Working with Stainless Steel Frets

[@ronmiller7916]

Here's my tip. Set aside 3 1 hour periods in a day and pull 1/3 of the frets in each period, then put the guitar down and walk away. If you don't, you will tend to rush and get chips in that beautiful rosewood. After 6 regrets, this is now what I do.

[@richymart]

Best tip ever.

[@matthewhumphrey1811]

Regrets or refrets?

[@YesuAiNimen]

fantastic advice

[@Wilbafarce]

Refrets, I've had a few....

[@michaelsmith9544]

Did my first refret recently. Guitar I bought was a total loss so I decided to learn. I bought stew Mac puller and nippers. Foam sanding pads 320-3500. Fret guru file. Radius aluminum block. Rubber mallet. Pre cut pre radius stainless steel frets and a soldering iron. I actually enjoyed doing it very much. I did put layer of oil on the fretboard before doing anything and it seems to have helped. Even though my neck is unusable it was good practice. You can buy a cheap neck to practice on for 30-50 bucks. Wire is cheap I think I paid 20 bucks for 25 pre cut frets. I have a zero fret guitar. I'm glad I tackled the job and learned a new skill. Thanks to many KZbinrs including yourself I was able to complete this job. Thanks.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Hosco do a set of SS frets, pre cut and tanged, used some for one of my own projects and very pleased with the quality.

[@glenben92]

When you're pulling frets, you should think of the nippers like a pair of wedges we drive under the fret from each side. Keep the head of them pressed against the board as you squeeze, that way their outer face is always supporting the wood to minimise chip-out and the angle on the inner edge of the nippers (the bit contacting the underside of the fret) lifts the fret as you squeeze in. The oiling the board beforehand is an interesting one, I can see an argument for and against this. The moisture certainly should make the wood fibres more forgiving but the problem is that hydrated wood expands as it absorbs the oil, and tightens up the fret slots because of it. A good practice is to tighten the truss beforehand to backbow the neck, this splays the slots out a little and helps with clearance. I personally want it dry and splayed for removal, dry and flat for installation and then immediately oil the board once they're all seated to expand the fibres around the tangs.

[@steveg7368]

I keep finding the odd vid I've not seem, enjoy them all for their information and tips, but also for how you entertain us. Yes, Chris Alsop has some great tools and stuff, highly recommend him. Keep these coming Dave, you are brilliant !

[@cgavin1]

I just put SS on my gibson lp after 7 years of playing on stubs. Wow three things instantly worthy of note: 1. Bending is much easier and more consistent vibrato is possible. 2. I play with a much lighter touch, so I can get to the end of a set and actually want to keep going. I'm getting old so that is massive for me. 3. You know how lovely a new guitar feels? You know how that vanishes in 2-3 months as you wear the crowns off your frets and it becomes heavier feeling, more and more tiring, less precise, poorer and poorer intonation? Especially as we all play the same stuff in the same spots. Well, SS frets = new guitar day every day! Every note in every position is perfectly intonated. Can't over-emphasise how huge of a difference that is. All these years I've started wanting a new guitar after 6 months, I strongly suspect was because what I actually wanted was that 'new guitar' feeling back. Derp. Seriously can't recommend SS enough.

[@MICKEYISLOWD]

Great comment. I'm putting SS frets in my Gibson M-III Ebony guitar. I can't wait to feel the results. The M-III is Gibson's best design I think. Super comfy Super Strat with a beautiful asymmetrical shape.

[@MICKEYISLOWD]

I have a Gibson M-III ebony which is the sexiest most beautiful guitar Gibson ever made. Reverse headstock, asymmetrical body with long horns and perfect cut-aways. The frets are knackered and I am having it changed to a compound radius with SS frets and a new Schaller trem fitted. I have never had SS frets in my guitars before but played an ESP with SS frets and the bends felt amazing also loved the feel of the much harder material from the frets. It will cost me a fair price to have this work done but the guitar is so phenomenal sounding I just have to have these improvements made. The frets in it now measure around 9" radius because the frets were carved much rounder than the fretboard however I want a 12-18" radius and so I will have the bridge saddles flattened out to accommodate this flat feel also. I hate shims under the saddles so I will just file the center two saddles to flatten out this way.

[@judgegroovyman]

Im glad you pointed that out about how ss frets feel like a new guitar. That helps me think about things in a different light. Thanks!

[@cgavin1]

@@judgegroovyman Two years later and I now only have one that one guitar. I sold the rest. Its still new guitar day every day! If you're thinking of DIY'ing a cheap guitar to see if you dig it, I strongly recommend doing so.

[@justinpaquette224]

I just did my first stainless refret and used 400, 800, 1000, 3000 grit sand paper and then a 8000 fret rubber. These frets are like glass. I think its totally forth it to put in an extra hour or so, to get the frets super smooth. It really makes bends extra nice

[@strivingx67]

You are one of the few posters I will immediately hit the like on. Always real, always entertaining. For whatever reason you remind me a bit of Nigel Tufnel (Spinal Tap), and I say that with the highest respect Dave! Great video.

[@kabesmusicfinland]

34:11 and totally worth to watch! This is one of the best videos i've seen for a long time, thank you. Not too serious and very fun to watch. Keep it going and cheers from Finland! :D

[@ralflauge7965]

Dave, I love your videos, and the way you are, completly down to Earth.

[@KnockAndAskToday]

Love your work Dave. A great channel with a down to earth normal guy host for people who love guitars and amps, love to rock, don't have a lot of money and don't get excited about some kid demoing this weeks new $200-800 pedal for a kickback from the manufacturer. Keep it up Dave.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Thanks dude :)

[@Sertao2013]

At 17:12 the Grover caps expose the tightening screw . If you notice when your tuning the guitar the tuner is to easy to turn and the strings won't stay in tune then give that screw you see a little tightening .

[@DelThompson]

Thank you for making this great video! I need to replace a couple of frets on my acoustic and think I can do it now without messing up my guitar.

[@DS-yg4qs]

Nice fret job, nice playing.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Please subscribe as I got lots more to share with you about this :)

[@p.t.itroyharrell5846]

Right on bro! Down to earth explanation on how to do this. Bomb

[@Darkwell0071]

Nice work !! Love the nippers and hot iron, Dremmel, eyeing the bend, cut the tang, glue, bang it home, shape it with the file. Everyman job thank you very much.

[@barakah856]

Greg at Aperio Guitar in Georgia (USA) does an amazing job with SS refretting. It's all he does. You can ship your neck or whole guitar. Stainless is the best, you'll never go back to alloy.

[@beasz1974]

i got my charvel d24 neck done by him last week... i am sending him my Ibanez neck tommorrow .. mad skills and down to earth guy

[@DMoots]

Thanks for the informative video Dave. You made fret work feel much more accessible than other videos I've seen. Planning on trying this on an old Ibanez soon

[@rodrigocastro7651]

Wow amazing job stainless steel frets are the best !!!!! Congratulations !!!!!!!

[@allenwoody5909]

Love your no pretense attitude, thanks for being genuine. I did my first refret about a month ago on a '99 Squire Standard Strat. It's one of those guitars that feels like your baby when you hold it. The fun for me is making my own tools (plus I can;t afford to buy them) nut file from feeler gauges, fret bender for radius, etc.. I did buy a fret seating caul from Stewmac. I can't hardly imagine tackling stainless steel, I would def have to invest in some proper tools. Great job all round on the Epi. WooHoo.

[@TheAxe4Ever]

A do-it-yourselfer. Nice! If you plan ahead, think of what you need, think about the job, and TAKE YOUR TIME, a re-fret job is not that difficult. Tedious, yes. Impossible, no. Crackin’ good job!

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Please subscribe as I got lots more to share with you about this :)

[@Slugg-O]

Great DIY video. I have a Squire Strat that I bought to use as a test mule for different mods and setups so I don't screw up my other Strats. I like the idea of SS frets and after seeing your video I'm ready to try this on the Squire. I paid $40 for it so the learning experience will be worth the risk. Who knows. That Squire SE might turn out great with good frets and new electronics. Thanks man!

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Go for it :)

[@blackfender100]

You are so correct Dave.I am 57 years old and I have re-fretted Maybe 5 guitars and yes everybody and their uncle has their special method LOL.

[@HorrorMonsterCollectibles]

Loved this! Thanks for the confidence inspiring video! I may tackle mine myself.

[@ShredRexGuitar]

I have changed all my guitars to stainless steel frets, 5 in total. Won't buy another without them again. I used my Dremel to cut them, easier and I was able to get super close to the edge of the fretboard making filing much easier. Great vid dude hopefully it inspires more to attempt it.

[@pinballrobbie]

I use a cut off disc also and cut within 1.5 mm of the finished size, I can't understand why the pro's don't do this.

[@KerryLiv]

OK, I'm diving in head first. Not only have I found a solution to my thin-fretted, worn out PRS, but feel like I ran across a good friend across the pond, thanks!

[@57stratkat]

Good, informative video. Thanks! The one thing that I do differently is that when putting in the frets, I set them flush on one side of the neck. That way I only have to do minimal filing on that side of the neck.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Great tip!

[@smithjon71]

Dave thanks for this. You gave me the kick up the a**e I needed to sort my old Telecaster out. Bought the tools you recommended (Chris Alsop owes you a pint) and the fretwire you listed. Going like a charm so far :) I made my own fretwire bender out of 15 large washers, 8 medium washers and 3 M8 bolts and extra nuts from a hardware shop. From your accent I would guess you ain't too far so if I ever get the chance will also get you a pint. Cheer mate.

[@hm3426]

Great video. I have been messing with fretting guitars myself. I see you used glue. I use it, too. But the way I do it is that, I put the fret in enough to leave a gap. Then, I put the 20 medium super glue on each side of the fret. Then, I finish hammering them in. Then, wipe the excess out. If you have to take them out again there is no problems. Because the glue ain't in the slot. I have done that for 5 years. I have fret a guitar like 4 time practicing. And the fingerboard doesn't get damaged. All I have to do is sand the old glue sitting at the edge of the slots. I love stainless steal fret. It produces a great clean sound. Great job on the frets.

[@MICKEYISLOWD]

A good way to get scratches out is to go up in grades of paper from say 400 to 600, 800 1200 1400 and then transfer to micro git pads which are on a foam backing all the way up to 10,000. You will never get scratches out if you go to wire wool from say 400 grit because you polish the high points but miss the low grooves or deeper scratch marks. Also the end result going through all these papers and pads leaves a flawless looking mirror finish and so bending strings feels effortless if you want the feel of this also your frets will stay mirror like for a very long time. The micro pads go up to 14,000 or more so with some cutting paste or metal polish does a better job than even the finest wire wool. Going through all the grades of papers and pads doesn't take anywhere near as long as you might initially think so it is well worth doing. As for getting the edges filed down there is a tool from Stew Mac that gives you a good angle which is pretty steep so you get a very consistent result avoiding shallow angles which looks and plays awful when its like 45 degrees ect. I have never done stainless frets myself but in both cases when crowning using a fret file I mark off with the felt tip pen and then crown carefully until just a very fine line is left over in the center and this being your highest point, then go through the grades for polishing out scratches:)

[@normsky5504]

Also never use wire wool near pick-ups.

[@JoeAmaral427]

Good video about regretting. Thanks from California USA

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Refretting

[@mikew2256]

Thank you. This is possibly one of the best re-fretting vids I've seen. This is what it's really like to do your own re-fret!

[@BretAmes]

Thank You Soooo Much Dave. I bought those Tools (Cutter and Fret Puller) and They are Excellent! I couldn't cut the SS fret ends off with cutting wheels, so I thought it's time to try the Cutter you recommended. Should have tried that first, because it's cuts through the fret ends like Butter. I could have done it with one hand. Thank You for giving us the Link to the Suppliers :) :) :) God Bless You Mate. Great Channel.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Please subscribe as I got lots more to share with you about this :)

[@pcbullets8726]

Well done Dave! I may give this a try with a one of my old beater guitars, cheers!

[@timfletch]

That epi has turned into a pure beast! Love it

[@trueworld3857]

Great vid thanks for taking the time out to produce the vid.

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Very cool man.. I am waiting on a Stainless fretted guitar neck for my strat from Warmoth and I wanted to see how you leveled them and finished them.. I might try to do a whole neck later on a cheap neck! Thanks man.. Rock on ! Regards from the Heartland of the USA. Indiana. USA Tim

[@jonathanhandsmusic]

SS frets are hard to work with. I am reinstalling one ss fret on a Strat neck. I saw a stewmac video where the guy used super glue, he put wax on the fretboard so the glue would just wipe off. Then with the fret installed he put a thin strip along the edges. Seems to work well. You did a good job man. I'm nervous about doing it myself but I still am going to try.

[@jeffreybuckingham3782]

Bravo! Nicely done. I don't care how many refrets one has done, the undercut for binding always proves to be a challenge, You handled it very well. I would suggest purchasing a fret tang nipper, a fret beveling file, and a fret end dressing file. Once again, nicely done, Mate!

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Please subscribe as I got lots more to share with you about this :)

[@pda49184]

Nice one Dave... A working mans guide to re-fretting and avoiding being talked out of stainless frets and still being ripped-off. Question : Why do guitar companies (Gibson-Fender-PRS etc), still only use standard fret wire ? CNC/mass production methods these days would only push up the price by a few quid ! Thanks for the video Dave.. Keep on rockin bro...

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Cost, SS can put quite a bit of strain on tools. PRS use very hard nickel so top marks for them. Suhr use SS on all there guitars as stock these days.

[@pda49184]

@@DaveBarlowGuitar That's interesting Dave.. Seems to have taken them long enough.. I purchased a stainless steel fretted neck from Warmoth back in 1990 ...I also had a top of the range PRS (they were only made in the USA back then), and that needed a refret after 18 months. My experience is that SS frets give your sound more clarity & definition..That 1990 Strat style neck I got is still going strong and is still a few years away from a refret, be it I gave it a fret dress about a year ago. Here we are in 2019 and still need to use a fret system on our axes that's over 200 years old ! A bit like our political system ... WTF ? 😁

[@chrisjeneson5091]

Looks like a very good job Dave, that stainless is tough stuff. Think I will have a go at my old Les Paul after watching this! Thanks.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Practice on a cheap guitar first :)

[@markfisher2282]

Hi Dave. I have a 71 SG that has extremely low frets. Being a 71, I`m relutant to do it and waiting to peractice on my other low fretted guitars. A korean PRS will be the first. Like you said. I am watching as many YT fret jobs as I can find first. It`s helping to see an at home hippie like myself installing stainless frets to boot. Nice clean job on the board when extracting. Was that your stomach growling I heard? Putting off lunch to get er done eh? A true rocker. Very nice Explorer.

[@guitarocd9984]

A wider level might be helpful when leveling. I didn't get a sense of how much more work it was because of the stainless steel. Assuming there was more work.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

I left nothing out of this video :)

[@JeffBarberDigideus]

This is pretty cool for someone who has never done a fret job. The problem with Stainless Steel is that it gets harder the more you work it! Diamond files are the way to go with Stainless. prepare to spend a lot on tools! nice work dude!

[@JamesKruseArtist]

Well damn! Dude you can play! Great instruction, I’m attempting my first stainless steel fret job myself I really like the tip on oiling the fretboard first, thanks man

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Thanks mate :)

[@TyphonKrazilec]

The first neck I built, I built with stainless steel frets because it seemed cool... It was painful, but I learned a lot ;)

[@owwillis]

I think you found your second job. Very nice.

[@McFlyGuitarsandStuff]

Good video.

[@ElJeffe_]

great video. Thanks!

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Glad you liked it!

[@thefuneralparade]

I'm going to be re-fretting my left-handed 7-string SG here coming up real soon.ivr got to get some tools first.i have some of the tools needed but am getting some fret pullers and a fret hammer an then some SS frets as well.i need to figure out what kind of glue he was using.

[@lasv155]

Great job brother 👏 👍 thank you for doing this video

[@JulioJustiniano]

Just bought a 86 Kramer Focus 3000, frets are microscopic, and the fretboard has been sanded enough where the side inlays below the 12th fret show a bit. Scored a Kramer neck for cheaper than a re-fret. So, eventually I'll try re-fretting it myself, and if it don't work out, I wont feel too bad. Still a solid neck even with its imperfections.

[@MisterAndrewBuckley]

Expect lots of free ice-cream from the Carter d'Or product placement. Nice production Very informative

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

product placement LOL

[@KeyMondYTGaming]

Just my 2 cents, i feel it is easier to tape a piece of 240 or 400 grit sandpaper on the base of the nut saddle, and put the nut there with the strings in tension a little bit just to keep the nut there, and move it back and forth. It will take a longer time, but you will not go overboard at all. But same procedure, keep checking in a minute or two intervals.

[@casperboo5465]

Great Video Dave, And Very Helpful, Cheers Mate,

[@JackdeDuCoeur]

Nice work, and very helpful and informative. Thanks.

[@paulyoung4781]

I have SS frets I used all grit sandpaper nightmare went through loads of it! Soon as I got myself a diamond fret level beam it did the job I 30mins frets all level,SS frets nightmare to level absolutely solid haha was my first time doing it with SS frets hopefully last away crown them today hopefully they will be good to me today haha!! Great video mate I'm so glad I got myself a file too for leveling I'll never go back to sandpaper again with SS frets 😂

[@Cigarsnguitars]

Just an idea, if you believe the frets are glued, take a single piece of cloth and place it over the neck. Place a clothes iron on top to heat up several frets at a time. Sure beats waiting on the soldering iron.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

I prefer to take it real slow when re fretting Barney :)

[@Raveehh]

@@DaveBarlowGuitar i just put my guitars in the fireplace. The frets drop right off!

[@idealmethod]

coss of you not only did i buy those locos but i am refretting a guitar now! hope you dont start jumping of bridges...

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

I'm releasing an EP on Wednesday :)

[@blessedheavyelements8544]

Fantastic job Dave. You had almost no tearout! Always save fretboard dust for filler in case big chips come out with the frets (fill and use superglue) or just for general repair. Cheers and Best Regards!@

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

That's a great idea!

[@ecorona21]

Took my guitar to a known local "Luthier" for a fret leveling and here I am... Evaluating if I´ll do ther re-fret my self or pay a guy +500USD to have it profesionally done, dont get me wrong I would be more than happy to pay him, his jobs are great but I dont have that kind of mony at the moment and cant justify the expense. You make it look so easy, most of what I read and saw in yt make it look like rocket science. Great vid man.

[@fenrir7969]

Awesome video as always! Good choice on using steel, I plan on using it for my 1st refret purely down to its durability. I don't care how difficult it is to work with, it's the finished result that matters to me. A tip for removing the nut, you can warm it up with a hair dryer which will soften the glue a bit, making it come out a little easier and reducing the risk of damage to the slot. Just don't get anything too hot, you don't want to melt it or burn your finish. Would recommend no string tension on the neck if you do this though, as I've heard of a technique that uses dry heat and tension to fix warped necks (although it does take a lot longer than removing a nut). You can also glue veneer in the nut slot to raise the height of an old nut or if you go too low on the new one. Might not be ideal for everyone but would save you having to buy a new nut and redoing it if that situation ever occurred. I'm going to go price up tools and fret wire now.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Good advice, thanks dude :)

[@sunnys3325]

I'm gna go practice on an old beat up Mighty Mite neck I have. It's my test neck.

[@strawman3059]

At least £100 in tools to get started, I made a notched straight edge, a fret rocker and a leveling beam from the stainless skip at work! Freebie 👍 Great job though not afraid to get stuck in!

[@cgavin1]

£130 if you get most of it off amazon uk (g&w mainly). Thats like half what a decent luthier charges for a fresh ser of nickel frets so imho its a no brainer. Nippers are consumable.. nbd.

[@michael_caz_nyc]

I have them on my Suhr SSS = Love em. I will try to eventually have them on all my guitars & bass . . . nothing like it.

[@ChrisFranklyn]

"Am I having fun... yeah, well, kind of" - I often get into that mode that far into a job. It was good to see this though, terrifying jobs normalised :)

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

yes its true, would rather be playing, however I cant trust local people to do this job properly. I have given fret jobs to so called professionals in the past and they dont have a feckin clue what they are doing, this is what makes me a bit frustrated from time to time. Perhaps this is why I am working very hard to get my amp and guitar hospital set up.

[@ChrisFranklyn]

Ah, well, there's always a gap in the market for a job done right!

[@zakklee2556]

Now that Fender has the strat American ultra luxe that has stainless steel frets...how much will they ask for just the neck?

[@RudeMoodBand]

Very good Dave...thanks!

[@lenduckworth99]

Thanks again Dave. I had always suspected this job wasn't brain surgery and turns out it's really doable. Will try it on my Cruiser by Crafter £15 guitar as the frets have always been a pain on that one.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Just been playing around with 25% nickel fretwire, nearly as hard as ss but easier to work with, try Sintoms E280140Fah

[@mrgooddeeds3115]

Wondering why you just didn’t take a fret saw and finish cutting the slots all the way through (?). Seems easier to do that than cutting the tangs. I’m not criticizing but sincerely wondering. Thanks for any advice.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

You have a good point and I now do that with all my guitars, however some customers prefer it as is,

[@mrgooddeeds3115]

Oh man thanks for responding. Really appreciate your videos.

[@donnyhall2535]

Keep all of the dust from sanding the fingerboard. So next regret you do, if there is tearout you can put the dust in after the fret is replaced. Then whick super glue into it and it will look natural. Sand and oil your board once the process is completed. Then you have a repair instead of maybe feeling a chip while playing. If you catch the edge of the fretboard, don't worry about it. It just help to roll the edges. Mark the frets that are high and pound them in some more. You may be able to seat them a little more. But always level, crown and polish after every refret. Just to save yourself the grief of getting all strung up and plugged in, then realizing that 1/2 the frets are buzzing.

[@aaronw447]

How about a syringe to get the glue into the slot? Dilute the glue a bit if necessary.

[@ecpasos]

Cool. I need me some of them frets

[@ezekgarcia930]

Congratulations! You did a good job, let me make you a question, what pliers do you use? It cuts Very good. Thanks.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Big fucking nippers LOL

[@flexmegalol8391]

I really love this explorer. looks awesome

[@Scion4600]

Great video! I do need to know how you go about the final polishing with Stainless Steel frets. You showed the tube of polishing compound, but are you polishing with a cloth? Dremel? Buffing wheel? I have frets in need of additional polishing to meet my satisfaction, and I'm just not getting there with the sandpaper options.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Try some wire wool then rumbber

[@cgavin1]

21:06 which is precicesly what they do in the Chinese factory. Hammer them in, nip off the ends, 1 lick with a file and bang it on down the line. 👍

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Them frets went in so well and the board was so level, cant believe the quality of epi's, they are so well built.

[@cgavin1]

@@DaveBarlowGuitar Hehe I wish I could say that was my experience also but I've had some consistently poor instruments from Epiphone alas. To be fair though, I often get them for pennies off ebay and gumtree and these are usually the sh@tters nobody wants.. BTW have you tried the new Marshall Origin? I picked up a 20 watt head for £249 new last week. Its absolutely banging through a 4x12. Stuck an NOS RFT ECC83 in V2. No pedals. It loves my Sheraton and Dots with the stock (rather awful) pickups. Just roll the bass all the way off.

[@ibanezrg320fm]

Man you're brave. I'm seriously thinking about doing this to my Ibanez RG320FM. I was quoted $600 to get this job done and besides the special tools I don't have, I can't believe that I couldn't do it myself. I love arts and crafts like this. You seem to use common sense when doing all of this which gives me hope that maybe I could do this too. Luckily for me, my frets do extend to the edge of the fretboard which I think might be easier than yours in that aspect. It's a daunting task for me because I've had this guitar new since 2003 and I've since added an original Edge Pro Bridge, Fishman Fluence pickups, Sperzel locking tuning keys, and literally every piece of hardware is new except the body and neck. It is a brutal sounding guitar I use in dropped C. Think I might do it. I love how common sense and open you are with this video. Is there anything you may have liked to do or a tool you would have rather used for this job?

[@ljkj63]

thanks dave... wonder if stainless steel frets chew up strings faster or are they easy on strings same as nickel thanks for your time i cant get a answer from anyone on this... thanks again!!

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

No mate, no extra string wear n tear in fact its less as there is less drag with SS frets.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Please subscribe as I got lots more to share with you about this :)

[@idealmethod]

When pulling frets the most imoprtant thing i found was to soak the frets with water which prevents the wood from chipping ( for 4 mins).Then I used and iron to heat the frets (1 min) and they came out like butter. use water! water = no chips! extra jumbo frets bend the notes out of tune ( i had to try em!) but jumbo frets are AMAZING! All my guitars are gonna be jumbo frets. did not use steel. pickups were very good locos. will try another with stainless at some point. ss jumbo frets are the way to go.

[@erichebert9471]

Awesome video, learned a lot thanks...

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bobyk87]

Nice work dude. I installed stainless fender size on my axe a 2 years ago, but the levelling job I did my way which is only with some rocker tools (precision cilinders/shafts) and sandpaper (320, 500, 1200, 2000). I had to do many itereations for levelling to be really good. Unfortunately I expected stainless to last more since I definetely see some wear especially on frets of D and G chords, but this might be related to bad levelling and a hard fretting hand. On the future I will try those EVO gold.

[@budaschbrenner7354]

I can flatten frets in 6 months. time to go stainless steel... Where do you get your wire from?

[@jonos138]

How did you get on using standard fret files? They always say use diamond files on SS as normal files wear faster and can also leave dents or deeper scratches that are harder to sand out. Reason I ask is, I'm looking to do my first fret job and obviously if it's achievable with standard tools then it's cheaper, especially as I only plan doing it once with SS frets.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

I used good standard tools and a lot of Patience :)

[@J__C__]

Hey Dave. How do you backfill the fret slots under the frets once they're installed? On new Fenders, for example, it appears as if they've slipped a tiny filler piece of wood into the slot, then sanded it smooth with the rest of the neck. So how's that done? One of my frets is missing that filler in the slot so there's a visible slot under that fret. I want to fill it but I'm not sure how to go about filling it. Thanks!

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

shouldn't be any gaps unless the fret board is uneven or has been re fretted before and damage has occurred. Cant comment any more until I see the issue for myself :)

[@J__C__]

@@DaveBarlowGuitar I think maybe I didn't explain correctly. When you cut fret slots, there's a slot left under the fret after install. How. Do you fill that? Wood putty? The bottom of the frets appear to be notched at the bottom ends like a Gibson so they don't fill the entire slot. The piece with barbs on it isn't the same length as the fret wire itself. It's cut short at the ends. So there's a tiny bit at the end that's empty, now. Just like the pic below www.guitarplayer.com/.image/t_share/MTUxNDE4MjQ3OTI1NzM2Njc4/image-placeholder-title.jpg How do you fill those slots under the frets? Wood putty? A very thin(.030"? thick), small veneer-type piece to plug it and sand smooth?

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

if the slot is cut to the entire width of the neck you dont have to cut the tangs,

[@J__C__]

@@DaveBarlowGuitar that makes sense. But I still have one fret that looks like the previous pic and it needs to be filled where there rest of the fret ends on my Strat look like the pic below i.imgur.com/OscF9hO.jpg Sawdust and CA glue seems to be the consensus among message boards. Is that right? Or grain filler?

[@raymihulka8539]

They make a longer handle fret cutter.

[@donald-parker]

I have one guitar with a trem that also has a zero fret. And it was not stainless steel (pretty bad design IMO). So it didn't take long to see little grooves being cut into the zero fret which caused the strings to "ping" while bending. So I replaced it with stainless steel. Just the one fret. What a bitch to work with. Super hard to cut and shape. Worth it I guess, but I would find doing a whole neck rather intimidating. I've heard that diamond dust coated files like your fret leveling file wear out super fast on stainless steel. Were you able to do the whole job with just one file?

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

I have done about 20 stainless refrets with the same tools, they wear out quicker but its not as bad as people make out.

[@5hredder]

if you don't properly bend the frets, you won't be able to get the edges to stick in properly, which makes leveling harder, and makes it so there is a slight gap between the shoom top of the fret, and the wood. furthermore, if you don't glue your frets after you install, and you have this issue, you will likely experience issues with the frets coming up a little and causing buzz issues. superglue may fix everything, but if you can accurately bend the frets, you won't really need it. just make a bender with some fidget spinner bearings, a piece of wood, and a few nuts and bolts; it's kinda what i did(except my bearings were 15$ a pop, and stainless).

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

My system works dude, 14 hot sweaty gigs in and no sign of any fret issues :)

[@5hredder]

yeah, well if you are good at it, I suppose you can make due. honestly, there are a ton of things that people try to sell you that do work, but aren't as necessary as advertised. luthier tools are a huge one. I actually find myself bending frets by hand too occasionally, though my frets are much harder than normal because I either use the biggest nickel ones available, or high-medium stainless ones(which are easier to work with than the huge nickel ones). bigger frets are easier to screw up because when more force is exerted, controlling that force becomes harder.

[@cgavin1]

@@5hredder I think its because people watch videos of professional luthiers doing refrets in a shop context. Time is money and all the fancy and costly tools save time, so they use them exclusively. If there's no rush, you can absolutely get away with much cheaper and fewer tools. Fret pullers and nippers - any budget non-luthier tool will work. I use 'end cutters' that cost £6. Things like straight and notched straight edges don't need to be precision, just 'close enough'. A levelling beam can be just an aluminium spirit level etc. Neck brace can be a bag of rice. A dremmel, or cheap no-brand generic copy, can do most cutting and polishing jobs etc.

[@ijabbs143]

PVA glue is paper glue? How does that hold frets?

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

old hat tricks mate, trust me it works a treat.

[@ijabbs143]

@@DaveBarlowGuitar I read about 5 minute epoxy giving much better fret tones and sustain. Ever used that and I wonder how hard it is to remove? I'm new to refreting but want my Takamine to be well done. Doing a partial refret..

[@MikeGgeetar]

Great vid Dave

[@danaeverhart6487]

You need a leveling beam !

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

Yes I do but managed without one for a long time and still had brilliant results, I watched Ben Crow from Crimson Guitars with his new beam and how to use it. Now it takes less time to polish out the file marks :)

[@battlefield-jeanmi]

Good job!! 🤟🏻

[@budaschbrenner7354]

great!!!!!!

[@Travis_in_Florida]

I saw another video said use sand filled or something neck support brace or if poor use a bag of rice wrapped in duck tape then you can hammer cause he said you don't want recoil when you hammer. So I'm not sure which guitar brace i should get

[@andydfist]

Bonus sitar solo at 32:01 - 32:40 :D

[@DelbhoyCeltic]

Hosco 3 peaks fret puller TC-10. Best puller going.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

I like my little one that I use, its not a cheap one by any means, I have a bigger one but the smaller one gives me more feedback and control, I dont like pulling fretboard out with the frets.

[@DelbhoyCeltic]

@@DaveBarlowGuitar yeah I hate chip out. Ebony is the worst for it. I found I was getting bad chips with my small Chris Alsop pullers. They weren't getting under the fret enough. The hosco ones get right under and act like a chip stopper. You can also add a touch of water near the fret which softens the board so it's not so brittle and chippy. Only on rosewood/ebony though.

[@mikegayda715]

Great job thanks,I hate pay what could be 500 plus for a job I can do. Mike from the States

[@0b5ervant]

Great job. Now you need to throw a Gibson decal on the headstock and she'll be 10/10 stage ready.

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

the headstock decal means nothing to me

[@theamazingnature2438]

I tried to take my guitar to be refretted, they charged me the axact amount of the guitar, thus why i chose to do it myself

[@leoarjuncrasto]

Yo bro this is such an informative video. I wanted to know the specs of your new fret wire. I want to refret my stratocaster with stainless stell frets. I have my eyes on frets with 0.51 inch crown height And width 0.114 inches. Detailed specs- Tang Height: 1.7mm (0.067 inch) Tang Width: 0.6mm (0.024 inch) Stud Width: 0.95mm (0.037 inch) Stud Space: 2.5mm (0.098 inch) This is unlike the Fender medium Jumbo (. 106″ width x . 036″ height). Would I be able to refret my guitar wih nee stainless steel frets with the above mentioned specs? Please do help. Regards, Leo

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

SS are tough to work with, of late been using 25% Nickel frets, they are very hard and durable but easier to work with. Sintoms Elite Fret 2.8mm crown width. 25% Nickel, 6 x 260mm.

[@leoarjuncrasto]

@@DaveBarlowGuitar thanks for your swift response ❤️

[@samnicolson2589]

What grit sandpaper are you using to sand the fretboard? Also why sand it?

[@DaveBarlowGuitar]

I like to clean up the fret board before putting the new frets in, I now coat the fret board after the fretting is done as well, gives the fingerboard some protection.

[@samnicolson2589]

@@DaveBarlowGuitar ah okay, that makes sense, is the sandpaper just very fine then if it's just to clean it up