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Barb less FineFretstm installation


What you will need to install the frets using the proposed method:

  1. A set of custom made FineFretstm
  2. A FineFretstm positioning tool (included with your custom set of FineFretstm)
  3. An appropriate extruded radius sanding block without sandpaper attached to it
  4. A neck support
  5. Many clamps
  6. Thin CA glue
  7. CA glue remover
  8. Fret rocker
  9. Plastic dead blow hammer or equivalent
  10. 0000 Steel wool or 3M flexible polishing papers

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Proposed installation technique:

1
Carefully sand the fretboard to the desired sandpaper grit; we go to 600 grit;

2
Break the edges of the fretboard at this time since this is more difficult to do when the frets are inserted;
3
Hook the positioning tool on the fretboard, in line with the first fret slot and facing the high E end of the fret slot;

4
Manually insert about a third of the fret tang of the first fret into the slot while the fret end abuts the positioning tool;
5
Repeat these two steps for all the frets;



6
Place the neck in the neck support;

7
Place the extruded radius sanding block on top of the frets;
8
Using the clamps, gradually press the frets in; do this in multiple passes to ensure gradual fret pressing;

9
Using a flashlight, verify that both ends of every fret tang is entirely pressed in and that the bottom of the fret abuts the fretboard;

10
Remove the fretted fretboard from the clamp pressure since the sanding block is pretty straight, the top of the installed frets are pretty much in the same plane;
11
With the fret rocker, identify the frets that are higher than adjacent frets and gently hammer them in

12
Wick some thin CA on each side of each FineFretstm to glue the frets in the slot while their top surface is level;

13
Wait at least 15 minutes;
14
Wipe the excess CA with CA glue remover and, if necessary, buff the frets with steel wool, with 3M flexible polishing paper or with a buffer.
15
Voilà! You are done with the fret job!!! If you have questions about this procedure, or if you have developed your own procedure, please let us know.