Fret Leveling a brand new neck?

[ArKay99]

Hi all. My first post. I've been lurking a bit. I just bought a full Warmoth Strat build I'm  putting a set of Fishman Fluence pickups in. The neck is a modern construction roasted maple with black ebony fingerboard and stainless frets. I was wondering if members who have had necks from Warmoth do a fret leveling out of the box. I have all the tools to do it with. So no problem there, although I've never had the 'pleasure' of working on stainless frets...Thanks!

 

[molul]

AFAIK, Warmoth necks always need fret leveling. They also come with sharp edges. I can't understand why they won't add both options, having so many other and less useful options :?

 

[Cactus Jack]

Most folks will say leveling is not needed, however I disagree. Warmoth simply presses the fret wire into fretboard and cuts of the overhang. It's important to remember Warmoth sells parts, not finished products, meaning all setup and final touches are the responsibility of the user.

The process for leveling Stainless is the same as nickel. One difference is you might benefit from a diamond crowning file and using stainless specific polishing compound. Besides that, get the neck straight, mark the frets, tape off the fretboard, and grap your leveling beam. You're good to go.

 

[stratamania]

The process is similar but not the same.

It is much quicker to work on nickel silver frets. SS requires more work particularly with regard to working through finer grits to achieve a good result.

 

[ArKay99]

AFAIK, Warmoth necks always need fret leveling. They also come with sharp edges. I can't understand why they won't add both options, having so many other and less useful options :?

Thanks for the info. Maybe plecking would be a feature to be requested? The machine is very expensive though.

 

[ArKay99]

Most folks will say leveling is not needed, however I disagree. Warmoth simply presses the fret wire into fretboard and cuts of the overhang. It's important to remember Warmoth sells parts, not finished products, meaning all setup and final touches are the responsibility of the user.

The process for leveling Stainless is the same as nickel. One difference is you might benefit from a diamond crowning file and using stainless specific polishing compound. Besides that, get the neck straight, mark the frets, tape off the fretboard, and grap your leveling beam. You're good to go.

Great point on out of the box necks.
I'm looking forward to learning about the difference. I do have a StewMac Diamond fret file in 300 grit for each fret size. Oh, btw, since fret install is basic, what's your experience with the nuts?

 

[ArKay99]

The process is similar but not the same.

It is much quicker to work on nickel silver frets. SS requires more work particularly with regard to working through finer grits to achieve a good result.

I've recently tried the fret erasers from StewMac. Very nice. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Cactus Jack]

Most folks will say leveling is not needed, however I disagree. Warmoth simply presses the fret wire into fretboard and cuts of the overhang. It's important to remember Warmoth sells parts, not finished products, meaning all setup and final touches are the responsibility of the user.

The process for leveling Stainless is the same as nickel. One difference is you might benefit from a diamond crowning file and using stainless specific polishing compound. Besides that, get the neck straight, mark the frets, tape off the fretboard, and grap your leveling beam. You're good to go.

Great point on out of the box necks.
I'm looking forward to learning about the difference. I do have a StewMac Diamond fret file in 300 grit for each fret size. Oh, btw, since fret install is basic, what's your experience with the nuts?

Same with nuts. They open the package and glue it. Maybe clean up the edges a bit, but do not check or cut nut slots.

 

[Michaelga]

How do you level the frets with a compound radius? It seems like it would be more difficult than a neck with the same radius throughout its length.

Michael

 

[ArKay99]

How do you level the frets with a compound radius? It seems like it would be more difficult than a neck with the same radius throughout its length.

Michael

Good question. I've only done my two 9.5" radius MiM necks. I do have a Parker with a 10-16 radius neck and stainless frets, but it's perfect and I don't want to mess with it to find out. ;-) . I'll know your answer after I've received my neck and leveled it. I don't think there is much difference to the technique. You just have to go slow and watch your marks...at least that's what I plan on doing.

 

[docteurseb]

Most folks will say leveling is not needed, however I disagree. Warmoth simply presses the fret wire into fretboard and cuts of the overhang. It's important to remember Warmoth sells parts, not finished products, meaning all setup and final touches are the responsibility of the user.

The process for leveling Stainless is the same as nickel. One difference is you might benefit from a diamond crowning file and using stainless specific polishing compound. Besides that, get the neck straight, mark the frets, tape off the fretboard, and grap your leveling beam. You're good to go.

Great point on out of the box necks.
I'm looking forward to learning about the difference. I do have a StewMac Diamond fret file in 300 grit for each fret size. Oh, btw, since fret install is basic, what's your experience with the nuts?

Same with nuts. They open the package and glue it. Maybe clean up the edges a bit, but do not check or cut nut slots.

If you are referring to Warmoth's nut install, that's inaccurate.
I normally never have them do it, but the two 3x3 headstock I ordered from them 1-2years ago were ordered with the nut. The nut was perfectly flush with the sides of the neck.

They do cut the slots, though whether you end up liking how they cut it is another story.
One of the two necks had the e string slot cut at way too much of an angle for the string pull of that tuner. I was unimpressed. The other neck was great though.

 

[stratamania]

Warmoth simply presses the fret wire into fretboard and cuts of the overhang.

This is also inaccurate, the fret ends are bevelled unless it is requested for them not to be but even then they are smooth. If they were just cut off that would be completely noticeable.

 

[Cactus Jack]

Warmoth simply presses the fret wire into fretboard and cuts of the overhang.

This is also inaccurate, the fret ends are bevelled unless it is requested for them not to be but even then they are smooth. If they were just cut off that would be completely noticeable.

Yes, my statement was oversimplified. However, the fact is, frets and nuts receive very little prep work if any. Fret ends are beveled, and nuts are fit to the nut slot, but neither are dressed. Aaron has said multiple times they purposely do not perform any finish work. Heck, they spray finish over the frets and don't even bother to scrape the crud off before shipping. My fault for not scouring the website for detail, but I was surprised my custom order neck arrived with the frets covered in overspray:

In terms of leveling, I recommend committing to the process. You're building a custom guitar so you might as well take care of one of the most important parts of the instrument. Fresh out of the box this is an accurate representation of how the five necks I purchased last year arrived. The marker represents uneven frets.

 

[stratamania]

Yes, my statement was oversimplified. However, the fact is, frets and nuts receive very little prep work if any. Fret ends are beveled, and nuts are fit to the nut slot, but neither are dressed. Aaron has said multiple times they purposely do not perform any finish work. Heck, they spray finish over the frets and don't even bother to scrape the crud off before shipping. My fault for not scouring the website for detail, but I was surprised my custom order neck arrived with the frets covered in overspray:

Statements are better to be accurate otherwise you are unintentionally passing on incorrect information and may lead others to unexpected surprises or be giving again an unintended incorrect impression with regard to product quality.

Fretwork including finish over frets may be seen at the below link of the current website. It is also normal practice by Fender on maple necks.

https://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Necks/Fretwork.aspx

In terms of leveling, I recommend committing to the process. You're building a custom guitar so you might as well take care of one of the most important parts of the instrument. Fresh out of the box this is an accurate representation of how the five necks I purchased last year arrived. The marker represents uneven frets.

I have been committed to the process of leveling, crowning, dressing etc for numerous years.  But I have also had a Warmoth neck that required no leveling and therefore no crowning, and just needed to as a personal preference dress the ends and roll the edges. It is important to check first whether work needs doing prior to doing so.

The fact is for many people Warmoth necks and installed nuts are playable for them out of the box. Whether someone wants to go the extra mile etc is a personal choice.

 

[Cactus Jack]

The fact is for many people Warmoth necks and installed nuts are playable for them out of the box. Whether someone wants to go the extra mile etc is a personal choice.

OP - This is the intended message.

I'd recommend letting your neck acclimate to your environment, play it for a bit, then assess whether the frets meet your standards. If not, leveling, crowning, and polishing is a fairly straight forward process. Albeit, painfully tedious at times. However, if I can do it, anyone can.

I wouldn't stress over the Stainless. I suggest searching up posts from forum member Cagey, he's a fret guru. Many of his post discuss tools and techniques, they are a goldmine.

In my experience Pleking is a great option. Every guitar I have with Pleked frets is fantastic and usually results in excellent playable instruments. Folks will argue pros & cons, but I've never experience anything but pros. If there was a shop near me, I'd have all of my necks Pleked. 

 

[jay4321]

I have never seen a production neck from anybody whose frets were 100% perfect to the point a good level wouldn’t make them better. I always straighten and fret rocker the whole board whenever I handle a new neck.

That’s not to say all “need” a level to play well at typical action. Most Warmoth’s don’t in my experience. But then if you favor low action, less than typical relief, or deal with bigger humidity changes as I do, every little bit helps.

Necks just do things when they’re bolted to a body and string tension is put on them that you can’t totally re-create or  account for with just the neck.

 

[jay4321]

For me though, it’s very satisfying when you’ve been working on your new neck, run that last crowning pass, and everything’s perfect everywhere.

Same too with the nut - which by the way will be cut high on Warmoths and really need to be tailored to the players’ setup with strings on.

The question is do you want “perfectly fine” neck, or do you want it dialed in as well as it can be? I’ve played a lot of perfectly fine setups over 30 years and you can definitely get the job done. And I can’t say that a great setup always turns out to be enough to save an unremarkable guitar.

But when you get all at once to include top-shelf fretwork & nutwork it’s hard to beat. And what do you know, your chords intonate better and those pesky problems with tuning that often chalked up to “the guitar” don’t seem to be happening.

 

[jay4321]

How do you level the frets with a compound radius? It seems like it would be more difficult than a neck with the same radius throughout its length.

Michael

Easy! Use a flat-bottom leveling beam and stay in roughly straight line from nut to bridge. You will shift a bit doing it by hand and so long as you don’t oversand any one section you’ll naturally follow the arc radius of the frets.

Picture using a 1-inch wide beam to sand the outside of a orange traffic cone. It will stay come-shaped if you keep the beam pointed north and south as you make your way around.

Recommend the understring leveling beams from StewMac for any guitar, but it’s especially perfect for this.

 

[Megatron]

Having experienced only one Warmoth neck which has 10-16” and SS6100 frets, I actually found the fret beveling to be pleasant out of the box. Running my hand up and down the neck, there are no sharp edges. Might be the roasted maple, but absolutely zero fret sprout and my humidity varies wildly throughout the year- and the guitar is hung on a wall. Perhaps my action is a few fractions high, but I also like to strum hard. I found the out of the box configuration from Warmoth to be completely acceptable. If you don’t find it unpleasant, consider bolting it on and playing it for a few months before diving into the fretwork.

 

[jay4321]

Fret sprout is like buying a car with dirty windows. Irritating and not something you want to find on your new purchase, but very easy to fix with no specialized tools. And really the specialized tool is a $16 file and some a little sandpaper or steel wool.

Anyway, Warmoth is pretty good about it vs the field and very consistent, in my experience.

EDIT: Looking at my most recent Warmoth neck whose frets I haven't touched yet, the fret edges are extremely well done. That angle of the bevel seems just right for my taste also.