Leveling 8 frets

[vanstry]

I don't know what the easiest way to go about this is. It does seem like the high spots are all over the place, so I'm not sure I want to use a long bar and sand them all back.

Then again, I don't want to mess with this for hours and hours doing each one individually if there's a faster method.

Suggestions? (see pic. High spots marked with black.

 

[Cactus Jack]

Frets should be level in relation to the opposing frets. As such, it's best to level them all and be done with it. Leveling individual frets might be ok for 1-2 high spots, but attempting to level 8 means you'll be chasing variances up and down the neck. You will end up spending more time.

The other alternative is you bolt it on, maybe adjust the neck and action a bit outside your normal specs, and play it.

 

[PhilHill]

I agree, use the long bar and level until you just barely kiss the tops of the good ones. They all have to be the same height.

 

[vanstry]

Thanks for the advice, both of you. I'll break out the long bar.

 

[vanstry]

Well, I now have about 20 frets with flat tops on them. The long bar took off a lot more than I thought it would and even though the neck looks flat, it wasn't getting the marks off that quickly on some of the high frets. Possibly the 1st fret was too high.

So now I have a about 20 frets I need to recrown. Which I'm not thrilled about. Part of me wonders if I should have done each one individually, but with that many bad frets, and the first now appearing to have been way too high, it may have been the only route to go.

Still, not very happy right now.

 

[vanstry]

recrowning frets goes a lot faster when you have the right tools.
It's nice being able to have good tools.

Polishing out the tool marks comes next.

 

[PhilHill]

It can be a frustrating process sometimes, believe me I know. And yes, it pays to have the right tools, they make the job a lot less frustrating. A good amount of patience and care helps too. Don't let it get you down, you sound like your doing fine. I found out the hard way not to re-crown too far, that can take you back to zero again. Good luck on the polishing, take your time and it will be worth it.  :icon_thumright: