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Frets popping

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by Larbacca, Dec 19, 2014.

  1. Dec 19, 2014 #1
    Larbacca

    Larbacca

    Mar 2, 2014
    Figured you guys would know about these things...thinking about rewarding myself after the holidays with a second bass. I love my p but miss my weird squier HM. I'm looking at a used modern player jaguar with Duncan q pounders. The tone and neck are awesome. My just in case back up is the squier classic vibe 50s p bass. I'd throw some flats on it and make it a mellow different bass than my p. All of that out of the way, the frets on the 50s p are popping a tiny bit out of the wood on the sides. Is that a huge concern? A sign of other issues? New neck, etc?
     
  2. Dec 19, 2014 #2
    Larbacca

    Larbacca

    Mar 2, 2014
    Further clarification these are both used basses at the same store.
     
  3. Dec 19, 2014 #3
    scourgeofgod

    scourgeofgod

    Aug 17, 2006
    Do you mean the frets are literally coming up out of the fretboard?
     
  4. Dec 19, 2014 #4
    hdracer

    hdracer

    Feb 15, 2009
    Elk River, MN.
    Fret sprout is very common. Any tech can clean them up for you at a very reasonable cost if you do not want to buy the files and do it yourself.
     
  5. Dec 19, 2014 #5
    Larbacca

    Larbacca

    Mar 2, 2014
    Coming up on the sides. So if you're looking down and playing they'd be on top. That's what I thought but one of those things I only read about here. It was the first time in person.
     
  6. Dec 19, 2014 #6
    Bobster

    Bobster

    Mar 27, 2006
    Austin, TX
    Fret sprout is what they call it when the frets suddenly seem wider than the neck itself. What's happened is that the neck shrunk down slightly because of the wood drying out, or temperature change. It's normal and the fix is to file the ends of the frets down so they are flush again.

    Bob
     
  7. Dec 19, 2014 #7
    Larbacca

    Larbacca

    Mar 2, 2014
    Thanks! Figured it was an easy thing to fix.
     
  8. Dec 19, 2014 #8
    God's Favorite Bass

    God's Favorite Bass

    May 4, 2014
    Rochester, MN
    And even less poopie than sprout, sometimes it is only the clear coat on the fret ends poking up as the finish shrinks into the grain. It can't shrink into the metal ends and you can wet block the sides and it disappears all together. More common on maple...like the 50's P. Go for it if you dig the bass!