Neck setup and fret levelling

[BenWA]

In all my excitement to get my guitar finished and play it, i never set up the neck and levelled the frets properly. while all my other guitars are pretty old and shite and have never been levelled (to my knowledge) so im kinda used to playing badly setup guitars (ive slacked at playing a lot over the last 10 years). however the buzzing at certain points on the neck is starting to get on my tits

ive had a skim over gavs guides and they look really useful, its just the tools i need to perform it.
Basically chances are im gona have to do an order from stewmac for the stuff ill need so i figured id check with you guys who do this a lot for advice on the tools that will be best value yet let me do a decent job. i figure its a worthwhile investment cos then i can sort out my other guitars as well!



ok, so on my pitbull tele, the neck is a bit all over the place. i figure theres 4 main things i have to do

1. check the nut height-the low E end of the nut seems a bit higher than the high E. i found StewMac have an article about cutting and setting up a nut
http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Online...and_Setup.html
before i start, is it worth switching the stock plastic nut out for a bone one? if its gonna be worth it, i will do it. no point trying to polish up the standard plastic one if its a bit of a turd

2. check the neck is actually flat and adjust truss rod - i kinda eyeballed this when i was setting up (whoops), ill be swinging past the big green shed today and will grab a nice long steelruler. will this be enough to make sure the neck is nice and flat?

3. Fret levelling and shaping - this is the one thats gonna be a bit of a bitch. ive already purchased a little fret file off ebay but tbh it looks a bit shit. im considering getting a stewmac one, ill also need the 12" radius sanding block, and adhesive sandpaper. ill probs grab one of those fingerboard protectors too. anything else i will need?

So yeah basically some advice for my stewmac shopping list would be appreciated so i can save on postage and be all set up to set up my neck.

[ultpanzi]

1. The nut height difference is really preference in taste. If you like slapping on massive lower strings to get nice heavy tones, then having the low E higher is a must. Otherwise, its really up to your taste. A bone nut is also personal preference of tone, I have met people who actually like the tone plastic nuts give (somehow). That being said, the general consensus is that a bone nut gives a much better tone.
2. If you get a nice long steel ruler and don't mind sacrificing one side, its worth it to carefully dremel in some slots in the positions over the frets. This is because your frets aren't levelled so they aren't even and flat, and so whats the point of straightening your neck to wonky frets and then wonkily fret levelling them?? Its just a little more precise and doesn't take too much time.
3. You'll need a file of some sort to profile the frets. SM has some rounded crowning files, but you cant see what you're doing under the fret so if you trust yourself, use them cos they're faster. Otherwise, there are nice cheap triangular files which are great for the job and are a little slower but you can see what youre doing so that you dont go too far or too little. With these, mask off the file bottom so you dont gouge out half your fret board. Apart from that, I don't think theres anything else you need.

[BenWA]

1. yeah id prefer it lower. turn out nut blanks are like $4 from stewmac so might as well

2. i was wondering about this cos in gavs guide he just used a ruler. im happy to chop up a cheap steel rule rather than pay $70 for the stewmac one so will get on that too (might have to buy an angle grinder though)

3. ill have a think about the files a bit more before i order. food for thought, cheers

[Brendan]

Ben - quick and simple idea for a first build. Nut making is a bit of an art and by the time you get the tools ($100 worth of nut files, blank nuts, superglue, etc, etc, etc), unless you're doing lots, it's really not worth it. Would be easier to contact the world's most laid back luthier - our own Dingobass (dingobass@pitbullguitars.com) and get him to make one up for you (cost ~$30). That way you can string it up with the current nut, while DB does his magic and then when it arrives, carefully knock the old one out (cut it in half longways with a hacksaw, then pinch shortways gently with a pair of pliers). You can then see the difference between a professional nut and cheap nut... All you need to know is what gauge strings you're using and he can get it pretty schmick for you.

As for the steel rule - cheaper option than an angle grinder is to get a chainsaw sharpening round file (~$4 from the big green barn) - gives a nice enough result and is pretty quick.

As for protecting the fretboard - StewMac have the fretboard protectors that sit over your fretboard (http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools..._Set_of_6.html).

If you're looking to save some cash - you don't need adhesive sandpaper - it's easier, but I've gotten away with normal sandpaper that I tape at the ends to the ends of the radiussed block.

You'll also need some CA (super) glue to put a new nut in if you are looking to do that - SM reckon #30, but I've only got #10 and it's OK as a general purpose CA glue. If cash isn't an issue, you could get both #10 and #30 as they are useful for different things.

Hope that this helps.

[dingobass]

Wot Brendan said

[jarrod]

Wot DB said that Brendan said. Nuff said.
Only dont cap your frets with a triangle file. Buy a fret file with the correct radius, I go over every fret with a black marker and file the fret till there is a tiny witness the polish it with 1500 wet n dry then 0000 steel wool.

[dingobass]

I concurr with Jman, triangle files are for those of us that have been doing fretwork for a while....
I still dont use them as the risk of bad language is high if you slip and nick the fretboard!

I will post a link to the files i use..

[dingobass]

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools...Fret_File.html

You will want the medium sized one...
This may seem expensive, but good quality tools will last a long time and do a much better job.
One of my pet hates, (along with the big green and blue sheds full of shite, epoxy resin on Guitars and fosters beer) are el cheapo tools.
Cheap tools do a cheap job!

[Gavin1393]

/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Quote from dingobass on September 19, 2014, 07:02
http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools...Fret_File.html

You will want the medium sized one...
This may seem expensive, but good quality tools will last a long time and do a much better job.
One of my pet hates, (along with the big green and blue sheds full of shite, epoxy resin on Guitars and fosters beer) are el cheapo tools.
Cheap tools do a cheap job!

Don't even know why I posted. I have nothing to add but an endorsement of the fret files and everything DB said about his toys, err, tools.

[BenWA]

thanks guys, i wrote a response post yesterday but it dissapeared.

$65 is a lot for a tool but if its gonna be worth it then i guess ill have to pull the plug and do it.

im gonna have a go at the nuts myself i think, i wanna try replace the plastic one on my old squier tele as well for practice, and i think itd be a good skill to learn. ive got a set of feeler gauges to make some files from like pablo did, so ill give that a shot. nut blanks are like $4 each from stewmac so ill probs get a few in case i cock it up