Really appreciate the video Stan! Going with the EVO wire as well from now on. I recrown my frets with a good ol' three corner file but those z files are sure handy and much safer. I rarely ever slip with the three corner and hit the top but it still makes for stressful work and requires a lot of patience. It's really awesome to see that you basically lightly scalloped that fretboard by playing. That's probably one happy guitar. See if you can get some micromesh pads, those give a shine that's unmatched imo. Btw you can keep the glasses, kinda gives you that matrix vibe lol I forgot to ask you something, what nut material do you prefer? Ever tried those tusq nuts?
I have it on a rare Vega cylinder arch top guitar and it’s great. No loss in feel and sounds great. It matches the ebony and golden brown flames maple and spruce. Killer guitar and I’ve never seen another like it.
With EVO’s. Watch this video. I loved my EVO’s for many years but recently switched to vintage sized Fender fret in stainless steel. Smaller frets in EVO would probably give you an improvement in chord intonation.
I really like the Jescar nickel silver super jumbo wire. It seems to be harder than most other brands/alloys and wears very well. The sound and feel is what I prefer too. I’ll have to try some EVO wire on the “Mary Kaye” Custom Shop ‘58 Strat I have. The frets are the only thing that isn’t gold. Micromesh polishing pads do a wonderful job on frets. For how much they cost, you can’t go wrong.
Yeah, I bought Jescar nickel frets specifically for that reason but I still wore them out. Now, my next adventure will be to get some leveling tools. I tried to recrown the nickel frets but they need leveling first. There are too many to choose from. I like the radius sanding beams but I would need two or three beams and they are expensive. I think I might have a compound radius on one Strat but I have no clue how to do that.
@@millstap Just get a flat leveling beam and a fret rocker. Those radius beams are more for sanding than fingerboard than a fretted neck. Most of my fret maintenance tools come from Philadelphia Luthier Supply on eBay. Still good quality but without the Stew Mac prices. Perfectly good for servicing your own guitars. They have micromesh pads. I got the smaller squares and the larger rectangle versions.
@@millstap Yes. I have a notched straight edge that has 24 3/4” and 25 1/2 scale lengths on each side. I get the neck as straight as possible and support the neck in a long caul.
I went to buy the z file and they have 4 options? Do you use the 150 original 300 original 150 centered 300 centered I dont know which one you used and i dont want to buy all 4. Thanks
I got the 300 grit original file. I'm glad I did. The offset is good for getting the whole fret without touching the top. My guitars are sounding so much more in tune now. The EVO Gold frets recrown beautifully just like new, without having to level them first. I was even able to get my nickel frets almost perfect without leveling them. I have never leveled frets and don't have the tools to do it so I have to make due with what I have. The nickel frets had just a few slightly low spots after recrowning that didn't have a bad affect at all. The nickels ones really do need to replaced at this point.
@@millstap leveling is easy, you just need a notched strait edge, a small level, some mounting tape and various grits of sandpaper. I just leveled my strats frets for the first time and it was super easy. There’s RUclips videos that show the whole process and it’s not a big task and if you already have a crowing file, it’s not much to buy the few supplies you need for leveling.
@@Eliphas_Elric Thank you for the information. I went a step further and just bought two new Musikraft necks with the old vintage style, small Fender frets but in stainless steel. I love them. I retired this old neck. I was shocked to find out that the intonation on those small frets is much better than larger frets and they play just as good. I think the jumbo fret craze was a little misguided. Plus, I got a large CBS reverse headstock which is great. ruclips.net/video/G8umuJzhYcc/видео.html
If you are in the New Orleans area, Sal Giardina in Metairie is around $150 and Hogy Notzel in Baton Rouge is $300 the last I checked. Hogy is the best but you pay for it. He does a lot of pro guitars like Robben Ford and many others.
Just the info I needed to help me touch up my frets. Thanks Stan.
Really appreciate the video Stan! Going with the EVO wire as well from now on. I recrown my frets with a good ol' three corner file but those z files are sure handy and much safer. I rarely ever slip with the three corner and hit the top but it still makes for stressful work and requires a lot of patience.
It's really awesome to see that you basically lightly scalloped that fretboard by playing. That's probably one happy guitar. See if you can get some micromesh pads, those give a shine that's unmatched imo.
Btw you can keep the glasses, kinda gives you that matrix vibe lol
I forgot to ask you something, what nut material do you prefer? Ever tried those tusq nuts?
I have it on a rare Vega cylinder arch top guitar and it’s great. No loss in feel and sounds great. It matches the ebony and golden brown flames maple and spruce. Killer guitar and I’ve never seen another like it.
With EVO’s. Watch this video. I loved my EVO’s for many years but recently switched to vintage sized Fender fret in stainless steel. Smaller frets in EVO would probably give you an improvement in chord intonation.
ruclips.net/video/G8umuJzhYcc/видео.html
Always been facinated with evo frets. Knaggs is known for only using evo on there instruments when a artist wants a harder fret.
I really like the Jescar nickel silver super jumbo wire. It seems to be harder than most other brands/alloys and wears very well. The sound and feel is what I prefer too.
I’ll have to try some EVO wire on the “Mary Kaye” Custom Shop ‘58 Strat I have. The frets are the only thing that isn’t gold.
Micromesh polishing pads do a wonderful job on frets. For how much they cost, you can’t go wrong.
Yeah, I bought Jescar nickel frets specifically for that reason but I still wore them out. Now, my next adventure will be to get some leveling tools. I tried to recrown the nickel frets but they need leveling first. There are too many to choose from. I like the radius sanding beams but I would need two or three beams and they are expensive. I think I might have a compound radius on one Strat but I have no clue how to do that.
Several people have mentioned the micromesh pads. Where do you get them? The gold frets would look cool on a Mary Kay.
@@millstap Just get a flat leveling beam and a fret rocker. Those radius beams are more for sanding than fingerboard than a fretted neck.
Most of my fret maintenance tools come from Philadelphia Luthier Supply on eBay. Still good quality but without the Stew Mac prices. Perfectly good for servicing your own guitars.
They have micromesh pads. I got the smaller squares and the larger rectangle versions.
@@matthewf1979 Do you level the frets on a perfectly flat neck?
@@millstap Yes. I have a notched straight edge that has 24 3/4” and 25 1/2 scale lengths on each side. I get the neck as straight as possible and support the neck in a long caul.
I went to buy the z file and they have 4 options? Do you use the
150 original
300 original
150 centered
300 centered
I dont know which one you used and i dont want to buy all 4.
Thanks
I got the 300 grit original file. I'm glad I did. The offset is good for getting the whole fret without touching the top. My guitars are sounding so much more in tune now. The EVO Gold frets recrown beautifully just like new, without having to level them first. I was even able to get my nickel frets almost perfect without leveling them. I have never leveled frets and don't have the tools to do it so I have to make due with what I have. The nickel frets had just a few slightly low spots after recrowning that didn't have a bad affect at all. The nickels ones really do need to replaced at this point.
@@millstap leveling is easy, you just need a notched strait edge, a small level, some mounting tape and various grits of sandpaper. I just leveled my strats frets for the first time and it was super easy. There’s RUclips videos that show the whole process and it’s not a big task and if you already have a crowing file, it’s not much to buy the few supplies you need for leveling.
@@Eliphas_Elric Thank you for the information. I went a step further and just bought two new Musikraft necks with the old vintage style, small Fender frets but in stainless steel. I love them. I retired this old neck. I was shocked to find out that the intonation on those small frets is much better than larger frets and they play just as good. I think the jumbo fret craze was a little misguided. Plus, I got a large CBS reverse headstock which is great. ruclips.net/video/G8umuJzhYcc/видео.html
What's the going rate on a refret around you? I still haven't found anybody around here. I want to be informed when I do. Keep on keepin' on!
If you are in the New Orleans area, Sal Giardina in Metairie is around $150 and Hogy Notzel in Baton Rouge is $300 the last I checked. Hogy is the best but you pay for it. He does a lot of pro guitars like Robben Ford and many others.
@@millstap That's cheap, $150 and up just for levelling and crowning is the going rate here. I would gladly pay $300 for a total refret.
Come on.. refret every six months 😂
Yes. I just live with flat frets. There may be one level and dress in them but after that, they are too low and need to be replaced.