To file the frets or not

[jar546]

Just bough my SR5 a few months ago. Since the winter months makes the house dry, my frets are sticking out past the board and are now very sharp. I did not and do not have this problem on my SR5 rosewood board but do with my new maple fretboard SR5.

Should I just leave it alone since the spring and summer will "fix" the problem or should I get them filed down?

I am actually surprised by this because they are made in Southern California where there is low humidity. I did not expect the low humidity of the winter around here cause this problem. The house is always 68-72 degrees F.

Thoughts?

 

[Hellboy]

Just bough my SR5 a few months ago. Since the winter months makes the house dry, my frets are sticking out past the board and are now very sharp. I did not and do not have this problem on my SR5 rosewood board but do with my new maple fretboard SR5.

Should I just leave it alone since the spring and summer will "fix" the problem or should I get them filed down?

I am actually surprised by this because they are made in Southern California where there is low humidity. I did not expect the low humidity of the winter around here cause this problem. The house is always 68-72 degrees F.

Thoughts?

Get them fixed, I´d say. I´ve noticed that this can happen depending on when during the year a instrument is made. Very low humidity here in Sweden during the winter and I´ve had the frets on some of my basses filed down. Don´t want blood on my bass. And I want to be able to play during winter too.

Sincerely//Jan

 

[five7]

I just did mine and I really am glad I did. The neck feels so much better now. It took less than an hour to do.

 

[Kirby]

Yes, I have had to do a couple of my basses as well over the years. It is a simple job that usually can be taken care of with a sanding block or sanding pads from Stewart MacDonald. If it is more severe, a fine file will also work. As said before, only about an hour's work.

 

[Powman]

How do you file down the frets without wrecking the wood of the fretboard?

 

[Yango]

I encountered this problem last winter with my Sterling. The frets sprouted slowly to the point where it was quite uncomfortable to play. I figured it was because I had recently moved into a new building that was extremely dry. I went out and picked up a humidifier and a hydrometer for the room where I keep my music equipment... problem solved. It took a couple of months for the neck to re-hydrate (but then the drying-out-fret-sprout process probably took just as long). My neck feels as smooth as the day I bought it now (and we're in the middle of a pretty cold dry winter up here in the frozen north...)

Just my two cents worth.

 

[DaddyFlip]

I would follow this advice before cutting.

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/41764-important-tip-new-owners-based-my-experience.html

 

[Kirby]

How do you file down the frets without wrecking the wood of the fretboard?

It is usually such a small amount that a sanding block with a fine grit will do the trick. I have used both a sanding block and the small sanding pads from Stewart MacDonald on many basses over the years. Simple lightly sand along the neck with the sanding block/pad perpendicular to the fret. This will sand down the metal enough without damaging the fretboard. The trick is to keep doing it lightly and to not apply too much pressure. The key is patience. If one fret is sticking out further than the others, I tape off the fretboard around the fret tang as to prevent damage and lightly hit the end of that fret with a fine file, also purchased from Stewart MacDonald. The amount of metal we are talking about here is extremely small so even if the neck would be subject to a greater humidity, you would not notice what you removed.

 

[Powman]

Good to know. Thanks.

Luckily my Sterling has been fine, no frets sticking out. I tweaked the truss rod last light a quarter turn lasat night as the wood dried a bit. But no frets sticking out.

 

[Musicman Nut]

Just bough my SR5 a few months ago. Since the winter months makes the house dry, my frets are sticking out past the board and are now very sharp. I did not and do not have this problem on my SR5 rosewood board but do with my new maple fretboard SR5.

Should I just leave it alone since the spring and summer will "fix" the problem or should I get them filed down?

I am actually surprised by this because they are made in Southern California where there is low humidity. I did not expect the low humidity of the winter around here cause this problem. The house is always 68-72 degrees F.

Thoughts?

that's very common with all woods and temps, it's a very simple fix, I do my own and local stores and I only charge $25 because its a half hour job, But take it to someone who knows what they are doing because the neck should come off to do it right. Good Luck.

 

[tommixx]

I can honestly say that I have never had any problem with this but I tend to baby my basses and treat them with a good rub down every time I change strings. I use the standard EB fretboard polish or occasionally the odd spray of Sad098y board spray. I usually do this only when I change strings so I could see if you did not change strings frequently (about every 4 weeks or so for me as I gig incessantly!) then you may have a different result.

Peace,

T

 

[jar546]

Thanks folks.