High fret

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

The other day after changing my strings, going back to super lights after being a heavy gauge man for ages, it was made painfully obvious to me that my second fret is higher then the first causing a buzz when I strum the first fret. Annoying as all hell.

Would I be able to just take some 400 or so grit sandpaper to it and then polish it off with some 1200 to knock the height down a bit?

 

[tangent]

Its more likely that you need to adjust your truss rod.. the neck has been used to being under higher tension of heavy gauge strings and now is under less tension, loosen the truss some.

 

[Cagey]

Its more likely that you need to adjust your truss rod.. the neck has been used to being under higher tension of heavy gauge strings and now is under less tension, loosen the truss some.

What you say is true, but it's unlikely a truss rod adjustment is going to make much difference between the first and second fret. He's probably right; the second fret is sitting a bit proud. If it was me, I'd take a fretting hammer and give the second fret a few knocks to see if it just needs to be re-seated. If that doesn't do it, it probably needs to be re-ground and polished. I don't think sandpaper is going to help much, unless a great deal of effort is expended. Thing is, that much sanding is almost certain to have an effect on the surrounding fingerboard, which is NFG. A crowning file would be the thing to use.

The possibility also exists that the second fret isn't tall, the first fret may be short. A fret rocker of some sort might tell more of a story. Problem is, it's not really possible to raise frets. But, if the second fret isn't really tall, all that will happen by trying to shorten it will be that the third fret becomes the problem. If that's the case, a new nut may be the best fix.

 

[Cagey]

Incidentally, there's no need to spend $13,329 on one of Stewart-MacDonald's fret rockers. Simply pull the slider off a combination square, and use the 45 degree side.

Typical Combination Square​

On a typical 12" square, the slider's 45 degree side will cover a little over 3 frets at the nut end of the neck, and the short parallel side will work for the bridge end. The long 90 degree side can be used to check clearance over several frets anywhere along the neck. If you don't have a combination square, they're not expensive, and they have myriad other uses. For instance, if you get an 18" model (which has the same slider), the rule is good for checking neck relief, which negates having to buy one of Stewart-MacDonald's $18,322 straight edges. Plus, if you're a shredder, you can use it to measure the length of your "special purpose" <grin>

 

[Firebird211]

The fret rocker was the only tool they have that I can afford at the moment. :laughing7:  It's only $20 bucks, and I like how it has all the lengths required on it to go across three frets all over the fretboard.  Some of the other tools they have are friggen expensive.

 

[Cagey]

Some of the other tools they have are friggen expensive.

No kidding.

I don't really mean to belittle Stew-Mac. After all, they're a good one-stop shopping spot for stringed instrument tools and accessories, as well as instrument hardware and electronics. There's a lot to be said for that. Who wants to spend 2 or more hours with Google trying to find the best version of this, that, or the other thing at the best price?

My point is, many tools can be re-purposed if you know what you're doing, which negates having to buy "specialty" tools at a premium price.

You look at a master chef's knife collection, and it often consists of two knives: a good 8" chef's knife, and a 3" paring knife. If you can't do what you need to with one of those two, you need more instruction. Specialty knives are ok, but they'll spend 99% of their time in the block collecting dust once you're proficient with the two I mentioned. For what an 18-piece set of Wusthof-Trident knives that you'll rarely use cost, you can buy a couple high-quality Shun knives and be happy as a lark.

Good mechanics are the same way with their tools. A screwdriver isn't just for driving screws. It's a pry bar, a punch, a wedge, a spacer, a lever, all the way up to murder weapon. Why keep spending money over and over when you already have what you need?

Of course, with some things, they've got you by the short and curlies. For example, fret files in all their various configurations can't be had from traditional tool suppliers.

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Cagey, you must of brainwaved the combo square idea to me before I posted this somehow, because that is exactly what I used to tell if the fret was high or not, which it is. I tried using a straight edge steel ruler, but it was too long, really, to accurately tell if it was the 2nd fret that was high or not.

Anyway, the fret doesn't seem to be that much higher then the first really, but just high enough to make me have crappy action to avoid the buzz and since I don't have a fretting hammer, what would I use as a substitute?

 

[swarfrat]

Gunsmiths screwdrivers are a good example of a tool you can probably live without for onsey twosies, but if you're doing it all the time you're gonna screw something up without it. A lot of specialty tools is about saving time for stuff someone does over and over and over. For THAT it's worth it. (For those who don't know, it's basically a straight bladed screwdriver with a flat bottom and fills the slot - so it's less likely to cam out. There are tools you just can't do the job right without. Then there are the ones that just make your life easier.  A few - like auto-darkening welding helmets probably benefit the casual hobbiest more than the seasoned pro who's hands can probably strike an arc and make purty puddles in his sleep.

But honestly a lot of the stuff stew-mac sells I'm scratching my head thinking - I thought you were supposed to MAKE those YOURSELF.

 

[Cagey]

A regular carpenter's hammer will work, but it might dent the fret. Fretting hammers aren't that unusual, but they have a brass face on one side to keep from deforming the fret(s). So, you could put something more malleable between the fret and the hammer. A good choice might be a penny, but only if it's been minted before 1982, when they were all copper. Try to avoid hitting the edge of the thing.

Also, if you have a set of feeler gauges, use the rule you had before and lay it from the 2nd fret forward. You shouldn't be able to get a .001" feeler under the rule and the 3rd fret. If so, the 2nd fret is definitely high.

Since you have to raise your bridge too much to clear the 2nd fret, it sounds like your nut is cut too deep. Your strings shouldn't be that close at the first fret to be having this problem unless the 2nd fret is way too high. There ought to be at least .010" between the first fret and the strings. You might find with a properly cut nut that you can lower your action overall, so the upper registers play better.

Unless you live in an area where the music shops are few and far between, a new nut shouldn't cost you more than $25.

 

[ocguy106]

isn't Wanna in OZ....don't know how many pennies there are there. dollars and such for sure but pennies?

 

[Cagey]

Hmm. Hadn't thought of that. Didn't know, actually. Still, the principle stands - need to put some kind of malleable metal between the hammer and the fret. Doesn't have to be a penny, I just thought that would be easy to come by. Maybe he's got some copper shielding tape/sheets for guitar control cavities. At least it would actually be useful as a pillow, rather than lining cavities.

 

[swarfrat]

Actually, Oz pennies & two centers are 97% copper if they're still around. $1 and up coins are 92% copper, but thats getting pricey to use as a beater block.

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

The nut itself should nit be cut too low as it is a floyd rose R4 and I've used the four brass shims that came with it to make sure there was enough clearance over the first fret.

I'll definitely give the second fret a hammer using a $1 coin or if I can find a 2 cent coin in the house somewhere, seeing as they've been out of production since before I was born.

 

[Cagey]

The nut itself should nit be cut too low as it is a floyd rose R4 and I've used the four brass shims that came with it to make sure there was enough clearance over the first fret.

You're making assumptions. Better to measure, and see what the reality of the situation is. Won't be the first time somebody got surprised.

 

[Firebird211]

The nut itself should nit be cut too low as it is a floyd rose R4 and I've used the four brass shims that came with it to make sure there was enough clearance over the first fret.

You're making assumptions. Better to measure, and see what the reality of the situation is. Won't be the first time somebody got surprised.

An old saying an instructor said to me once is that to assume is to make an ass out of u and me.:icon_thumright:

 

[NovasScootYa]

I've used everything from A to Z but the Fret Rocker is the proper tool for locating high frets and it can be used with the instrument strung up. Sometimes you have to span 4 frets to locate the buzzing culprit.
A lower fret or a low area on a fret doesn't happen often but you can lift frets slightly using masking tape, metal strips and a fret puller or heat the fret with a soldering iron to make lifting easier.

Check the nut string height by depressing a string on the third fret and note clearance between the string and second fret. It should be around .008"  E, A, D, G. and .006" B, E.  And give new strings time to settle before heading to the tool box.