#sharpenmyaxe #knowyourgear #mcknightrepair
Thin Fast drying glue
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Stainless Steel Fret Wire
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Crimson Guitar Tools
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Stew Mac tools
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Fret Bender I use
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My favorite Fret File ( 6 inch)
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Fret beveling file
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Fret Cutter
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Glary Guitar
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The picks I use
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[@gregvaneekhout]

Started Frankensteining a ukulele today. I'm calling it my Van Halele.

[@TylrVncnt]

YES

[@BittenHand19]

Need to see pics when its done that sounds awesome!

[@gregvaneekhout]

@@BittenHand19 It's been fun! I've been posting updates on instagram. Was going to paint the red coat today but it's too hot out. instagram.com/gregvaneekhout/

[@oatnoid]

Post your version of Eruption. Probably abbreviated but who cares? Frankenuke? Van Haleakela?

[@chillipepperoni]

"We have Van Halen at home" Van Halen at home:

[@kevinmorris7722]

You're allowed to keep it Phill. Everyone vote👍. Phill needs this one for his collection... I believe. Just ask everyone to do what you always do... let's all donate to a cause. Collectively we're all richer together. I like saint Jude, they do ground breaking research for all of us and never charge for the kids they treat. Don't do third party donations... If you want to help, just write a check to saint Jude. There are surly other great places I just know and admire them.

[@benjaminfowler4513]

St. Jude's would be the only place I'd donate myself as well, they're great

[@n3zyd]

Saint Jude people are Rock Stars. My cousin was born with cerebral palsy, misdiagnosed as higher brain function deficient. Saint Jude saved my cousin from a lifetime of "Stuck in". after jaw and throat surgery they got him to Ronald Mcdonald House where Tim learned to talk very quickly, Imagine you have a toothache, cramp, or itch and can do nothing or tell anyone about it. Living Hell Is what Saint Jude stopped.

[@benjaminfowler4513]

@@n3zyd yeah they're a special place for sure. Makes me proud to live in Tennessee

[@b00neDawg00]

It’d be really cool if you put a Floyd rose on it and show us how to put one on a strat because there’s hardly any videos on KZbin about it

[@Forest_Fifer]

Theres a lot of routing required. Guns and Guitars did one, but it was a bit of a kludge.

[@davidf8749]

@@Forest_Fifer - Definitely a lot of routing. If you have a small router, it's probably fairly easy for the bridge area, and then use a drill-press to drill the holes for the for the bridge pillars. The hardest part was routing for the locking nut. Here, it might be best to use handtools and progress slowly. Much better to take several days to get this right. With power tools, you can make mistakes very quickly.

[@tzd]

Pls show us how to convert this into a top-mount Floyd Rose!

[@nealixd.3011]

Lots of used FR equipped guitars out there for affordable prices. Many people get frustrated and sell them, ha.

[@stephbets]

You need to keep this bro. It’s therapy.

[@azbababooey]

There are certain people on KZbin that you just love to watch, and you’re one of them. Even though this isn’t meant as a “tutorial” video, you just have so much knowledge and a great way about you that you’re always teaching. Love what you’re doing so far and I can’t wait to see how you paint this thing up. And I wouldn’t worry about a Floyd Rose, you’re not a fan, make this YOU’RE Frankenstrat inspired guitar. Thanks for sharing this!!

[@nealixd.3011]

So many inexpensive FR equipped guitars out there in my many travels to music stores and looking at ads. Folks often get frustrated and sell them.

[@nbs-spike5822]

I love the black burst blue trans paint it came with

[@Necromanos]

I just bought a Monoprice $100 Telecaster so I guess it will be a Super Tele. I'm not skilled in modding guitars but I plan on putting a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails or DiMarzio Tele Super Distortion in the bridge and replacing the pickguard with a no neck pickup Esquire version. Change out the pots and switch, maybe change the bridge and control plate to black. I'd like to repaint it too. I mocked up a pic how I'd want it to look. It's gonna take me a while to get it all done.

[@SkatePunkBanana]

Modding guitars is always fun. And the best thing about cheap guitars is if you break them somehow it doesn't matter as much because you spend that much on it. Thats why both of my modded guitars are Glarrys.

[@thetonekingofficial]

Great video!!!

[@acvisanu]

That’s definitely the best fret video I’ve seen on KZbin, you have the gift of filling in the right “secret sauce” info throughout the process as well as tips on tools and how you use them. I’m learning from watching other videos but I feel like I’m doing this with you in your shop. Please do the bass, fretless conversation would be awesome. I’m a big fan.

[@eugenelgrong]

I have absolutely no plans to build my own guitar but I found this video so therapeutic and enjoyable, great work!

[@monsterk7603]

Great idea, Phil. Something literally constructive out of the sadness and loss. Brilliant. Love your videos and looking forward to see and hear the finished product!

[@meadish]

Loved the neck transformation tips, they'll come in very handy. Thank you.

[@stevek8016]

Bought a beat up Squire Strat for $35 off Facebook. Putting a Burstbucker 3 for the bridge, Lace Sensor Gold for the middle, and a Seymour Duncan Hot Rail for the neck. 100% all new hardware and now I'm debating on doing frets. Thanks for the instructional!!!

[@caseylee12]

I really like videos like this. One of your videos ( input jacks/soldering) helped me repair a guitar my son-n-law had (he recently passed away) for my grand daughter. She was overwhelmed that I got it playing again. And Eddie would have loved it! Thanks, Phil McK!

[@WattchomanBrandySavage]

It would be cool to see someones reaction to playing it with no idea that it was originally a $70~ guitar.

[@bradhilton9113]

I always thought the EVH Frankenstein Reissue should've included a reliced single-coil that actually worked to make the guitar a little more versatile. That would be an amazing feature for your tribute guitar.

[@caseyodonnell6621]

One of your most instructive videos yet. Very cool.

[@andrewsmith1520]

I never clicked faster! Can't wait for the next video!!

[@mikecarreca7864]

Outstanding video Philip

[@soleneisconbi7302]

Getting a few people to play it and hearing their honest opinion on your mods is an excellent idea. Looking forward to that.

[@monsterkxf]

Don’t forget the reflectors on the back!! 🤘🤘

[@jwhitty14]

A player reaction video from some of your KZbinr friends would be cool. Tyler Larson would be a good one.

[@normanperkel139]

Word to the wise.. If you’re going to use thin CA glue to set your frets know that it can, and will, go everywhere. Note that Phillip is using an applicator tip (sold separately) to help put the glue exactly where he wants it, and equally important, where he doesn’t. I also highly recommend wearing some sort of safety glasses because thin CA flows easier than water because it doesn’t have the same surface tension.. this is what makes it soak up into everything so quickly. Hope this helps.

[@Dreamdancer11]

Very true..thin ca goes everywhere and can run even if you are careful about it....in my case though thats not an issue cause i finish my necks completely in ca glue....😂

[@JohnOhkumaThiel]

When I remove the nut, I put a steel fretboard shield around it--like you use when polishing frets--then give it a tap and pull it out with plyers.

[@dougreid1951]

Humbucker in the bridge and a Firebird in the neck - tasty mix

[@harryklippton]

This video makes me feel like Im capable of refretting a guitar. Thanks Phil

[@ryanwilson5936]

Sweeeeeeet! I’m sharpening a black squier affinity HH telecaster w/matching headstock. Doing a black and gold theme. Gutting everything but the nut, bridge/control plate, and string ferrules. Bourns pots w/ gold Gotoh knobs, adding 2 gold 3-way on/on/on switches for a series/parallel/split on both humbuckers, CRL 3-way pickup selector switch (black control plate), pure tone jack w/ gold electrosocket, gold Planetwaves elliptical strap buttons, gold graphtech string saver classic saddles (I left the black bridge plate), black graphtech string trees, gold Gotoh tuning machines, DiMarzio Tone Zone w/ gold lugs (bridge), DiMarzio Air Norton w/ gold lugs (neck), gold pickguard and neck screws, even upgraded the humbucker rings to metal (black). I’m just waiting on a few more gold screws and some wire to come in the mail and it will be done. I’ll make sure to submit my pictures!

[@chris_2714]

That radius block is one of the coolest things I've seen in a while!

[@daddymidwest4111]

Loving the project Phill. It IS most definitely helping me come to terms with Edward’s passing. I appreciate you, Sir.

[@mthanik8392]

Its very soothing and wholesome watching you work on a guitar

[@HopWorksET]

Fantastic inspirational video that is well done! I found you in the world via google search when I decided to pick up my guitar again, and after watching several videos like this one, I ALMOST want to be a luthier. But... no. I'll stick with getting back to where I was. But THIS video, for me, inspires me with the knowledge that you can make ANYTHING better, and knowing my gear allows me to explore so many more options I never understood before. Thank you sir! Yep, I need a shirt!

[@jasonahopkins32]

Phil.. thanks for this video man. The repurpose of the fret cutter to puller is something I have done for years. Such a great tip to share!

[@hackcomic]

I'm 45 and Eddie Van Halen was a God to me but my favorite story is about dimebag Darrell and the fact that dimebag Darrell is buried with the white guitar it just makes me love Eddie Van Halen that Eddie Van Halen put the white guitar in with him it's in his casket like a legendary album cover guitar

[@bozeeke]

Great job on the neck, I can already tell this is gonna turn out good!

[@DJBuglip]

Phil, I just love your channel. That was the best tutorial on neck work I think I've seen, anywhere, period. I've been studying luthiery in lockdown, and think I might be ready to try my hand before long, here, but necks intimidate me. You broke that down and made it look doable, thanks.

[@afaella3]

First, R.I.P. EVH & Rock On up there Second, thanks for showing us your process on nut removal - every time I mod a guitar and want to swap the nut it goes disastrously (be it paint near the nut chipping off, to all of the fingerboard wood blending into the headstock cracking off) - you've swapped nuts in other Sharpen my Axe vids but everyone I've seen never showed it actual removal, in the future if you could go more into that to prevent me and others from painfully mutilating some beautiful instruments it'd be greatly appreciated (One last thing, thanks for being a badass, I've watched your videos for years now and also am a guitar gear geek in the Army, I appreciate your journey and always look forward to your videos)

[@meadish]

When I do nut removal, this is how I do it. There are always many ways to skin a cat, but this seems to work well for me so far. Step one is to score around the edge of the nut with a razorblade or boxcutter to get a clean straight line break from the finish. Step two is to take a flat and smooth scrap piece of wood slightly larger than the nut itself, put it between the nut and the first fret and, using a hammer, repeatedly tap lightly on the piece of wood in the direction of the nut. Then I place the piece of wood on the opposite side of the nut and tap lightly again, now in the direction of the neck heel. As a final step I do what Phil did in this video, with a flat head screwdriver against the short side of the nut. The pre-steps described above increase the chance of getting the nut cleanly out of the slot.

[@carlkerkman7028]

Thanks for the detailed video - your instruction and tips have been really helpful and I'm ready to give it a shot!

[@dag410]

I did the same! With dragonfire hot rails! Sounds amazing.

[@battletoad1677]

This is great, Phil. Inspiring to see this process, may have to break out an old Squier strat and build along with you. Eddie would've loved to see this.

[@traviswoyen2243]

Great video! One note to people thinning necks - the difference between a thick and thin neck is VERY slight. 1/16" makes a big difference in feel. Another thing that I'm glad you highlighted is that people can buy specialty tools but don't necessarily have to - a lot depends on how often you'll be doing refrets and what you're comfortable using.

[@oldnorthstatefishing3912]

I have never owned a super strat, but EVH was one of my early guitar heros. I am ordering parts this week to build up a budget super strat. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@markewing6780]

I literally started building my EVH Frankenstrat on the 6th of October. Great idea with the Glarry guitar!

[@michael_caz_nyc]

Nice Phillip. I love stainless-steel frets. I have them on my Suhr-strat. I wish I had-em on my Taylor Acoustic. I will Never go back!!! Also a fan of: Locking tuners & the Gotoh 510 Tremolo. Interesting video. It helps when you have all the proper Tools. Can't wait to see the finished product.

[@DayRider76]

I'm building one. I got the neck fixed up last night. I have some killer ideas for what I'm going to do.

[@duncansvlogsandchallenges5498]

Two years ago when I was 14 I made the black and white Frankenstrat from a Glarry strat. I used a vintage output humbucker from ebay and replaced the tuners with some vintage style Fender tuners which are really comfortable to me. I also put on the brass nut, you can't forget that lol.

[@bryanmacam6127]

Cant wait for the complete build. I bet its gonna be superb.

[@The-11]

Phil, making it look easy !

[@sungty]

Will be nice to see you bevel the neck heel block. That's the one thing that prevents a strat from being really 'super'. Love your channel BTW.

[@JoediyLab]

Awesome video Phil, Love that you explained how to re-do the frets. First time I have seen the whole process.

[@arkistriph1]

Thanks Phil!

[@aldrickfondracul9297]

Bro, I shouldn't be watching this. I've got a neck that's basically the same as an Ibanez Talman, and I'm SO tempted to shave off that extra little bit to make it closer to an SR neck. And watching Phil is making me even more tempted, even though I can't really afford it, atm.

[@justincase9173]

Dude! You got to put a locking trem in it!! ITS A SUPER STRAT! Get a gotoh GE1996T! Best bang for the buck HANDS DOWN! Japanese quality. ultra smooth fine tuners. awesome slip in bar. larger locking pivot posts and comes with BRASS BLOCK! Floyd specials of same price dont even compare. Ive used gotoh on two builds and will never buy a floyd brand again.

[@maxmustardman298]

My words

[@monstrok]

This is really inspiring! I haven't built a guitar in 12 years and this is giving me ideas for a Line6/Yamaha that needs some serious tweaking to make it a great instrument.

[@patfloyd]

Love this project Phil. Super cool that you're doing it.

[@rockdaddy2168]

I have the hardest time finding a neck that I like. I'm going to try doing my own now. Thanks Phil.

[@AutismRocksOfficial]

Woo hoo! Saw you are on The Tone King's live stream tonight. Can't wait!

[@mauriziocampese8577]

Good idea! Doing the same, making a superstrat as well!!

[@OmgItsAlexOfficial]

Very cool easy was of showing fret replacement.

[@jakesharpe8008]

Thanks Phil!!!

[@MrGixxer1300r]

Awesome video Phil. I'm really liking the build videos more than the upgrade videos you used to do. These newer build videos really show your skill set. Looking forward to seeing you build more guitars, and doing work intesive builds like this EVH build.

[@joshuarivera6208]

Doing this with my squire jazzmaster affinity series

[@fiveaces1029]

I love this tribute to Eddie that you are doing. Please give it an awesome paint job it deserves that! Play your 1st song through a flanger. 🎸

[@errflow]

3M™ Stikit™ Gold Abrasive Sheet Rolls 216U are graded using ISO/FEPA (EU) system, which is slightly different than CAMI (US): P400 is about 330 grit CAMI P220 is the same as 220 CAMI. You might think it's no big deal, but ISO and CAMI are very different in the high micro grit range where, for example, P1000 is roughly equivalent to 550 grit CAMI (in terms of average abrasive particle size). In this example, going from 600 US to P1000 would be going backwards. I bring this up only because you easily can get both types in the US, and the stocking agents stock them all the time without regard to grading system. So it is not uncommon to find a shelf with P800 and P1000 (both of which are more coarse than 600 US) *between* US 600 and US 1200. Obviously this could become a nightmare if you were finish sanding a paint job and you inadvertently mixed abrasives from the two grading systems. Watch out for the P paper! If you grew up in the US, it could be way more coarse than you are expecting.

[@Back2SchoolReactions]

After putting Stainless Steel frets in high end guitars, I will never put them in mine, after ruining fret files in weeks in stead of years, until they make files for them until they make files specifically for them. Ps, I worked for Wayne Charvel, and did my apprenticeship under him. Nice to make a guitar last, but the price isn't because of the quality of fret wire, it's because of all the expense on replacing tools.

[@FarrellMcGovern]

My first Strat was pretty much a frankenstrat. I didn't have a lot of money, but I wanted to get an electric guitar, and many of my guitar heroes played Strats. So I asked the guy that ran the store what he had in inexpensive Strat style guitars. So he showed me various guitars he had, and they were all either just out of, or barely affordable. Then he said, half-jokingly, "or, if you really want to save money, I can sell you this one, where someone had tried to paint it, and failed." I looked over the contents of the box of parts, made sure there was a complete guitar and bought it. It seems that someone had tried to paint a black Strat style guitar red, and had managed to really botch up the paint, and either gave up, or got tired of the project, and dumped it on this store, probably in trade for something. I think that the original owner had used some sort of automotive paint on the body, and the faceplate. That was OK on the body...it didn't look great, but that I ascribe the to the skill (or lack there of) of the would-be guitar tech, not the paint. Unfortunately, he used the same stuff on the plastic face-plate, and it made it brittle. When I assembled it to see about getting the fitting for the pickups, the first screw I put into it caused it to shatter into three big pieces and a few smaller ones! So I was out a faceplate. I did manage to get enough of the bridge area faceplate together to hold a pickup. But, of course, the pickups were crap...and the remainder of the plastic faceplate broke. I mentioned this to a person I had been doing some computer work for (Ya, I am a deep computer geek), and he said he had some pickups he could give me if I wanted them. I said yes. They were Rod Evans Eliminators, hand made, noiseless Strat style pickups. Jeff Healey used them exclusively for a long time, Alex Lifeson, Adrian Belew, Colin James, and Scott Page used them as well, and supposedly SVR used them on recordings, but couldn't use them on stage to do contractual obligations with Fender. So I now had decent (well, a lot more than decent!) pickups, but I didn't have a faceplate, and no money to buy one. Either someone told me, or I had read it somewhere about using those pick erasers underneath the pickup to bring it up to the proper height and I used two wood screws to screw the pickup into the body. It worked. I only put the bridge pickup in, wired straight to the jack. No volume or no tone controls. The neck, nut and the heads were nothing to write home about, and it had a tremolo bar...which worked despite the paint on it! And that's the beast I learned to play electric guitar on.

[@scaredycat8685]

I just ordered 4 boss pedals, started my collection. I’m super excited

[@BenjaminFranceMusic]

I'm in , Phil! Going to pick up a cheapy strat-copy asap from Facebook marketplace, and the start the rebuild/documenting!

[@RideTheLite]

I really can't wait for the next video. This is great!

[@Bozo_Lord]

Thank you for making this man! I’m sure Eddie is looking down on every guitar bench and wondering why everyone’s making a replica of his #1:) he’s proud of you man

[@Tamago-xe4eb]

I'm doing the 79 bumblebee to pay respects to Eddie and Dimebag.

[@bobsmith1965]

You're a cool dude Phil.

[@bigpapavee]

Great Job Phil!

[@DanielRodriguez-eh1qd]

Just received an Austin black and white strat copy I bought for $19. My plan is new everything and a neck change to all maple. I want to give it a David Gilmour vibe with black body, black pick guard, white pickups and knobs and a maple fretboard.

[@trevormacdonald5110]

I saw keep the guitar. It holds a meaningful story

[@jd_flick]

what an excellent and detailed video

[@TomH_YT]

Perfect tribute project. As for the bridge, the paint, and the pups, just do your best to channel EVH as a kid today modding his guitar.

[@vanessamonster5038]

Really cool idea. God bless EVH.

[@drdrums1]

You should finish that neck with tru-oil and gun stock wax, like EBMM does. Love their neck finish.

[@edpack4390]

Love it so far!

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

I loved the fact you laid down the glue just before inserting the fret. I have seen videos of guys installing the frets first then going back and wicking the glue into the fret slot. And they say it HAS to be done that way. I always called BS on that statement. You did it perfectly. And Stew Mac also sells the device that attaches to a regular drill press and has the radius for your neck. They're named "press calls". I got a set of 7.25", 9", 11" and 16" I believe. Maybe it's 17". Whatever, they're not that expensive and really work well. I would not buy them thought unless you plan to do many neck jobs. A fret hammer is the ticket for a one off. Can't wait to see what you do with the body!

[@charlesberry9683]

Really like the EVH work shirt. Bought one online the other day. My little tribute to Eddie..

[@mikelamb4528]

Maybe my favorite Sharpen My Axe video that you've ever done! I don't care if you auction it for charity; honestly, I think it'd be cool if you kept this.

[@grizelda4526]

Great video! Very cool project.

[@JimFeeley]

This is an amazingly great video; so much good info. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise. And thanks EVH for the inspiration

[@muurimc]

During this whole week I've been thinking of building also a super strat or like that. A striped one as a VH tribute. I hope the next video will give me the inspiration :) thanks for great video

[@jaturi3897]

I'm currently making something I've never seen before....a strat shape thin acoustic electric with a floyd rose.

[@procrastinator6902]

How would you avoid destroying the top of the guitar with something like that??

[@Bob48]

Well done...terrific.

[@47279J]

Great work. It's really neat to learn that you can do something else to your guitar other than just change the strings.

[@Tricknologyinc]

Using a press is not just time saving for the fret installation. It gives a much more uniform seating of the frets and greatly reduces time and materials wasted in fret adjustment especially if one hammers dings into the frets, and now you have to sand down all of the rest of the frets to even it out and then have to crown and polish them!

[@procrastinator6902]

A fret hammer isn't going to ding into SS frets

[@oatnoid]

New name for my band! Frethammer!

[@ZacCostilla]

I vote that you keep this one Phil, because it was inspired by your own personal relationship with the music and as an EVH dealer. My suggestion is you do the demo live, and all the superchat and tip jar donations that day go to St Jude, on behalf of EVH.

[@ringchamp6543]

Love your work man.

[@davidmarkham4391]

I am planning the same thing. A buddy found an old Hondo Fame EVH body and neck. I am going to mod the hell out of it

[@skeetschuler1859]

Great tribute to EVH. Thanks

[@LYLEWOLD]

i wonder how many basic guitars Glarry is going to sell. this is such an awesome way to get creative, and honor Eddie VanHalen

[@OGREgaming420]

I love this so much

[@ZitherBeast]

This is very cool man.

[@jsk8et]

Kinda looks like a Samick headstock now. Cool to see this process!

[@NickGurr.]

Make it just like the original. Reflectors on the back, cigarette burns on the headstock, one working humbucker and one tone knob, and 1971 quarter next to the bridge!

[@TylrVncnt]

*fantastic* video, genius and extremely useful tips here! Mad props mate