How Much Does It Cost To Get Your Guitar Frets Replaced Char Lutheries & Guitar Repair

The condition of your frets will make up one's mind how well your guitar plays.

The status of your frets will determine how well your guitar plays. Every time you press your strings against the frets, the friction between them subtly changes the shape of the frets, causing them to wear out. Over time, this metal-against-metallic contact can lead to cord rattle and intonation issues. The greatest fret damage is caused by capos—especially nether the patently strings.

Fret wearable is a normal by-product of playing your instrument. Every bit a guitarist, it's important to know how to evaluate fret damage and empathise what options y'all have to correct information technology. The big question is, tin can I refurbish my frets or is it time to replace them? Let's explore the bailiwick starting with the fretwire itself.

What are frets made of?

Though fretwire is frequently called "nickel silver," it doesn't actually contain silvery. Rather, it'south typically equanimous of 18 percent nickel, 80 percent copper, and small amounts of such other materials as zinc, lead, and cadmium. Really skilful fret wire has more zinc and less copper. I of my favorite brands is Jescar, and their NS formula is 62 percent copper, 18 percent nickel, and 20 percent zinc. Because it's harder than traditional fretwire, information technology lasts longer.

Another option is stainless steel. Stainless steel is very hard to piece of work with, merely it lasts dramatically longer than traditional fretwire. Still, stainless steel frets come with a hefty price tag. Most luthiers will charge more double to re-fret a guitar with stainless steel considering it virtually destroys their tools and the job takes much longer to do. In the long run, information technology could exist the perfect solution for your guitar since y'all may never have to replace the frets again!

How are frets sized?

Fig. i. Fretwire is measured past the crown'due south width (A) and summit (B), also equally the size of the barb (C) and depth of the tang (D).

Fretwire comes in a variety of sizes and shapes. Fig. 1 illustrates the four elements that determine a particular manner of fretwire. They are the width and pinnacle of the crown, the size of the barb, and the depth of the tang.

The crown is the exposed function of the fret. When you fret a note, you're pressing the string to the very tiptop of the crown. Similar a row of hooks, barbs secure the fret to the fretboard. Barb width determines the width of the fret slot and the tang determines the depth of the fret slot—i.e., how far the fretwire penetrates into the fretboard.

The size and shape of each of these four elements are specifically designed for different playing preferences and types of guitars. The crown width can vary from ultra narrow (.053") to super colossal (.118"). The fret summit tin exist anywhere from a brusque .032" to a tall .060". The width of the barbs and depth of the tang as well vary from .019" to .040".

All these dimensions have a specific purpose and are of import considerations when choosing fretwire. For example, wider frets can produce a stronger tone, but every bit they habiliment, the guitar's intonation "drifts" farther than with narrow frets. Simply narrow wire has its drawbacks, too: Narrow frets won't cause your intonation to drift as much, merely they wear downward faster than broad frets.

Tall frets volition last longer earlier they demand to be replaced. However, I don't recommend them for someone who plays with a potent grip. If yous grip the neck tightly while playing or use a capo, the strings will pull sharp as you play. On the other paw, shorter frets wear out faster (especially if yous use a capo) and need to be replaced more often.

The size of the barbs and tang have a profound effect on a guitar neck, and if you decide to install new frets, it's very important to use the correct size. If the barbs and tang are besides narrow or shallow for the slots, the frets won't seat securely in the fretboard. This causes them to lift out when the weather changes and yields uneven frets and a lot of buzzy or dead notes. When the barbs and tang are too wide, they can crack and flake the fretboard, or fifty-fifty cause the neck to dorsum-bow. In the case of a back-bow, you have to re-fret the guitar.

To summarize: A neck must accept the correctly sized frets to match the fretboard and histrion. Otherwise, you lot'll cease up with a very expensive mess!

Tin can the dents in my frets exist repaired?

Dents e'er create problems with frets. Only does discovering dents mean you demand to supercede your frets or is re-crowning an pick?

Information technology can go either way, and the respond depends on the depth of the dents. When the dents are deep, your tech would accept to remove too much material from all the frets to correctly repair the problem ones. When the height of the fret is below .038" and it has deep pits and dents, chances are a re-fret is in gild.

Fig. two. A dented and pitted fret causes intonation problems, creates string rattle, and impedes smooth string bends.

Wait at Fig. 2 and notice the deep pits in these frets. These dents are as well deep to repair, so the frets must be replaced.

Fig. three. A apartment fret also creates rattle and intonation problems.

Dents and pits are non the only reason to replace frets. Flat spots in the frets are another culprit. For a fret to function properly, it must have a domed crown. If the crown is flat, as in Fig. three, it volition cause cord rattle and intonation issues. Much like dents and pits, if the fret has a flat crown and is besides short, it will need to be replaced.

Fig. 4. Re-crowning a fret with a specialized tool.

If the frets are tall enough to repair, they are first leveled so re-crowned. To level a fret, your tech grinds and sands the frets to an equal height. This leaves the frets with a flat crown. The next step is to re-crown the fret past removing material from its sides until the crown offers a narrow point of contact for the string Fig. iv. This is a very painstaking process and it takes years of practice to develop the proper skills—definitely a chore for a pro.

What'south involved with a re-fret?

Fig. five. A consummate re-fret gives a guitar a new lease on life.

In a re-fret, all the frets in the neck are replaced. The process is very precise and requires expensive tools and great skill. The bones steps include disassembling the guitar, removing all the sometime frets, planing the fretboard, radiusing the fretboard, cleaning out the fret slots, installing the new frets and then leveling and re-crowning them, cleaning the fretboard and polishing the frets, and finally reassembling the guitar Fig. v.

And this is just a basic overview of the procedure. At that place are many, many more steps—enough to make full an unabridged book. Re-fretting is expensive and fourth dimension consuming, but generally worth the cost.

Over the years, I've had clients who choose to supervene upon an one-time bolt-on neck with a new one, rather than opt for a re-fret. This tin can be a bully selection, only beware—almost every new neck needs a fret level and re-crowning. Nigh guitar parts factories don't take the fourth dimension that a luthier would to ensure that the frets are level. Then go along in heed that by the fourth dimension you pay for a new neck and the additional fretwork, y'all could have re-fretted the original neck and had some leftover alter!

What nearly a partial re-fret?

Sometimes but replacing several frets, rather than all of them, gets the task done. This is ordinarily preferable for a neck that just has habiliment on the first six or seven frets and has a level fretboard. If the fretboard is in practiced condition and the residue of the frets are tall enough, a partial re-fret is a peachy mode to save money. Not all guitars can qualify for this operation. If the fretboard has a twist or moving ridge in it, a total re-fret is required.

Capo is a 4-letter word.

The capo is a fret'due south worst enemy. Of form, I beloved capos because I dear to do fretwork! If no ane used capos, my income from fretwork would drop at least threescore percent. The more you use a capo, the more damage it does to the frets. As the capo clamps downward on the strings, it smashes the strings into the frets and much harder than if y'all were to play a chord. Equally a result, frets begin to flatten and develop pits and dents. This is neat news for a guitar tech, but not then expert for the histrion.

To avoid unnecessary "capo-inflicted" fret impairment, I suggest you use a capo with a tension adjustment. Many capos but printing the strings downwards to the fretboard without offer a manner to adjust the tension. If y'all use a capo with a tension aligning, you tin can clamp the device with just enough force to prevent cord rattle, however reduce boosted fret wear.

Another great benefit to using a capo with adjustable clamping tension: It will help avoid tuning problems versus a nonadjustable capo. There are several swell capos on the market that will diminish fret damage and tuning issues, including Planet Waves Dual Action capo and all the diverse Shubb models. If your capo doesn't offer a tension aligning, buy ane that does. This will salvage you a ton of money in fretwork.

[Updated viii/10/21]