Fret wear - how do you know…

Matthew Bryson · #1 07-23-2007, 12:23 PM

How do you know when frets need recrowned or leveled or replaced? I don't think I've ever had a fret problem before (only been playing 6 years) …but recently I bought a used bass, and I just changed the strings… it has some fret wear. A couple of frets look pretty bad to me - but I have no frame of reference, really.

My guess is that at some point somebody used steel strings and played very hard. A lot.

Some frets have deep cuts or grooves that look to be caused by strings. Only one in particular is very deep. (What I mean by this is, I can't imagine being able to file the fret down far enough that you couldn't see the scratches anymore.) (Sorry, I don't have any pictures of this)

I have no problems with tone or intonation - should I be concerned? What is the first sign that I have to do something about the frets and what is that "something" likely to be?

BellBottomBlues · #2 07-23-2007, 01:49 PM

If it looks like there are giant valleys in your fretwire you need a fretjob

202dy · #3 07-23-2007, 01:51 PM

Fret dressing (also known as Level, Crown, and Polish) is called for when wear marks can be seen in the frets. Fret dressing is the the series of work that occurs after new frets are installed. If there are deep ruts it usually makes sense to have a partial refret done. A partial refret might only include replacing 1-5 frets plus fret dress.

scootron · #4 07-24-2007, 07:14 PM

This is something I have been wondering about as well. If one doesn't know for sure whether their frets need be to be dressed or whether a partial refret is needed, how does one tell? I thought about driving 100 miles to the nearest bass tech to ask, but it would be so much nicer if that information could be available here. Can anyone post some images of stages of fret wear that can be remedied by dressing versus stages of wear that call for a refret?

I realize we probably should be able to tell by playing, but in my case is is a bass I just acquired (used, of course), and I don't have a feel for it. If it wouldn't be an imposition, I could post some images and let the more knowledgeable members here opine as to whether dressing/refretting/something else is needed.

Comment?