Ranking The Top 10 Guitar Fret Polishing Systems

[@PhillipMcKnight]

00:23 Steel Wool amzn.to/3lJwX2z 01:45 D Addario Fret Polishing System imp.i114863.net/LMYvY 02:46 Miracle Polishing Cloth www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/supplies/cleaners-and-lubricants/miracle-polishing-cloth.html 03:48 Gorgomyte Cloth www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/supplies/cleaners-and-lubricants/gorgomyte-fretboard-conditioning-cloth.html 05:16 Lizard Spit Polish Kit imp.i114863.net/Kr52a 06:35 Dunlop Fret Kit imp.i114863.net/qQdNn 07:56 3M Polish Sheets amzn.to/3faSCOo 09:36 Micro Mesh pack amzn.to/32SXSkU 11:09 Music Nomad FRINE Kit imp.i114863.net/kydQM 12:49 Fret Erasers www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/tools-for-fretting/polishing-and-abrasives/fret-erasers.html

[@otherGuise]

Have you tried a cotton wheel on a slow rate rotary with polishing compound #3 for matte finish then 5 to put on the shine? I've done it on a few of my guitars. It looks pretty good and wasn't all that expensive.

[@marcocaracciolo834]

Please try the ghs fretboard care, its the only one that i find here in Brazil

[@WesternWearEnthusiast]

I enjoy this type of video. As a new player these types of videos cut down on all the trial and error I would have to go through to find out what is best. Using your vast knowledge it removes so much of the trial and error process. Thanks for sharing this.

[@JR-to8sn]

Phil, just use Flitz metal polish. It will shine your frets better than any of these and cost is less and a tube of it will last a LOT longer than these.

[@NicholasWiedenfeld]

Hey Phil McKnight, will polishing my frets help for if I’m having issues with rough sounding frets as I’m bending??

[@BunkMasterFlex77]

I just go old school...angle grinder followed up by a blow torch.

[@FLOODtoFIRE]

Great reason to go watersking for final polish. The wife always has a towel , we're good to go .

[@HalfDeadGeezers]

Agree. I have found by holding the blowtorch directly on the fretboard, finger grease and oil not removed by modern methods bubbles out of the wood leaving a substantially cleaner playing surface.

[@TheEchelon]

Too high tech for me. I use a rock. Flintstone when I'm feeling fancy

[@iainthomas5249]

Are you “that guy” from the Great Guitar Build Off? 😃

[@MikeCindyWhite]

😂😂😂👍👍

[@kevinking2468]

I just used a fingernail buffer stick divided into 2 grits on each side - It cost me $2.50 with truly beautiful results.

[@shepherd8203]

You are still the one person on KZbin I trust , if its good it's good if it not it's not. From one Philip to other Philip Well Done .

[@jamesreaves5534]

The following description is my method of getting perfectly rounded hemispherical fret ends mirror polished frets and fretboards all at once. First of all I get the assortment pack of 3M trimite polishing paper from Rio Grande jewelry supply because you get two full size 8-1/2" × 11" sheets of six different grits, a total of 12 sheets for $11.95. Everybody else charges $17 and up. Amazon's prices $16.95 and all of them only give you six sheets, one of each Grit whereas Rio Grande gives you two sheets of each grit. The Grits are as follows green 30 Micron 400 Grit. Gray 15 micron 600 grit. Blue 9 Micron 1200 Grit. Pink 3 Micron 4000 Grit. Mint 2 Micron 6000 Grit light green Almost White 1 Micron 8000 Grit. I do not waste time taping up my fretboard or waste the tape it takes to do this. I use a fret Guru ultimate fret in file starting from left to right I go up from the bottom where the Fret meets the fretboard and over 2 light Strokes on each side of the fret, both left and right sides. I go left to right on the left side and then come back right to left on the right side knocking off the little Edge where the bevel and fret meet. I chamfer this little Edge of the bevel. This is my rough shape for my hemispherical fret ends. I use the fretguru ultimate fret in file because it will not Mar up your fretboard. Afterwards I hold the 1/8 sheet of the 3M trimite polishing paper folded in a tri-fold pattern at approximately a 35° to 45° angle running up and down the fretboard approximately 16 times on each side of the neck. I use the same Grit starting with the green coarsest 30 Micron / 400 Grit and I polish the side of my Frets and the fretboard at the same time using my finger. Your finger will go up and over the top of the Fret a little but you will have very little pressure on the top of the Fret this will prevent you from wearing away the top of the Fret and knocking your fret level off accidentally, you will also be polishing the fretboard at the same time since it is not taped. You will notice a little piece of the fretboard in the center between the frets on the first five Frets that doesn't get polished where your finger does not overlap. You will have to rub the little piece of the fretboard in the center between the two frets. After you get to the fifth fret or so you will notice that your fingers overlap in the center and you will no longer have to rub that little piece because the Frets are close enough together so that when you rub on the right side of one fret and the left side of the other fret your finger overlaps in the middle. Do this the entire length of the fretboard rubbing the left side of one fret and the right side of the other fret as well as the fretboard after having run down the sides as I described above. Repeat with each successive finer grit until you get to the finest one micron 8000 Grit. This will give you perfect the rounded hotdogs or hemispherical ends on your frets, it will leave your Frets looking like polished chrome or mirrors and leave your unfinished Rosewood, ebony, Etc, fretboard looking like a polished Rock, shining like lacquered Maple even without a finish on it. Once you try this method you will never do it any other way. It doesn't leave chemicals everywhere, no steel wool dust, everything looks spectacular and you accomplish everything at once. Be sure you mark the back side of each piece of the finest 1 micron / 8 thousand Grit paper because the color is so light you will easily get the back and the front mixed up. The backside won't do anything as far as polishing up your fret and fretboard. I made this mistake several times until I started marking the backside of the paper so I would know which side was which. Feel free to call me at 910-818-3279 anytime night or day. God bless y'all. Jimmy in NC....

[@Ngcarson1337]

Thanks for sharing, Jimmy. That’s quite the write up. This method removes little material on the fret or fretboard? I’m assuming most of the change happens from the friction and the material of these pads? Cheers and God Bless you and your family.

[@mazklassa9338]

Crikey!! That's some detail. Thanks for sharing.

[@johnnyh64]

I wonder if you could make a short video showing the process. I’m having a little difficulty understanding the exact process even though it was well written. I do appreciate the tips and I strive to find a way to get that hemispheric fret end look.

[@jamesreaves5534]

@@johnnyh64 Call me at (910)-818-3279 and I'll tell you anything you need to know. I don't really have any way of making a video.

[@brianroof8613]

Thanx Jimmy ! I just ordered two 3M trimite assortment packs. One for me and a surprise gift for a luthier/ small business owner, who does set ups etc. I think he is gonna dig it! Thanx for the knowledge. P.S. was in the Outer Banks NC in October. One of my favorite vacay destinations!

[@voodoogcarlos4393]

For Polishing only. Music Nomad Frine and Fret Guard with Dremel and Cloth polishing wheel. Fast and does not take metal away. Most people have a Dremel or equivalent. Gorgomite is ok but more like Steel Wool without the mess. Erasers and the others take off too much material. I level, crown, dress all my guitars and have a small community of guitarists I do that for. They all come back for the same treatment. Buttery smooth frets that look like jewelry. Great video.

[@olivier883]

And that's the type of content I'm subscribing for ! Well done Phil !

[@t3hgir]

I got the Music Nomad kit and cleaned up my Dad's American strat. Man what a difference!

[@dangreving1094]

You rock.. can you talk to my son ha.

[@matrixmirage2148]

_,,Wipe down _*_THIS!!!_*_ "_ **grabs crotch** (Walter Hartwell White, Breaking Bad, 2008) Just kidding 😄

[@awesomearizona-dino]

I cant play guitar at all, but i love this channel and learning a lot.

[@oldskipper1394]

Oddly enough, I just did one of my guitars today! I generally do the frets when I change the strings. Today I used Gorgomyte because I have it and I'm trying to use it up. What I found a while ago is that virtually any automotive aluminium or chrome polish will work great, and you'll get far more product for your money. You can also use auto paint polish. I found this out when I sanded and polished out a 10 inch long scratch on the upper bout of one of my Strats. I was using Meguiars Ultimate Compound to remove the fine scratches from sanding it out, and decided to try it on the frets. It worked great! The advantage, in my mind, is that I have one product that covers two things. Taking fine scratches out of my finish, and polishing my frets. It also did wonders for my finished maple finger board. For $15-20 bucks for a 15.2 ounce bottle, I don't think you'll find a better bargain. In fact, you may need to buy more guitars just to use it all up in one lifetime.

[@scaredycat8685]

Music nomad makes great stuff. Always clean my guitars with their cleaners and polish

[@MusicNomadCare]

Great video Phil!! Thanks for including us!

[@mordokch]

When I want to clean my frets I just play 'em some yoko ono - scares the crud right off them in no time ! Of course there's an obvious down side to this method.

[@MattSmithMe]

You win the Internet.

[@martin-1965]

In the days before CDs and even blessed Spotify, I had to play "Double Fantasy" on vinyl, having to jump up at the end of each track to physically skip the Yoko tracks. This was increasingly hard as the alcohol and - ahem - other substances kicked in over an evening. I had a few cats slit their own throats as a result of accidentally playing a Yoko track. In some cases the police were called.... Then I just recorded all the John Lennon tracks quite sensibly onto a cassette tape (hey kids, ask your grandparents) and then no more cat deaths, no more police, no more tears and blood pouring from eardrums. I often wonder if Mark Chapman listened to a Yoko Ono track before he was driven insane enough to murder one of our all time greatest songwriters? It makes as much sense as anything I've heard so far. Oh and I just use a fretguard and various grades of micromesh papers to clean my frets. I couldn't inflict Yoko on my guitars. They are the love of my life.

[@Mr.SeymourButts]

I don't know you but I already know I like you

[@carlhungus2521]

Wow. You owe me a small ice caramel latte that just came out of my nose upon sudden and extreme laughter

[@carlosalves4444]

Lol, It probably cleans out all the ear wax build up too, like a 2 for 1😂

[@rogerblack4603]

A nail buffer block works Ok too. You might even be able to “borrow” one... Really like these types of videos Phil

[@shaunw9270]

Yeah , that works . I tried it out on cheap guitars years ago to make sure and haven't a problem using them with care on my better instruments.

[@deltarider99]

Big fan of the music nomad. Great for a beginner!

[@gregmullins6927]

Excellent comparison Phil,I tape off my fingerboard and use Autosol (metal cleaner) then Finger Ease the frets have a mirror shine and feel great.

[@johnwindsor9069]

I use Nevr-Dull wadding metal polish. For $9 at Walmart, a whole container will last for years. It shines, and polishes the frets to a mirror shine.

[@adrianpineda3346]

Me too

[@jeffvargo1068]

Phill you forgot one....and you introduced me to it....Micro Mesh pads...they work great ..no more steel wool shavings all over the guitar.. I start with 1500 than 3600 than 8000 or 12000 to finish. Great shiny and slick as ice.

[@eric_in_florida]

Gorgomyte fan here, never saw a reason to switch. May try the Miracle Cloth tho.

[@Valkanry]

I use that too! I mostly use it for the fretboard. I'm now realizing I should be doing the frets when needed as well

[@AsianDinner]

Buying sandpaper from stew mac is like buying candy at the checkout. (Overpriced)

[@rogerrussian9750]

Most goods from Stew mac are overpriced, every time I get to the checkout the shipping cost to Australia kills me so I don't end up buying anything.

[@AsianDinner]

Agreed! but to stew mac's credit, they do have a few tools that just can't be outdone, like the nut slotting files and neck shims.

[@martinkrauser4029]

@Stratman 74 you realize that they don't actually get to keep the money for shipping, right?

[@rogerrussian9750]

@@AsianDinner Agreed back to you my friend, yep you're right sometimes you have to bight the bullet coz stew mac might be the only guys in the world that have what you need. The thing that drives me mad is I bought one only "flatwork" kit from a UK seller, with postage it was AUD $20 then of course I found the same on AliExpress a few days later, a pack of THREE for AUD $13 including postage !

[@InGrindWeCrust2010]

@@AsianDinner the neck shims are A++. The nut files are great but I found a set of Japanese files that are even better and cost about the same.

[@axesandelbows414]

Every time I check out this channel I learn something new and useful! Thanks Phil! Keep Rocking!!

[@danepaulstewart8464]

EXCELLENT VIDEO! ⭐️⭐️ Super informative. ⭐️⭐️ The only thing not covered is using a Dremmel tool with the buffing tip with some polishing paste on it. This method works about as well as any, and is about ten times faster to finish a whole neck with.

[@taimurchoudhry.]

What a great video! Thank you so much for all the effort and a complete thorough comparison. You should try the frine polish with a dremel. Starting from the lowest rpm all the way up in gradual increments. I think the result will surprise you. Have a lovely day.

[@Robbie28]

I know this is an older video, and you will probably never see it, but I gotta say it. I come to you whenever i want to see what might work best for stuff like this (and quite a few other things too). I know you will give the no BS details and I have alot of trust in your opinion. Thank you

[@wenjacklow]

Thanks Phil. Would love a video on rounding fret edges with micro mesh!

[@troyspencer712]

1st video fr the new space? I appreciate these comparison videos for tools as I am a novice to guitar and upkeep. Money saved for best for money tools and doing it myself puts more money in the new guitar fund.

[@jim.missywyant.kennedy2334]

Loved the video. The more opinions on these products there are the better. There might not be a huge demand for this type of content right now but vids like this will be relevant forever. Thanks

[@jpezzy-3653]

Nice vid, I’ve always taped my fretboard and used a fret guard with Nevr-Dull wadding, and then buff it off

[@Jointlock]

Love the SM fret erasers. Try turning them 90degrees (long way pointing to headstock and p/ups) and go up and down without tape. Works great, super quick and no mess. Also works great for polishing small friction surfaces on firearms to speed up break in.

[@kurtz1993]

Why is it that when I look for something guitar related your channel is the one that has the content right away? You rock, Phillip. Thanks for all of the information I've gotten from you!

[@TheRollscanhardly]

Stew mac pulled a fast one on the small guy. Gorgomyte has been around forever and if I recall the only place you could get was from Gorgomyte themselves or Stew mac. Nowhere else had it. Good on Stew mac on saving us money AND selling the other guys product too. Great video Phil, Thanks.

[@emmawebber9438]

Great comparisson test, Phillip. Thank you, and best wishes from th U.K.

[@kevinogorman7561]

Hey Phil, have you ever tried using a leather strop after polishing? The concept is similar to chefs who sharpen their knives. The leather strop actually helps smooth and compound the metal at a microscopic level, making it more resistant to wear. I started doing this after every polish and frets come out incredibly smooth. I've even used a leather strop to smooth rough fret ends. Just thought I'd share.

[@markmiwurdz202]

You may already know this. Back in the old days barbers used cut-throat razors to shave their customers. The barber would dress/hone the razor blade on a leather strop that was usually hanging at the back of the barbers chair.

[@demokraatti]

A pure leather strop is kinda slow. Puffing compound on a leather strop speeds things up.

[@kevinogorman7561]

@@demokraatti I use the strop as a finisher. Not to fully polish the frets.

[@rickhammel9541]

I do the same thing! 0000 steel wool followed by a polish with a piece of leather hide, works great!

[@bdaquatics7584]

Brooo! I just polished my frets with the frine polish! I got a little buffer adapter for my dremmal and it worked pretty good. No complaints

[@shawnadams1693]

I’ve read concerns about frets “overheating” and coming loose from dremel polishing. Have you experienced that at all? Have you done stainless steel frets?

[@shawnadams1693]

@@6nosis 😂 Thanks man. I ended up using a Dremel and the frets got warm, but I’d move to the next one before they got hot. Came out great.

[@SiggyMe]

This was a very informational needed video. Everyone should learn to do at least this level of maintenance of their guitars as way to be familiar with the health of their instrument. Finally, for me its a good feeling knowing when I see those polish frets it was from my work. Good one! Thanks!

[@jacobpittman1996]

I enjoyed your comparison demo. Thank you for throwing in the money to bring this to us.

[@Crypticmaskguitar]

In all honesty, AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME video, this will help so so many people and your honesty truly goes along way, once again great video and hope to see much more, would like to see you do a video on polishes and explaining what finishes benefit from what polishes and how to safely clean finishes according to type of finish (NITRO/POLY etc) Love the channel, Again Awesome Video. Hope All Is Well - Kevin

[@Jagvillboienhatt]

I'm also using the same type of steel wool to remove gunk and finger residue from the fretboard before putting on fretboard conditioner.

[@phillipewing2406]

Dude, I have to say that I've been a guitarist since 1977 and the only things that I've ever done was simple set ups and, on occasion, change pups. I've subscribed to your channel and I must say that you've inspired me to advance out of my comfort level. I've ordered, thru Stewmac, the 6 different grit polishing papers and misc other tools, via Sweetwater ( Christ Stewmac is pricey ), to take care of my frets, which I've never done. Thank you for educating me on these things.

[@7Kithara]

Nice video Phil. I just started using Frine. I like it the best of all the methods I have tried. Keep up the great content man! Looking forward to the podcast Friday.

[@Grandpa.Dan8881]

Really nice video. I shared it in my face book group.(Grandpa Dan's Precision Guitar Works) Thanks for taking the time and money to put it all together. Please keep this kind of videos coming...

[@skateandfingerboard1]

How do people not find these types of videos exciting?!?

[@anthonysclafani3963]

great video Phil, excellent topic and to the point with no BS. This is why we subscribe. Thanks for all your great videos, you've taught me a lot :)

[@Snek03]

Man, thanks so much for this videos! I have spent days researching al of these products until i came across your video! It included everything I wanted to know. I wish I had found it sooner. lol

[@MrTennisgolf]

Great comparison. I just ordered the Music Nomad Total Fretboard Care kit that also includes the F1 fretboard conditioner for about $25. I’m glad to see that the fret polisher works so well.

[@robesparza82]

Awesome informative video Phil! I bought the 2,000 to 10,000 grit sandpaper from Amazon. I regret not taking before and after pics. I inherited a 2002 Goldtop LP that's been in its case since 2006!

[@jasonmoore4060]

I’m repairing a burnt Warwick corvette looking for advice great vid as usual

[@sonyatafolla1674]

I THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! I'm a beginner, trying to learn about the instrument I've loved all my life! Overwhelming & intimidating at first, little bits coming together making sense helps me a lot! You break it down so it doesn't seem so scary! Helps me a lot!👍🎸

[@jarodreddig63]

Thanks for doing this video Phillip. Very helpful. I had only used the MusicNomad Frine system before.

[@tobiasryan8378]

Phil, I love watching these types of videos. I didn't even think about anything other than steel wool, and now I've got a few things to check out. Thanks for your hard work buddy!

[@senseiruss]

Phillip - thanks for this really helpful video. I took your advice about "for the long haul" and bought the StewMac Fret Erasers. Although cleaning/polishing is not a very exciting subject, it's such a valuable video for so many of us guitar owners. Molto Grazie!

[@georgepapo9771]

I've been playing a JS12 dinky for 3 years now and I really needed this. Great video

[@RainytheNB]

Yeah, the cheaper jackson guitars have terrible fretwork stock.

[@roadrunnerplaying]

That’s pretty useful, I’ve just bought a Harley Benton with pretty rough frets, so I’ll use one of the solutions

[@JanetGraceMuse]

Thank you so much for this review. It was excellent. You answered every question I had before I made my purchase. I appreciate you for sharing your knowledge, time and for teaching the world. Much success.

[@michael_caz_nyc]

I just did ( both ) my Suhr strat & Taylor 414ce-R with the Music Nomad frine-kit and they came out Fantastic. Bending notes are a breeze. I also try to use fret-guards whenever possible.

[@vocalion9519]

Great video. It looks like there is a real opportunity for someone to introduce fretguards that clamp onto a guitar neck like a capo so that the hand that not doing the polishing doesn't have to both hold the fretguard and ensure that the neck does not move.

[@garycrouse1918]

good way to sharpen scissors too phil cutting the 3m sheets lol nice vid thx

[@NighthawkEnforcer]

A while back I bought a headlight restoration kit from Rain X to polish and restore the headlights on my truck. It was $11. Came with 3 grits of micro mesh sanding blocks, a micro fiber cloth, and a huge tube of polish. That’s what I’m using now for fret cleaning.

[@alanthew6490]

Great video, good to see a comparison of how the systems work and it looks like a combination of a couple is best. I’ve gone for the 3m sheets and the little orange patches. I already have fret guards. No Stewmac in the UK so I’ve gone to small local shops.

[@tomknight1821]

Cheers Phil .... we all have to start sometime and this has certainly opened my eyes ... appreciate the time and effort 👍👏👏👏👏👏

[@angrytroll27]

the 3m sheets are the best n no mess!!! love them n cant recommend them enough!

[@tchiksguitars]

The video I've been waiting for during my whole (short) guitar making carrier. Thank you ! I was relieved that the fret erasers weren't last in the ranking

[@demian113]

Thanks for this video Phil! EXACTLY what I needed. I used the miracle cloth to clean, then the micro mesh to polish. I'm ashamed to admit I've never bothered polishing frets. I always clean the fretboard and treat with lemon oil, but never polished the frets. It made an astonishing difference in feel and playability afterwards. Also it's incredible seeing how much dirt and tarnish comes off on the cloth. I wish I would've known this years ago!

[@rickjames5150]

Knowing your gear is life

[@shawnkhan2901]

Great video. Super valuable insight. Thanks Phillip!

[@DennisJPolson]

Great video! Also, I really like the new shop area you told us about on the Live Stream! 👍

[@blessedheavyelements8544]

Thank You Very Much for this! I was going to order some more Gorgomyte but I think I will do with Miracle Cloth and the 3M cloths and a fret guard. You did us all a great service by doing the hard work and letting us take advantage. Best Regards and Best Wishes!

[@Satchafunkilus]

I've traditionally used the steel wool, finest grade but now going to the erasers!

[@frogbastard]

To polish frets I use Mothers Mag and aluminum polish.It gives a great shine to the frets and has just the right amount of grit to give a beautiful finish to them.

[@barryprovost4597]

Literally came to my same conclusion, I use the mesh sheets to clear away scraping and finish off with Gorgamyte. I’ve been using Gorgamyte for years for not only for the frets but it works great on non-maple fretboards as well! Now I need to check out the Miracle cloth and save a few bucks, thanks for putting this up Phil!

[@ejorbe]

That is funny, I was just cleaning the frets on a friend’s guitar and they were gross. Tarnished and dirty, so I used the 0000 steel wool with the Music Nomad fret guards, then I used the Frine fret cleaner and they turned out very nice. Now, I am going to look into the 3M and the micro mesh. I also looked up one of your older videos on how to lock the strings on the tuners. Thanks for all the great videos, they help out very much!

[@jimaronson2323]

Excellent video. I like videos like this as I'm still learning how to care for my gear properly. This gave me what I need to buy for fret polishing/cleaning. Thanks.

[@thexnewyorker7284]

Great info. I picked up the erasers .

[@andyp4851]

Thanks Phil

[@BradColemanisHere]

Workshop looks great! Thanks for the review. I was due to buy another polisher and now I know what I'll get.

[@BILLYBOBSTUNES]

Thanks as always for a great comparison. You Rock brother 👍🇺🇲🏁

[@beergood4me]

Very helpful. Just wish I looked it up before I picked up the Dunlop kit. But it was cheaper and now comes with 2 sheets. Also bought local. Cheers.

[@drkoontz]

Thank you for making the Top 10 Fret Polishing Systems video, very informative . Your video gave a great overview of all of these products and have made it easier for me to purchase these products.

[@JohnOhkumaThiel]

The D’Addario template is fine for people like me who had never polished frets before, I’d say three times max, but the proper tool is so cheap and lasts forever. Still, the polishing sheets are awesome. A dremel tool with a polishing wheel will certainly do the trick too.

[@saschaschneider6355]

As for the dremel: yes, it will, but be aware that it might heat up the frets, so don't run it at full speed and keep it moving constantly as to not overheat the fret else it might come loose

[@heymrguitarman7637]

I use a Dremel polishing wheel and some compound. Nothing comes close to that method but I appreciate you have a lot more money in that method. Also you have to be a bit careful not to heat the fret too much but really it's harder to cause issue than not. Also to add I use steel wool first, but 0000 steel wool alone isn't even close to the dremel and polish finish

[@shawnadams1693]

Have you done stainless steel frets?

[@gdaddychuck]

Lately, I notice you mention how or why you do or do not make a video as you did in this one. I have only been working on guitars for just over a year and have learned a lot from your sharpen your ax videos, listening to your Q&A's as well as the Know your Gear videos. As I read through many of the comments it is obvious there's a lot of ways to go about cleaning and conditioning a fretboard and polish the fret wires. I personally have used almost all of the methods demonstrated in the video, but not the products. I just ordered the erasers based on your recommendation. I have found that spraying a light mist of Murphy's oil soap on the board and use the 0000 steel wool to loosen up the dirt and grime on the board and wires by quickly running up and down the board then quickly between the wires and I use a shop rag to wipe off the dirt and grime and I apply a fair amount of pressure to go over the wires. Once dry I use fret guards and I apply some Mothers Mag wheel compound on each wire with a huge cotton swab auto detailers use. I found them at an auto parts store (O'Reillys) when I get finished putting on the compound, I go back to the top and get another swab and go over each wire as you have with the products. I sometimes will spend an hour or more just on the fretboard and will use a dozen swabs if the board hasn't been cleaned in a long time. usually, 3 passes with swabs get the job done. Then I use an eyeglass cleaning towel that I have been using from the beginning that is soaked with Formula 65 lemon oil and rarely have to add more to the rag and go over the board, I recently have started using an orbital buffer and I have a bonnet just for the board and I run the buffer over the wires a few times and BAMMMMM... shine E frets!

[@PupsMcDougal]

Thanks for this video I was literally thinking about this topic today and was going to look up how to polish my frets.

[@kistophe]

Great video. Straight to the point and really thorough.

[@bluephoenix3865]

I finally got one of those fret polishes now I can finally clean my first guitar that I got when I started picking up guitar

[@place_desjardins]

Nice video. I had bought the Music Nomad kit a couple weeks ago. To note, the fret guards don't fit on 23rd and 24th frets for a 24 fret guitar so you'll have to tape those. The Frine polish cream is not abrasive, so you'll need to polish a fret with more than one application if it is very dirty.

[@frtlzr_official]

Great comparison Phil!!! We love your content 😎👍👍👍

[@BrianSGuitars]

I use MAAS fine metal polish, and the cloth buffing wheel on my Dremel. A tube will last a lifetime. It's for gold and silver, so you can feel safe using it on nickel or stainless. I tape the board to protect it. Spread a dab of the the cream on the frets with a Q-tip, then buff them with the Dremel. Wipe clean with a microfiber cloth - super slick and shiny frets! Takes longer to tape the board than do the job.

[@yugenmoira5572]

That intro was fire

[@WardWickford]

Great video. After watching, I ended up purchasing and used the Lizard spit. It worked great. I ended up using half of the polishing pads because the frets on my guitar were so filthy, and I have the other half of them to do another guitar. I regret not taking before and after pix of the frets to show what a difference the lizard spit made!

[@terrysmith8714]

Great video. Thank you. . Just a note, I have only polished 2 guitars, I used Mothers metal polish with a Dremel white soft polishing wheel. Came out nice. Cheers

[@WattchomanBrandySavage]

awesome. I'll have to try the 3M sheets the next time it comes to polishing up my frets.

[@jmustang2000]

Frine works good on hardware, like bridges and tailpieces as well. . Always like trying something new but trusty ole steel wool and a bit of metal polish usually does the trick.

[@ghalsor]

The Miracle Cloth is no joke. I bought it after seeing this video and it exceeded expectations, almost to the point of me thinking there is a chemical reaction making the cloth black upon contact with metal. It did a great job and cleaned up the frets nicely. Amazon 2 pack FTW.

[@bschaeffer4432]

Lizard Spit is the BOMB...2 frets per pad👍🏻👍🏻😊😊

[@raybbj]

I have 15 guitars/bass and 0000 steel wool has served me just fine. One bag for $4 will last a lifetime (plus a $4 fretguard from Amazon) or make your own fretguards out of an old beer can.

[@biglar769]

This was awesome Phil. I've been looking for something to clean my frets and this video will help me decide.

[@TheMetaldudeX]

Love this kind of video. Would love to see a fret board oil comparison.

[@b.rodclark7349]

Steel wool and alcohol prep pads work for me just as good as well as Nevr-Dull chrome polish which impressed me the most..

[@0s0n3gr0]

Thanks much and using your advise.

[@seniordh500]

🦎Lizard spits 🦎 And a buffer on my Dremel.. Omg frets like glass 👍

[@shawnadams1693]

I’ve read concerns about frets “overheating” and coming loose from dremel polishing. Have you experienced that at all? Have you done stainless steel frets?

[@seniordh500]

@@shawnadams1693 No sir I've never had any issues. Protect your fret board of course and go back and forth a few times not leaving dremel in one spot 👍

[@shawnadams1693]

@@seniordh500 Awesome, thanks!