Fretboard & Fret Leveling

[riffermadness]

I have a Mighty Mite 2902 CR- M neck that needs the frets leveled and crowned..I know how to do the work but this is a compound radius fretboard from 9.5"-12" radius and have never done one of these..I called Mighty Mite and spoke to a rep that really didn't tell me what I needed to know about where the radius actually starts etc..this is a maple neck & fretboard and I really like it but I am probably going to buy a 12" or 14" radius neck so that if I ever need to do the leveling and fret crowning it should be easier but not for sure.
Anybody here have any recommendations ? I live in the boonies and unless I want to drive at least 100 miles + to get somebody to do the work I would rather find out first whats involved.

 

[PDC]

If you have a beam for leveling - or just a reliable straight edge - position it at a spot in the center of the fretboard between the D and G string slots on the nut. With the neck flat (no relief) the strait edge should contact all the frets in the dead center of the fretboard. Now, slowly creep the strait edge to the left and right and you should be able to see light peeking out between the lower frets with the smaller radius and the strait edge. The further you shift the strait edge to the low and high E string slots, the more frets will show a gap between the fret and the strait edge. This will show you at what point on the neck the radius makes its most pronounced changes.

If there are no significant high spots / buzzing spots on the neck, maybe a crown using sharpie line along the peak of the fret as a guide will get the frets feeling nice and slippery again without mowing down any fret height.

If there are any high spots or buzzing frets, a ‘Fret Rocker’ that sits across 3 frets at a time will help identify those areas for spot leveling before crowning - as opposed to mowing down all the frets before crowning.

I hope this helps!

 

[67mike]

If you have a beam for leveling - or just a reliable straight edge - position it at a spot in the center of the fretboard between the D and G string slots on the nut. With the neck flat (no relief) the strait edge should contact all the frets in the dead center of the fretboard. Now, slowly creep the strait edge to the left and right and you should be able to see light peeking out between the lower frets with the smaller radius and the strait edge. The further you shift the strait edge to the low and high E string slots, the more frets will show a gap between the fret and the strait edge. This will show you at what point on the neck the radius makes its most pronounced changes.

If there are no significant high spots / buzzing spots on the neck, maybe a crown using sharpie line along the peak of the fret as a guide will get the frets feeling nice and slippery again without mowing down any fret height.

If there are any high spots or buzzing frets, a ‘Fret Rocker’ that sits across 3 frets at a time will help identify those areas for spot leveling before crowning - as opposed to mowing down all the frets before crowning.

I hope this helps!

My Am Pro tele is driving me crazy due to fret buzz on b string.

Replaced nut, leveled a microscopically high fret, rocker shows no issues, yet despite fiddling with a million different actions and string heights....I still get b string buzz?!?

It might just be a fender thing because my custom shop strat has a bit on the b too, and that thing plays and sounds like a fricken dream.

Any thoughts?

 

[GuitarGuy08]

My Am Pro tele is driving me crazy due to fret buzz on b string.

Replaced nut, leveled a microscopically high fret, rocker shows no issues, yet despite fiddling with a million different actions and string heights....I still get b string buzz?!?

It might just be a fender thing because my custom shop strat has a bit on the b too, and that thing plays and sounds like a fricken dream.

Any thoughts?

Is it everywhere on the b string? Just open? Need more explanation here. It could be too close to a pickup or even just causing a rattle of another part due to location/pitch.

 

[67mike]

Is it everywhere on the b string? Just open? Need more explanation here. It could be too close to a pickup or even just causing a rattle of another part due to location/pitch.

Thanks.

It sorta moves around, believe it or not.

At its absolute best it is on the 6th, 7th and 8th frets. (Where it is now).

If I tweak the truss rod a hair tighter it moves. Looser moves it too. Worst case whole fretboard.

I made a new nut....good string height there. Used the couple drops of crazy glue trick to make sure the slot isn't too wide.....I have a new set of music nomad nut files.

Action set to fender specs.

 

[GuitarGuy08]

Thanks.

It sorta moves around, believe it or not.

At its absolute best it is on the 6th, 7th and 8th frets. (Where it is now).

If I tweak the truss rod a hair tighter it moves. Looser moves it too. Worst case whole fretboard.

I made a new nut....good string height there. Used the couple drops of crazy glue trick to make sure the slot isn't too wide.....I have a new set of music nomad nut files.

Action set to fender specs.

Sounds like a twisted neck or something then. If tightening/loosening truss affects it, that gives you some answers. The nut may be the correct height but for whatever reason is too low for your guitar, like the neck buckles and bows at different parts or sections.

 

[67mike]

Sounds like a twisted neck or something then. If tightening/loosening truss affects it, that gives you some answers. The nut may be the correct height but for whatever reason is too low for your guitar, like the neck buckles and bows at different parts or sections.

Yes, you might be right.

Now....how to check for twist?

 

[GuitarGuy08]

Yes, you might be right.

Now....how to check for twist?

Now that is a tough one. I've seen a seasoned pro just hold the guitar and sight down the neck and tell. I have never been that successful/good. The basic theory is that you use the strings themselves as your straight gauge against the wood/frets if the neck. You know that string is pulled in a straight line, so if you see the neck get closer or further away, that's where it has a twist or bow.

I have a guitar with a very, very slight twist in the neck. Makes action sit but different on that section of the strings but that's it. If I adjust truss to get the others to lowest action possible, I'd have buzz.

I have action fairly low, but not crazy. I just work around it. Part of that guitar's vibe.

I had received a custom built guitar several years ago that I could not get the buzz to go away on. Tried everything. First guy I took it to after I couldn't figure it out said he didn't know what it could be. Second guy spotted the twist immediately.

The builder was an absolute ass and I will never do business with him again.

LEF guitars. Stay away.

 

[67mike]

Now that is a tough one. I've seen a seasoned pro just hold the guitar and sight down the neck and tell. I have never been that successful/good. The basic theory is that you use the strings themselves as your straight gauge against the wood/frets if the neck. You know that string is pulled in a straight line, so if you see the neck get closer or further away, that's where it has a twist or bow.

I have a guitar with a very, very slight twist in the neck. Makes action sit but different on that section of the strings but that's it. If I adjust truss to get the others to lowest action possible, I'd have buzz.

I have action fairly low, but not crazy. I just work around it. Part of that guitar's vibe.

I had received a custom built guitar several years ago that I could not get the buzz to go away on. Tried everything. First guy I took it to after I couldn't figure it out said he didn't know what it could be. Second guy spotted the twist immediately.

The builder was an absolute ass and I will never do business with him again.

LEF guitars. Stay away.

Thanks.

Yes I know it is tricky and takes a good eye .... mine aren't great anymore, but going to investigate this a bit more.