fret sprouting, etc.

[Disquieter]

with all the talk of fret sprouting and all that jazz. I think it pertinent to find out what people in different parts of the country do to maintain their fine instruments.


I'm talking about humidifiers, de humidifiers, AC, etc.
this country is so big that no one way will work.

this problem is always caused by the environmental conditions, but is almost always attributed to the quality of the instrument.

so how about it?


I'm from Northern Washington, I find that I need to do very little to keep my instruments happy, it's never real hot or real cold, it doesn't get humid like it does down south. So I keep my instruments in a room, windows usually shut, on a wall hanger in about 68degrees.


So how do others keep their frets from growing roots?

 

[Aussie Mark]

I've lived in tropical, cool temperate, humid sub-tropical, and dry mediteranean style climates and have yet to see a fret sprout. Some of those houses have had refrigerated AC, some have had evaporative cooling, some have had wood-fired combustion heating, some have had nothing. Maybe I've been lucky?

 

[KennethB]

I do almost nothing. A very slight truss-rod adjustment is all I have ever had to do. I didn't even know about fret sprouting before reading about it on the forum. Well, you learn something every day Yay! I'm a senior member now!

 

[midopa]

The only times I've seen fret sprouting are at a local music store. IIRC, most threads about this in the past haven't really covered how to prevent it so I sent EBMM CS an email about it.

 

[bassmancb]

I don't know much about this problem, but I'm guessing if they stay in the case this will help more than anything. (Just an uneducated guess)

 

[Big Poppa]

Joel.."all this talk"?????

It is rare but does happen especially in the winter.

 

[spencer]

If the maple shrinking causes fret sprouting but you don't have this problem with rosewood necks. Doesn't it sound like you would have Fret BOARD sprouting on rosewood fretboards.

 

[jongitarz]

It can happen with rosewood too. But like BP said it's rare on any instrument.

 

[strummer]

My oragne bongo sprouts just a little in the winter, Jade not at all. I don't do **** about it, because 1)It goes back and 2) I don't grab the neck base ball bat style.

 

[russinator]

It happens here in Northeastern Ohio a lot this time of year. Outside air temp is 19 right now and the relative humidity is also 19. I just had a nosebleed too!
I've seen it happen to high end instruments and not to low end jobbies. I usually just wait it out. One I attacked with a file myself but it's a lot of work.
I've seen high end guitars/basses hung high in some music stores. What was that about heat rising??

 

[cdb]

It happens here in Northeastern Ohio a lot this time of year. Outside air temp is 19 right now and the relative humidity is also 19. I just had a nosebleed too!
I've seen it happen to high end instruments and not to low end jobbies. I usually just wait it out. One I attacked with a file myself but it's a lot of work.
I've seen high end guitars/basses hung high in some music stores. What was that about heat rising??

I live in PA, and yep it's cold and dry here... but I haven't ever seen this happen to any bass, maple or rosewood... maybe I'm just lucky

 

[Moondog]

Unfortunately, it's not that rare an occurance for me..
or at my local stores where I can actual cut myself on
some frets (affects all makes/models).

I live in Jersey and it's brutally cold and dry right now.
I'm running a large hunter humidifier full blast and can't
get room humidity above 25% I had my basses on hangers
until last night, I applied lemon oil and put them back in
the cases. It's probably my fault for not doing it enough.
The boards sucked up the oil like Jack does Ciroc.

I had thought my fret sprouting was isolated to my maple
boarded basses but one of my rosewoods was a little
sharp too (and now I hear my old/now Bill's '95 HB . . sorry Bill).

A new home hvac is in the works and spring is coming!
Like some said, it's usually not severe & corrects itself.

 

[DJBenzBass]

Even though my SR5 HH Maple is just under a year old, I still did what the FAQ section suggested about the Birchwood Casey Gunstock Oil and Wax. The neck and fingerboard feel like new again, and I'm not worried at all about the frets.
Order that stuff directly from the company. You won't be sorry.
A little prevention may save some possible work later.
"Nobody wants a Charlie-in-the-box"

 

[midopa]

Dan from CS has repliedto my email and his answer follows what's been said so far. That is, it usually happens in the winter when it's dry. The best prevention is using a humidifier, but if it does happen, it usually goes away once the weather goes into summer.

I realised I shouldn't be so concerned. As Dan said, the problem usually goes away and should it be severe, I know CS will take good care of it. Thanks for the info, Dan!

 

[Bill]

I had thought my fret sprouting was isolated to my maple
boarded basses but one of my rosewoods was a little
sharp too (and now I hear my old/now Bill's '95 HB . . sorry Bill).

No worries! It's as good as new now. My J@zz bass has a very slight case of fret sprout, too. It's been like that for years, but I've never done anything about it because it's so minor.

 

[Kirby]

The answer is definitely humidification in the winter if you live in a cold climate. No worries if it happens though, a fine file and some sanding pads and it is good as new.

Always avoid extremes with your instruments, extreme cold, extreme hot, extreme dryness/humidity. These can all cause various problems with any instrument.

 

[tkarter]

If you have 21 frets and they sprout. Will watering them get you 24?


tk