I'm 60, I did my own setups for a long time. Then I had Pros do them. That was a lesson too. Sometimes if you set them up with a heavy set of strings like 52 -10s. And you take a whole week to do the setup. Actually you do the setup like three or four times and let it stand in a stand overnight in a warm room. The guitar will continue to make adjustments even when you leave it alone. Just keep tuning it and repeating your setup procedures on it. Sometimes it helps to Tin the strings at the barrels just like you would for a tremolo setup. Creating stability to achieve stability. I lubricate my nuts and my saddles, Vaseline and graphite. I pre-stretch the strings. I lubricate the strings with tri-flow while they are on the guitar and strung to tension, I place a piece of thin cardboard between the strings and the guitar, To keep the tri-flow off the Finish. I don't worry about relief, I would be happy with a perfectly flat neck, I lock the neck in a vacuum vice attached to a three-quarter inch thick sheet of plate glass. To reduce movement. I started doing this shit when I was 13. Grew up in a 16 track Studio. All the afflictions..Longitudinally. I like the 7 and 1/4 inch radius, and sometimes a compound neck, flatter in the higher register almost an 11. Sometimes when I set the neck I'll wrap the butt of the neck with Saran Wrap very tightly and put in a thin layer of epoxy between the neck and the neck pocket. Then when I remove the neck, the Saran Wrap keeps the neck from sticking to the pocket. I'll clean up the epoxy with a set of files, once I even used J-B Weld. lubricate the screws so they don't stick to the epoxy. Maximum contact and even support on a four PostNeck. Let it harden for a week. On three of the surfaces that are in contact with the pocket. This is an effort to increase sustain. Okay give me some shit now. Well that's how we learn. That's how come I know shit. You can get 5000 Grit at Hawley's paint store. I worked in a body shop. Cut your own blocks trim your sanding paper to match with an exacto knife. Just like you would when you do drop fill Thanks man. I would enjoy meeting you. No French polishing I love watching your Channel. A lot of people don't share their tricks. Thank you.
Dave has gotta be the best RUclipsr on the planet... Hands down! Even people that have no interest in guitars should subscribe to this guy!... He's a legend!
Cheers Dave - had a similar problem with a Squier Cabronita. This video confirmed my suspicions about a hump at the bolt-on end and helped me realizse I wasn't going crazy. Issue now resolved thanks to your instructive tutelage.
You’re the Best, Uncle Dave. Thanks for all you do & for showing us how to do it ourselves. I was able to repair my 75 Fender fretless “Non-Precise” P-Bass neck that had an impossible to truss rod out bow, from a post you put up a long time ago, by bending it it in increments over a few days on clamps on your bench. I copied that & was able to put a little backbone in her with the truss rod & string’er up and buzz away. Thank You for the info...you’re the Best!
Thanks for your videos, Dave. Some days, especially after a particularly shi--y day, if I can I watch a few of your videos and it makes me feel better... my DWOFS therapy. I'll be looking for those Solo guitar videos, Dave. Good luck and cheers.
I would say the neck was made in '06, when they pulled the neck off the shelf, it was being assembled they slapped the date of '07, then stuck it together
Yup, serial number dates, dates models are actually introduced and internal label dates frequently span 2 years. I suspect also that Fender's production years do not correspond to calendar years, possibly to do with accounting and taxation reasons.
I recently acquired a brand spanking new American Ultra Tele. They have what they are calling a "D" carved neck with a variable or incremental fingerboard. It goes from a 9.5-inch radius at the top to a 14 inch at the last fret. What are you going to do now to level something like that?
I have had bad experience with two way truss rods. I calibrated the fret board and had to use reverse tension or actually take back bow out and it made a hump above the twelfth fret.
My biker buddies were a bunch of old fat guys willing to spend enough money to buy complete leathers -- a wholebuncha bucks -- a helmet wired for sound, and a two wheel toy sitting out front worth every cent they spent on it and all its bling [except to insurance companies.] All it takes is a friendly smile from a cute waitress, and the tips are stacking up on the table. Mom and pop restaurants in the twisties welcome us with open arms. Solo should be so lucky.
This has happened to me more than once. Level and crown frets with the neck off the guitar and then have some heel end fret problems after the neck is reinstalled. I'm starting to believe some heel fretwork issues are caused by the neck attachment screws distorting the wood in the neck under the last 4-5 frets Now... I level the frets with the neck installed on the body and tight screws. No more troublesome than doing set neck guitars.
I bought a Harley Benton TE-52 and love playing it but it weighs a full ten pounds. Any suggestions on chambering? I'm a woodworker and have all the tools. Peace.
I went crazy a couple of years back when I levelled my semi (HB35+). It wasn't horribly bad out of the box but It was just that bit higher than the big boy's factory spec. After the coarse stones and crowning I polished up through to 2000 grit THEN took polishing stones up into the thousands. Quite where the stones' grade met the Peek polishing paste I dunno but them frets were Smoooth at the finish. Probably way overkill but I got the action down by nearly 2 x 64ths from where it was. Job done and learned a couple of new tricks. Thanks in no small part to your vids Dave. Two years later she still plays sweet. 😎
Best fret leveling video I've seen. You left just the right amount of boring, repetitive, monotonous tedium in to make me think I should try this on my 2nd best Tele.
your biker friends ... I wonder if I met some of them. I used to do sound at Willy Woggs on Hamilton Mountain. They liked that place. In fact, I mixed the Killer Dwarfs there once. It was a great night.
Just watching intently as you explain the different grits of sandpaper , then decides to take a large swig of beer when you say “turn up your headphones”, nostrils full of lager 🤣🤣🤣🤣, rock on bro 👍
John Simms - I would have guessed that too, since you want to extend the life of frets in the first octave, assuming they play well. But Dave has a good eye. He uses that eye sometimes...
3:54 well I would like to see how you tape up the neck, as fret work is something I'm learning to do more, but I'm sure there is no shortage of videos showing this lol
Dave, thanks for the video! Hey, I'm getting ready to do my first fret level and crown and I wonder if you can clarify something for me. I've seen a bunch of videos on fret leveling (maybe even some of yours?) and everyone always instructs you not to use any pressure when you level and to let the block/paper do the work while you gently guide it over the frets. It looked like you were putting a decent amount of pressure down. Is this because you were using a radius block or something else? It sure made quick work of the job so I'm interested in finding out more.
He was able to put that pressure down, cause the neck was removed on that pad and it's a flat fender headstock too. If you got a set neck and have it in a cradle, it will bend under pressure if there is no support from below. If your sanding beam/radius beam etc. isn't too light, you just have to move it back and forth. Make sure you move it in a straight line and NOT follow the tapered outline of the neck. Move parallel to the center line of the neck. Get a cheap beater guitar and it's not a problem to make some mistakes. If something doesn't work out, you have a free lesson in refretting and maybe even reradiusing a fretboard. For a better result, change the direction after a consistent number of strokes toards the nut and then turn the neck and move towards the body.
Wondering the same here, as it looked like the neck was flexing under the pressure. I use really light touch to avoid flexing the neck or digging into the frets, but I've done all of 3-4 fret levels so far ;^>
Just my 2 cents: Yesno...there are some harder files if you do it with files and those last longer. If you use any diamond coated files or especially fret crowning tools you have to take your time (to some extend). The coating is held by some kind of adhesive and it and the coating can be damaged by heat. Some people look like they try to start a fire with those tools and that can burn out the coating quickly. If you're not trying a pitstop, it will last a long time. If you designate one file just for the stainless steel frets it will last quite a while. What you definitely need are the right nippers to cut that harder fretwire to length.
Slim leveling beam doesn't care. You follow the radius bit by bit along the radius, always moving parallel to the centerline of the neck and not the outside taper of the neck.
You didn't show us the process of putting on and taking off the tape!!! How will we ever know how it's done? Waaa. lol Thanks for the video Dave, the only thing that Tele needs is a tortoise pickguard, other than that, it's a beauty.
If you look toward the head end of the neck, the owner had already worn dents into those frets. The whole neck needed leveled. Nevermind, the fretboard was close enough to the body that one slip would have scratched the pickguard or pickup cover.
@@JBSlickflyer C'mon i am not going to argue with you..My point was only three frets that are close to the body..Taping the boy to protect it from damage is the proper way.You act like this is so hard to do you obviously dont level dress frets have a nice day...I was not asking you to begin with.Thanks Captain Obvious
@@Ben_Mdws I agree completely, and as was said above, if you don't need/like it, FF. Then again, what exactly are viewers looking for? A personalized version which shows/doesn't show each step in detail, depending on whether you have mastered those steps? Plug your brain into this virtual tumshie...
I'm 60, I did my own setups for a long time. Then I had Pros do them. That was a lesson too. Sometimes if you set them up with a heavy set of strings like 52 -10s.
And you take a whole week to do the setup. Actually you do the setup like three or four times and let it stand in a stand overnight in a warm room. The guitar will continue to make adjustments even when you leave it alone. Just keep tuning it and repeating your setup procedures on it. Sometimes it helps to Tin the strings at the barrels just like you would for a tremolo setup. Creating stability to achieve stability. I lubricate my nuts and my saddles, Vaseline and graphite. I pre-stretch the strings. I lubricate the strings with tri-flow while they are on the guitar and strung to tension, I place a piece of thin cardboard between the strings and the guitar,
To keep the tri-flow off the Finish.
I don't worry about relief, I would be happy with a perfectly flat neck,
I lock the neck in a vacuum vice attached to a three-quarter inch thick sheet of plate glass. To reduce movement. I started doing this shit when I was 13. Grew up in a 16 track Studio. All the afflictions..Longitudinally. I like the 7 and 1/4 inch radius, and sometimes a compound neck, flatter in the higher register almost an 11.
Sometimes when I set the neck I'll wrap the butt of the neck with Saran Wrap very tightly and put in a thin layer of epoxy between the neck and the neck pocket.
Then when I remove the neck, the Saran Wrap keeps the neck from sticking to the pocket. I'll clean up the epoxy with a set of files, once I even used J-B Weld. lubricate the screws so they don't stick to the epoxy. Maximum contact and even support on a four PostNeck. Let it harden for a week. On three of the surfaces that are in contact with the pocket. This is an effort to increase sustain. Okay give me some shit now. Well that's how we learn. That's how come I know shit. You can get 5000 Grit at Hawley's paint store. I worked in a body shop. Cut your own blocks trim your sanding paper to match with an exacto knife. Just like you would when you do drop fill Thanks man. I would enjoy meeting you. No French polishing
I love watching your Channel.
A lot of people don't share their tricks. Thank you.
please bring us to solo with you . :)
thx for showing most of the fret work. i could watch that all day !
Dave has gotta be the best RUclipsr on the planet... Hands down!
Even people that have no interest in guitars should subscribe to this guy!... He's a legend!
All I'm gonna say is I love both of my Teles. And thank you Dave for helping me get em dialed in! My other guitars too. You rock brother!
✌💀👽🎸👍
Love your style and delivery. Brutal honesty scares some folks, keep making guitars happier!
Cheers Dave - had a similar problem with a Squier Cabronita. This video confirmed my suspicions about a hump at the bolt-on end and helped me realizse I wasn't going crazy. Issue now resolved thanks to your instructive tutelage.
You’re the Best, Uncle Dave. Thanks for all you do & for showing us how to do it ourselves. I was able to repair my 75 Fender fretless “Non-Precise” P-Bass neck that had an impossible to truss rod out bow, from a post you put up a long time ago, by bending it it in increments over a few days on clamps on your bench. I copied that & was able to put a little backbone in her with the truss rod & string’er up and buzz away. Thank You for the info...you’re the Best!
Good video Dave, it’s cool watching you get into stuff like this.
Awesome skills. The best I've found while surfing and learning luthier techniques.
This video has put me to sleep more times than I like to admit. It's just so damn soothing
I really love the "Turn your headphones up" parts. So fuckin funny
Killer DWOFS.
Thanks for your videos, Dave. Some days, especially after a particularly shi--y day, if I can I watch a few of your videos and it makes me feel better... my DWOFS therapy.
I'll be looking for those Solo guitar videos, Dave.
Good luck and cheers.
I would say the neck was made in '06, when they pulled the neck off the shelf, it was being assembled they slapped the date of '07, then stuck it together
Yup, serial number dates, dates models are actually introduced and internal label dates frequently span 2 years. I suspect also that Fender's production years do not correspond to calendar years, possibly to do with accounting and taxation reasons.
Great job Dave, was nice to see you do something for a change, so I gave you a thumbs up
As always a great job Dave. Love it !!!
I recently acquired a brand spanking new American Ultra Tele. They have what they are calling a "D" carved neck with a variable or incremental fingerboard. It goes from a 9.5-inch radius at the top to a 14 inch at the last fret. What are you going to do now to level something like that?
"I haven't looked at newer serial #s in ages!..whaat!🤔
Lovely Tele and good job Dave !
Thanks 👍go Solo 👏👏🤠
You are correct on the serial number. It should be a "2006 American Deluxe made in Corona"
Thanks for showing and explaining some of the minutia. As a new subscriber, I appreciate it.
i like to imagine that there's someone out there who actually does turn their headphones up for all the loud parts
Right here
I have had bad experience with two way truss rods. I calibrated the fret board and had to use reverse tension or actually take back bow out and it made a hump above the twelfth fret.
"Turn your headphones up!" LOL
Good to see that the educated eyeball still works! In a less serious note, who doesn't love a happy ending?✌️
a masters touch of profection. im still learning dave
My biker buddies were a bunch of old fat guys willing to spend enough money to buy complete leathers -- a wholebuncha bucks -- a helmet wired for sound, and a two wheel toy sitting out front worth every cent they spent on it and all its bling [except to insurance companies.] All it takes is a friendly smile from a cute waitress, and the tips are stacking up on the table. Mom and pop restaurants in the twisties welcome us with open arms. Solo should be so lucky.
This has happened to me more than once. Level and crown frets with the neck off the guitar and then have some heel end fret problems after the neck is reinstalled.
I'm starting to believe some heel fretwork issues are caused by the neck attachment screws distorting the wood in the neck under the last 4-5 frets
Now... I level the frets with the neck installed on the body and tight screws. No more troublesome than doing set neck guitars.
My old Fender Stratocaster was the same way, the neck was from 1999 and the body had January 25 2000 under the pickguard.
I bought a Harley Benton TE-52 and love playing it but it weighs a full ten pounds. Any suggestions on chambering? I'm a woodworker and have all the tools. Peace.
Another great video!! See you at Solo!!
Thought I was at South Main Auto there for a second. :-)
Fender typically rolls their serial number year in March or early April, so the DZ6 would still have been used for an early March neck.
Best of luck next week at Solo Guitar.
I went crazy a couple of years back when I levelled my semi (HB35+).
It wasn't horribly bad out of the box but It was just that bit higher than the big boy's factory spec.
After the coarse stones and crowning I polished up through to 2000 grit THEN took polishing stones up into the thousands.
Quite where the stones' grade met the Peek polishing paste I dunno but them frets were Smoooth at the finish.
Probably way overkill but I got the action down by nearly 2 x 64ths from where it was.
Job done and learned a couple of new tricks.
Thanks in no small part to your vids Dave.
Two years later she still plays sweet. 😎
Best fret leveling video I've seen. You left just the right amount of boring, repetitive, monotonous tedium in to make me think I should try this on my 2nd best Tele.
Try a beater first.
your biker friends ... I wonder if I met some of them. I used to do sound at Willy Woggs on Hamilton Mountain. They liked that place. In fact, I mixed the Killer Dwarfs there once. It was a great night.
Good luck at the new gig. Are you going to be doing repair videos there?
Very cool!
Just watching intently as you explain the different grits of sandpaper , then decides to take a large swig of beer when you say “turn up your headphones”, nostrils full of lager 🤣🤣🤣🤣, rock on bro 👍
The Bob Ross of fret flappers!
Hey Dave, Who sells the sticky sandpaper ? Inquiring minds would like to know.
Where'd you get that sticky back paper?
Speaking of production values, Dave; maybe a car chase near the end? :) P.S. I really enjoy your stuff !
I was thinking only the last four or five frets needed releveling.
John Simms - I would have guessed that too, since you want to extend the life of frets in the first octave, assuming they play well. But Dave has a good eye. He uses that eye sometimes...
@@j_freed Yeah, that particular eye is the only one that still works! ;)
3:54 well I would like to see how you tape up the neck, as fret work is something I'm learning to do more, but I'm sure there is no shortage of videos showing this lol
Hey Dave quick question. Do the fret erasers flatten out the crowns?
No need to make excuses, Dave! Some of the finest examples of humanity travel on two wheels. I'd like to think I can consider myself among them.
Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't!
16:25 Intonation
Dave, thanks for the video! Hey, I'm getting ready to do my first fret level and crown and I wonder if you can clarify something for me. I've seen a bunch of videos on fret leveling (maybe even some of yours?) and everyone always instructs you not to use any pressure when you level and to let the block/paper do the work while you gently guide it over the frets. It looked like you were putting a decent amount of pressure down. Is this because you were using a radius block or something else? It sure made quick work of the job so I'm interested in finding out more.
He was able to put that pressure down, cause the neck was removed on that pad and it's a flat fender headstock too. If you got a set neck and have it in a cradle, it will bend under pressure if there is no support from below. If your sanding beam/radius beam etc. isn't too light, you just have to move it back and forth. Make sure you move it in a straight line and NOT follow the tapered outline of the neck. Move parallel to the center line of the neck. Get a cheap beater guitar and it's not a problem to make some mistakes. If something doesn't work out, you have a free lesson in refretting and maybe even reradiusing a fretboard. For a better result, change the direction after a consistent number of strokes toards the nut and then turn the neck and move towards the body.
Do you concur, Dave?
MatthewDean After working on a few guitars myself I’d say this is solid advice
Wondering the same here, as it looked like the neck was flexing under the pressure. I use really light touch to avoid flexing the neck or digging into the frets, but I've done all of 3-4 fret levels so far ;^>
Hi Dave, Is it the .11 feeler gauge you use when checking relief generally? Thanks for the vids, I've learnt a lot
I wish dave would boost the audio in like, 40 dB just before he starts sanding.
Gap, gap, gap then she gets tight? We love that kind!
I don't use headphones I just make the picture bigger!
You didn’t show us removing the tape Dave maybe next time😜
10,000 comedians out of work and ... ;P
No thanks Dave, I dont need the happy ending. Just level the frets please. ;)
what brand of crowning files do you recommend?
Flap on, flap off...image that huh?
id love it if you could make some videos in solo, they might not want it, but it would be good publicity imo.
Dave can you share what vendor makes that crowning file?
Thanks for the awesome Tips 👍😁
Dave, are there different tools for working on stainless steel frets, or would you use the same tools and replace them more often?
Just my 2 cents: Yesno...there are some harder files if you do it with files and those last longer. If you use any diamond coated files or especially fret crowning tools you have to take your time (to some extend). The coating is held by some kind of adhesive and it and the coating can be damaged by heat. Some people look like they try to start a fire with those tools and that can burn out the coating quickly. If you're not trying a pitstop, it will last a long time. If you designate one file just for the stainless steel frets it will last quite a while. What you definitely need are the right nippers to cut that harder fretwire to length.
Dave I have a 13.7 radius fretboard that needs leveling. They don't make a 13.7 sanding block. What do I use?
Slim leveling beam doesn't care. You follow the radius bit by bit along the radius, always moving parallel to the centerline of the neck and not the outside taper of the neck.
Dave, are you going to bring us with you to solo???
@@DavesWorldofFunStuff cool....
Dave's World of Fun Stuff ..... Yippeeeeeeee! Are we there yet???? LOL
Yes we want to go with you!!!
I will show up with 5 kit guitar builds for ya, Dave .......oh, and they all were built by a drummer ;)
You didn't show us the process of putting on and taking off the tape!!! How will we ever know how it's done? Waaa. lol
Thanks for the video Dave, the only thing that Tele needs is a tortoise pickguard, other than that, it's a beauty.
No! An aged pearl pick guard is de riguer, as the French would say!
The 3 m sandpaper from stew MAC is great and
super expensive, does any one have a less costly brand?
Probably the 3M at your local hardware store ...
Hey! At 0:16 Is that a Metric wrench? 🤪
:[ i think my shecter has the same issues.
This is for the headphone users. 🤣
Fender Flapocaster...
💙👊😎
Have a little cheese for lunch today? 8)
What are you doing Dave........
you put titanium oxide on a buffer
send it back to fender lol
An angle grinder in skilled hands will work fine, right ?
Dave.....You ride?
I bet you have a softail......
I have a softail.
dyslexic comment
Why do you bother taking the neck off?
It makes it a lot easier to access the frets toward the body, and reduces the risk of damaging the body. Also, it's a lot less weight to throw around.
@@JBSlickflyer Not good enough,Three frets? I do this all the time myself and I dont like pulling necks unless it necessary.
If you look toward the head end of the neck, the owner had already worn dents into those frets. The whole neck needed leveled. Nevermind, the fretboard was close enough to the body that one slip would have scratched the pickguard or pickup cover.
@@JBSlickflyer C'mon i am not going to argue with you..My point was only three frets that are close to the body..Taping the boy to protect it from damage is the proper way.You act like this is so hard to do you obviously dont level dress frets have a nice day...I was not asking you to begin with.Thanks Captain Obvious
Let's be honest, no tele player is up that high anyways lol.
Tell that to John 5.
All the money is made in the first five frets. The rest of the frets are just a commercial interruption.
@@jvin248
It's called guitar masturbation and it's art!
I hate when people show the tedium.
Yeah. Like your comment.
It's called scan the video forward, lazy bastid....
@@j_freed It's called editing.
Last video I read some guy grumbling that Dave was editing out all the process. Can’t please some folk.
@@Ben_Mdws I agree completely, and as was said above, if you don't need/like it, FF. Then again, what exactly are viewers looking for? A personalized version which shows/doesn't show each step in detail, depending on whether you have mastered those steps? Plug your brain into this virtual tumshie...