Fretting the Fretting Post

Well… it’s not that bad, however it does require patience.  Unless, your the “The Factory”, then you have a machine just cram all 22 frets, at once, into those 22 slots your other machine just sawed in about 6 seconds.  When I start a fret job it requires a certain frame of mind. Once altered, it’s easy to devote as much time as necessary to each slot and fret as necessary.  I have already slotted my fretboard but, I don’t expect each slot is just right. The depth needs to be checked and modified to fit the fret. If the slot is shallow at any spot then your fret will never lie down and will buzz.

I do mine old school with a brass hammer and a little Titebond as instructed by Dr. Dan B.  Once all the frets are hammered in, let it dry overnight before proceeding.   Next day I can file down the excess on the ends and begin the fret dressing process.  This one will teach patience.  Small file, fine grit paper, reading glasses, burs, and time.  There are way too many instructional pieces on this already so I’ll not add one.

Happy frettin’ , check my guitar site for a new axe.

Exhibiting at The Carolina Guitar Show

For the sake of any who may have actually read my previous two posts, I did say that this one would be about “Fretting” however, I’d like to talk about the recent Vintage guitar show I attended.

The Carolina Guitar Show was held August 27 & 28 in Cabarrus Arena near Charlotte, NC.   Attending an event like this as an Exhibitor was a first for me.  I did not expect to make any sells, this was about exposure.  I made a ton of contacts and also had a lot of interest from the public and very positive feedback.  The real interest there was for Vintage Guitars and there were hundreds, maybe thousands of guitars and most people coming in were looking for specific vintage models and not a new  guitar.  There were a few “exhibitors” who were there to purchase only for investment or resale in other markets.  Overall it was a positive experience for me as a builder and a guitar enthusiast.