Question Choke-Out Question

[mikeller]

For too long my Luke (2) has a choke out - primarily on the 2nd string, bending on the 20th fret up a whole step (that would be a G to an A). It does NOT chock out bending from the 19th fret and is extremely minimal bending from the 21st fret. It only chokes out bending from the 20th.

I apparently have a high fret - enough to choke out, but not enough to detect when a very well qualified local guitar repair gentleman would lay a tool on it to check for a high fret.

My questions are - which fret would be high then, the 20th or 21st? And how, is the best way to deal with this?

Thanks!!!

 

[Spudmurphy]

You need a small piece of flat metal - a straight edge. Small enough to bridge across 3 frets at the position mentioned. If there is an eneven fret the straight edge should rock. A practice favoured by some is to ramp off the frets from the 12 fret to the 22/24 fret - giving a VERY slight slope. This helps with extreme bending in the higher register.

Stewmac sell just the tool and i'll get a link to it for you

 

[mikeller]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, that is basically the tool my tech used, but nothing rocked. The high spot must be very miniscule. He used a fret hammer to tap the fret to make sure it was seated well, but that didn't help. I have tried to be patient and "play it out" but its winning and I am loosing, LOL.

You need a small piece of flat metal - a straight edge. Small enough to bridge across 3 frets at the position mentioned. If there is an eneven fret the straight edge should rock. A practice favoured by some is to ramp off the frets from the 12 fret to the 22/24 fret - giving a VERY slight slope. This helps with extreme bending in the higher register.

Stewmac sell just the tool and i'll get a link to it for you

 

[Spudmurphy]

The tool was this one

STEWMAC.COM : Fret Rocker

My way of thinking is that if it's that small a deviation, it wouldn't hurt to use 1000 grit wet and dry on a straight edge. This would take off hardly anything at all. Choking is something that he should be able to take care of - part of his bread and butter work really?
But if all fails then a full fret dress should resolve it - maybe consider sending it to EB as they know their instruments?

 

[mikeller]

Thank you sir - I may try the 1000 grit first. The rest of the frets are like new, virtually no wear at all. I hate to dress them all down if I can avoid.

 

[DrKev]

If the problem comes from bending at the 20th fret the problem is EITHER at 21 (which could be too high) OR at 20 (which could be too low).

A credit card is a great straight edge as a fret rocker. Old cards can be cut to size so that we can test three frets at at time. Use your rocker on 18 - 19 - 20, then 19 - 20 - 21, then 20 - 21 - 22, and finally 21 - 22 - 23 to figure out where the problem is.

 

[threeminutesboy]

ain't a tiny truss rod adjustment can solve the problem?

 

[Gio_Force_One]

Are the saddles adjusted to the right radius

 

[DrKev]

ain't a tiny truss rod adjustment can solve the problem?

Not on the highest frets, no. Truss rod has no effect past the 17th fret.

 

[uOpt]

Doesn't matter. Just level it over. Will improve the whole guitar.

 

[mikeller]

Are the saddles adjusted to the right radius

Yeah - its definitely not a string height problem. Great suggestion though.

 

[uOpt]

Look. If fret 20 has a problem and fret 19 does not it's not a bridge setting, OK?

You either do a fretlevel or you rip fret 21 out of the fretboard.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Another way to to it is to do a fret dress that will give you a compound radius on the frets. Normally when you do a fret level you follow the radius of the fret board. Think of it like the top of a cylinder. A compound radius is when you level as if the shape was a cone.
It's a common fix (so my guitar building buddy says) on strats or guitars with a similar radius.
.. and I agree too that it's not a bridge / saddle adjustment.