Extended Cut: How To Fix a High Fret with the FRET KISSER by Stew Mac!
Added 2025-12-10 15:45:36 +0000 UTC
Comments
Ben - you definitely want to keep the metal swarth (dibs on that band name ) off the fretboard when you’re filing, or at least have something to blow it off or vac it up. Open grained wood especially, those metal filings will embed in the grain and never come out…especially if one were to wipe it with a cloth with the swarth on it. Also, ladies and gentlemen… Metal Swarth!
The Tube Whisperer
2025-12-17 15:38:24 +0000 UTCCouldn't agree more on the HexHider - I have one for every floating trem guitar. Cool thing is the tip is conical, meaning it works for both metric and imperial (Shaller, Floyd, Kahler, Ibanez etc.). Highly recommended!! 🤘
Marcus Bauer
2025-12-17 06:08:11 +0000 UTClove it! thanks, George!
Ben Eller
2025-12-16 21:56:22 +0000 UTCWhile they were half off? ;-) FYI the fret files are half off right now.
Chris
2025-12-16 21:18:13 +0000 UTCMy in-laws needed gift ideas for me and this is perfect. I added a few other tools, too!
Scott Youcheff
2025-12-15 22:13:43 +0000 UTCHahaha I get this question a lot!!! I don’t overwash. I shampoo it maybe twice a week max. If it gets oily in between washes, I like a dry shampoo. Game changer! The one I use is from Lemongrass. I don’t like the aerosol ones, they’re weird. Good luck!
Ben Eller
2025-12-14 18:11:42 +0000 UTCDude, what do you use in your hair? I've been growing mine for about 5 years now (this time). It either looks like oiled spaghetti or a haystack. I'm afraid to take it to a "professional" these days. I doubt Millennials or Gen Z know what a dude's rocker hair looks like.
Tony
2025-12-14 18:02:18 +0000 UTCBalls accurate! Best part of video is stream of consciousness during fretwork, lots of great info and ideas in there that the youngsters would jump-cut out. Monster stainless refret and Rebel Yell in the bridge install on PRS in JAN from the fine folks at Gryphon in Palo Alto. Let's rock!
George Knoll
2025-12-11 17:35:42 +0000 UTCdude, I highly recommend it!
Ben Eller
2025-12-11 03:04:45 +0000 UTCone of these days, I'll try a total re-fret!
Ben Eller
2025-12-11 03:04:31 +0000 UTCGreat job and defintely cool tools. These 80s Ibanezes are great. I still have my neon yellow 89 RG550.
Thom Marz
2025-12-10 23:05:37 +0000 UTCI have a 91 RG770 in Laser blue that I have had for years and my frets were beyond dead. The options for refret were few and far between and the reputable shops were giving me an 8-10 month turn around, so I taught myself how to refret on it. SS Jumbos, and it plays so well... Ive leveled and dressed my frets in the past and knew what was coming, but the part I dreaded the most was the pulling and pressing the new frets, and that was one of the easier parts of the job. I did struggle getting the fret ends right, you can see in the video how much the binding is beveled and how much the frets sit inside from the edge of the binding. The diamond coated files paid for themselves on just the first job. I had 1 fret that wouldn't completely seat like the others. I used the fret kisser to get it brought down before I did the fret level for all the frets. Overall, it was no where near as bad of a project as I thought it would be, even though my only fret experience so far has been with SS, I feel confident enough after the first go around , that I plan on being able to do this for myself from here on out.
Corey Winters
2025-12-10 22:45:06 +0000 UTCThe Great Phil McKnight got me to buy one of these with my hard earned dead presidents.
Neil Barnett
2025-12-10 22:35:31 +0000 UTCHell, yeah. DIY guitar maintenance by Uncle Ben!
Doctor-Shoebill
2025-12-10 21:06:38 +0000 UTCThanks for the advice. I have a high fret on my Tele . I might try this myself rather then sent it to a luthier.
Jerramy Ashman
2025-12-10 20:14:37 +0000 UTC
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