Fret work?

[Woogles]

Say I have a cheap bass and it needs "fret work"
What exactly would I have to do?
Would I have to go to a pro?
I'm not to sure what everyone means by fret work...

[scottbass]

The two most common types of "fret work" are fret leveling and dressing the fret ends. Fret leveling is necessary if you have one or more frets that are too high, resulting in unwanted buzzing. Of course the neck relief and action height must be set correctly - and to your preferences - first in order to determine if you indeed have one or more high frets. Dressing the fret ends is necessary if one or more frest stick out too far from the side of the fretboard, feeling rough (or tearing your fingers) when you run your hand up and down the neck.

I always take my bass to a pro for fret leveling, but I have dressed fret ends myself. I use a very fine file and work slowly and carefully to avoid damaging the wood of the fretboard and neck.

Good luck - not all "pros" are equally proficient! Your best bet is to ask around locally and try to determine who is the best-regarded fret leveler in your particular area.

[Chasarms]

Originally Posted by Woogles

. . . I'm not to sure what everyone means by fret work...

Then I must respectfully ask, "how do you know you need it?"

Fretwork, especially leveling, is not for the ambitious notice. First of all, it requires tooling that can easily cost as much as a cheap bass. Secondly, it takes significant knowledge and training.

If you share some of the experiences you are having with the bass, I certain someone can offer direction for you.