Got any good advice for fitting frets ? It's one of my main weaknesses In guitar building.
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Winter build off 2025 : Adam
- Thread starter Boogiedude69
- Start date
Sorry, meant to answer the other day. I can try to type it all out but fretting a neck is a fairly common video and any number of builders on here have shown it. I think I showed it in my thread when I was rebuilding the Kay Speed Demon.
You just need to make or buy a few tools. A fret bender, I bought mine but it’s not too tough to make one. Fret end nippers, I made ones out of two different sizes of end nippers with the faces ground down flush. A beveling file, I made the block for mine but you really don’t even need a block, a long smooth mill file and eyeballing it can work. Either a soft(ish) plastic faced hammer and / or cauls to use in a drill press or bench press. I think you mentioned you’ve leveled frets? If so you should already have a leveling beam, crowning files and something to use for a fret end file.
Thanks, I bought a fret bender yesterday, and I used my big pillar drill to set the frets, next step to file the fret ends. What glue is best to glue the nut in place ?
Looking good. You’ll be glad you did it yourself. I use whatever glue is at hand. Often CA but sometimes Titebond. Use literally a dot of glue on the bass and treble sides. You’re not gluing the nut in, the glue is just to help hold it in place with the strings off. Too much glue just makes it harder to remove and clean up later. I don’t glue anything until the slots are at their final depth and the nut is completely shaped. In fact, there’s probably a couple of instruments in the basement with no glue in the nut slot and the sun still managed to find a way to come up this morning.
I've been putting coats of tru oil on the body, I think I'm ready to start polishing now. I'm particularly proud of my cavity cover, I used an off cut from the top. This will be my best guitar yet, but I have still learned a few more lessons on this build, I don't think we really ever stop learning.
That redwood is drop dead gorgeous 
How many coats oil did it take? The redwood top I did drank alot of tru oil...
How many coats oil did it take? The redwood top I did drank alot of tru oil...
3 full coats and 3 thinner coats.That redwood is drop dead gorgeous
How many coats oil did it take? The redwood top I did drank alot of tru oil...
Just finished the wiring and assembly, only needs strings and setting up. I will be getting the glamour shots done this weekend, but I can't quite believe it's done, my quickest build from scratch. Lots learned, more lessons to be learned with future builds. 
Those are a good starting point. They are about as average as bass strings come. From there you can start dialing in your preferences (maybe they are too bright for you so next string change look for something darker, or maybe too thick so go a step lighter, etc.)
I'm loving how the grain on the body and fretboard complement one another.
It's a perfectly decent normal set of strings. Me, I'm enamored of black nylon tapewounds, but evidently they are not a particularly popular choice (as the "strings" poll reported last time I looked, anyway. Which is not recently, but I doubt it's changed.) Not that I care much about that aspect, I like the way they feel and sound. But other people like flatwounds and apparently most people like roundwounds.
Assuming you are a normal bassist who likes roundwounds, yep, respectable brand, common choice, and you have a million more (well dozens to hundreds, anyway) to choose from if you don't like them. Meanwhile I'm playing my 12 year old tapewounds and they still sound the same ;^) Which is the third thing I like about them...
Assuming you are a normal bassist who likes roundwounds, yep, respectable brand, common choice, and you have a million more (well dozens to hundreds, anyway) to choose from if you don't like them. Meanwhile I'm playing my 12 year old tapewounds and they still sound the same ;^) Which is the third thing I like about them...
Tape wound affectionado here as well. With my bass and playing style you wouldn’t know I was playing fretless with tapes.
Glamour shots done, very happy.
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I always love it when I can't decide whether I like the front or back better. Looks great from all angles.
