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Frets & humidity

Oct 15, 2005
4,451
1,602
Luxembourg, Europe
Disclosures
Nordstrand pickups
I discovered that on one of my basses (maple neck/fingerboard) the frets "go over" the edge of the board.
I bought this bass new in 1998. I have been playing it regularly until 2003. Then I have been uisng it as a backup.
Has the wood been shrinking? Was the wood "too new"?
What can I do?
 
Hello Gillento,

I had exactly the same problems with my Roscoe only 4 months old when the frets started to be quite rough til they frankly came over the edge of the neck. My fingerboard is birdseye maple. In fact that maple has retracted (maybe cause to winter or change in weather).
The guies at Roscoe said it happens sometimes with certain woods.

That problem is easily fixable by a good qualified luthier or repareman who will fill the edge of each frets.
The operation with a light leveling of the frets and a complete set up of my bass has coast me 100 € and 4 days without my baby.

Good luck

Sheers

Shiveringbass
 
Has the wood been shrinking?

Yes. Your guitar is dry. You can rehumidify it.

See this tech sheet from Taylor guitars:

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Point #4 discusses frets.

It mostly has to do with acoustic guitars, but I think it still applies. I don't think your guitar needs work done to it.
Taylor has more tech sheets here (aslo PDF):

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Hope this helped.