Thanks for picking up a tool and giving it a review! ❤ Some notes: Each tool comes with the kit for Jaws 1+2 use. It is recommended to use the tool in an arbor press. Shipping is included in the US. The tool can be used on any fretted instrument as long as the minimum fret is 1.5”. Cheers!
You filmed the Fractal in action, but only showed the mangled fret after you said it was pressed in by the chinese one. I'd be interested to see how the fret got to be that way and how the two actually differ in action.
I know nothing about this tool, but I have bought enough "luthier tools" from China to know that what Chris describes here is true for the vast majority. There are a few exceptions, but in my experience 8 times out of 10 you'll be disappointed in the Chinese tool and it will be barely usable at best. This has been true for the following things I have bought from China: 1 - fret crowning files (I have tried 3 - none of them were useful, i should have saved the money and bought from Crimson Guitars or StewMac) 2 - nut slotting files - 1 set made to look like Hosco files but crooked and the wrong dimensions for electric guitars 3 - understring fret leveling file - looks like StewMac but not straight, so completely useless. 4 - wooden neck shims - again, copied from StewMac's tapered shims, but the Chinese ones have no taper Usable items - Brass fret caul set - Copy of StewMac Jaws fret press using a clamp - obviously inferior quality, but it did work for fretting 2 necks - Fret leveling beam (but you can make one from a home depot water leveling beam, so no particular point in ordering one from China.
That looks like it's based on the fractal vice which was patented in 1913, well before Mandelbrot coined the term fractal. I come from a computer science background where fractal math is used in graphics and cryptography.
I picked up the J Edwards press a few months ago because I'd been fighting the radiused cauls from StewMac way way too much, especially on clipped tangs for bound necks. I always do a bound neck. I've only used it for one job, but it was a multiscale guitar which is an ideal application. The frets are longer and the effective radius changes constantly. I use mine in a drill press in exactly the same manner. The best part, aside from consistent results, is you can really feel the fret seating properly, so you know not to push too hard.
You are a man of your word! Way to buy the real one after realizing it was a knockoff. . . and then make an entire video detailing why the J Edwards is superior. Seems like the cost is justified if the company has to custom make everything down to the screws. You’ve also given solid advance about what to use as an alternative if someone can’t pay $240 upfront. Also, you’re SO close to 100k!! Congrats in advance!!
Thank you! While I do make, lap and assemble everything else, the fasteners I do not. I do have specific screws made to my spec though! I did look at buying a screw machine briefly. Each tool is very meticulously hand fitted and assembled. I found early on the tool really only works to my satisfaction if it’s very tight.
I agree with everything you said, but you didn't show the imitation version in action, which is what I was actually looking for, you just showed the result.
I bought the chinese tool to test it out and agree that the tollerances are pretty terrible out of the box. However, I've completely fixed it by adding 0.2mm shim washers at each rotational joint. Took maybe 5 minutes to do and now there is zero play while still having full rotation at all parts of the tool. If I could justify the price of the original, I would have bought it and I'm sure it does cost them a lot in materials, tools and time to machine it but I think this is mostly because its been over engineered in its design. It could be made for a lot less and appeal to a lot more people.
Materials, tools and time is just the tip of the iceberg when creating something from scratch and creating a business that you want to keep going into the future. Business 101
For the price it should include all the accesories to be used with the Stewmac Jaws 1&2 clamps. I guess Stewmac wouldnt like the idea and they´re just thinking out their own version of the tool. I´ll wait for the whole package.
I'm genuinely curious, what is the benefit of a fret press like this over a hammer? hammers are fast, do every radius, and are basically free in comparison.
There’s a ton. Let it be known I still use hammers and fixed cauls. This is just a tool in a tool chest and I love tools. Pressing is low impact and gives your feedback to know when things are seated. A great use case is when doing vintage refrets with fragile lacquer or veneer fingerboards. Pressing also holds the fret down whereas a hammer strike could spring back. It’s all about control. Great question!
I started with a hammer. It works ok but I quickly moved to an arbor press with a caul. If you press a lot of frets, you can probably do a good job with a hammer. I think the press is even more important for the hobbyist than the pro.
Bargain tools are rarely a bargain. Most of the time they either: 1. Wear out too soon. 2. Don't work as intended 3. Don't work efficiently and require more time 4. or are simply junk I don't like wasting money and I surely don't like wasting time if the tool is not efficient. I don't need added frustration in my life
Very useful. I didn't know a fractal version existed! I'm not a professional builder. Only working on my second ever guitar, and only as a hobby. Unfortunately, I can't afford that much for the tool. That said, I wouldn't buy something like this on aliexpress anyway. I just don't trust those copies enough. I can't even afford the tool with separate heads for each radius. But I can 3D print heads like that to fit on a normal clamp. It's a LOT cheaper than the fractal tool clone, and it's custom designed for exactly that specific guitar I'm working on ;) No, it won't last for dozens of guitars. Might not even last for 2 or 3 guitars. But then, it's 50 cents to print a new one, and the materials are far less likely to do any damage, even when something does go wrong. For a professional luthier probably not as useful, but for a hobbyist who just builds a guitar because they like to it's the perfect solution ;) And no, I'm not going to try and 3D print the fractal version. That needs the tolerances and the sturdiness you can only get from properly machined metal parts.
Looks like a very simple tool to copy and dont believe you need direct access to do so. Way overpriced too but cant blame manufacturer for wanting to make some serious profit.
@@jarexxsuvexx8212You might think it overpriced til you look at what it costs to create something from scratch and then you’ll see what you actually have to charge to make a profit decent enough to stay in business. I wish schools taught a business class so people could learn this. There’d be far fewer businesses going out of business.
That was me last year! I thought of it and was like “surely someone makes this”. I was ready to plop down hundreds right then and there. I searched long and hard and found nothing.
Thanks for the review and the heads up but man, you really gave the counterfeit knockoff too much info anyway. I know you wanted to help us understand but now they know what to do if they wish to spend extra time, money on theirs. It’s a hard line to walk sometimes sorry to make you upset, but I gotta suggest less info for us for them. We’ll be ok. Thanks again for great advice in the past as well. Keep’em comin please.
All the Chinese company has to do is purchase one Then reverse engineering... They most likely built their version off pictures of the original plus online specifications... Cheers 🍻 🥃🥃 🎸 🎵🎶🎶🎶
As you can see it is not enough. You have to understand what is important, what specifics have to be there for the tool to be useful, and you have to know how to achieve a good quality in a low volume. Yes, a lot of people will buy the cheap knock-off because they think it is the same when you use it you will learn about the difference. The bad thing is that a lot of the folks will think the better version will also not work properly.
@@dieterjosefI’ve already seen multiple posts of ,“I’ve used one of those articulating cauls before. They don’t work well”. It’s wild how many knock offs there are yet all seem to miss at least one critical point.
It's possible Chinese guy will make ver. 2.0 and then the inventor will reduce the price. Seems to be good for customer, however in long run when everything will be manufactured in China I'm not sure if it's good for us.
It's not good for the customer. When inventions are stolen and sold for a fraction of the price, two things happen. The thief profits off other people's inventions, and the thief takes away the incentive for the inventor to make or market products. That ultimately harms progress. The concept of time-limited patents exists to fight this, because it can ensure only the inventor can profit off their invention, enough to keep inventing more stuff, which ultimately benefits consumers way more than cheap knockoffs that don't even work as well (and therefore can harm the reputation of the original invention). The race to the bottom is already a major problem worldwide (in many ways), we don't need to foster it by buying copies from IP thieves.
Yes, when Chinese do it it ain't OK, but when someone from the US rips hard work from people from Europe or elsewhere, then all is cool. I don't see any TH-cam videos about it from a popular US TH-camr.
It amazes me, how in the car community, people will happily pay extra for the quality part and avoid the cheap knockoffs, but the guitar community has so many doing the opposite.
@@petew.1418 I would be careful about painting such broad strokes. There are plenty of people in both communities (and probably pretty much all hobbies and communities) that aren't willing to pay the premium for a premium product.
@@HighlineGuitars Same going on with US makers; check out new regulations for US-made items from the US for Europe; I guess the world had enough of that supermacy, ala ''made in with pride''. And I apologize to all good and honest, hard-working Amricans. But to pay for a simple device so much, plus it's not an original idea. I mean... I expect more from your YTC, maybe that is why I reacted like this.
@@bobibobik5903I forget which PR guy said it but “ideas are a dime a dozen, it’s creation/production (something like that) that matters. So this man created his in hard copy.
@@HighlineGuitars I apologize to you; i hope you'll accept it. Dough I didn't write nothing aginst you, and I respect your work a lot. Was even thinking to share some of my plans for DIY on the net for a small sum of $ or to ask people for donations. My tools aren't expensive, but they are super HQ. Also, i'm aware that for some people, even 30 dollars is a lot and that a skilled luthier can make something similar for themselves, so I wouldn't be uspet is someone do it. The truth is that I wouldn't be happy when a big brand does that as it happened in my acse, and that brand is from California, US. They ripped off some others as well.
@@stevelaferney3579 That is often the case, but the law has changed. I mean, there was always a law that protected authors rights and intellectual property; in the last 10+ years, it's done more on an international level. But still, a blunt rippoff happens from time to time even in our beloved ''western world.'' Anyhow, I have absolutely nothing against the person who made that gadget from a video and sells it, but it was a bit strange that He requested from a HighlineGuitar that he doesn't talk about some details, and as the old saying goes, '' the picture is worth 1000 words''. It's just that I idolized the US so much, all my life, and the Western world as well, and sometimes I'm expecting to much. I suppose that my expectations are on a level of some dreemer (like that song from Lennon).
![ILLSLICK X YOUNGOHM - We're The same [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yUJNkobYR0E/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for picking up a tool and giving it a review! ❤
Some notes:
Each tool comes with the kit for Jaws 1+2 use. It is recommended to use the tool in an arbor press. Shipping is included in the US. The tool can be used on any fretted instrument as long as the minimum fret is 1.5”. Cheers!
Where do you get the adapter for the StewMac Jaws tools?
I’m sold! Placed my order.
@@DanielBobkeif you have already purchased a tool, send me an email and I’ll send you the kit. Otherwise it comes with every tool.
@Jedwardsguitars Thanks very much
thanks again for mine JW! (see my comment for details)
Link for the J Edwards Fractal Fret Press is in the description.
You filmed the Fractal in action, but only showed the mangled fret after you said it was pressed in by the chinese one. I'd be interested to see how the fret got to be that way and how the two actually differ in action.
Obviously the cheap one is so loose that it doesn't just push down but side ways also looking at that warped fret!
I know nothing about this tool, but I have bought enough "luthier tools" from China to know that what Chris describes here is true for the vast majority. There are a few exceptions, but in my experience 8 times out of 10 you'll be disappointed in the Chinese tool and it will be barely usable at best. This has been true for the following things I have bought from China:
1 - fret crowning files (I have tried 3 - none of them were useful, i should have saved the money and bought from Crimson Guitars or StewMac)
2 - nut slotting files - 1 set made to look like Hosco files but crooked and the wrong dimensions for electric guitars
3 - understring fret leveling file - looks like StewMac but not straight, so completely useless.
4 - wooden neck shims - again, copied from StewMac's tapered shims, but the Chinese ones have no taper
Usable items
- Brass fret caul set
- Copy of StewMac Jaws fret press using a clamp - obviously inferior quality, but it did work for fretting 2 necks
- Fret leveling beam (but you can make one from a home depot water leveling beam, so no particular point in ordering one from China.
I just typed that a few second haha
If he did that he’d be showing the knockoff makers how to fix their problems and that was something he was asked not to do.
That looks like it's based on the fractal vice which was patented in 1913, well before Mandelbrot coined the term fractal. I come from a computer science background where fractal math is used in graphics and cryptography.
I picked up the J Edwards press a few months ago because I'd been fighting the radiused cauls from StewMac way way too much, especially on clipped tangs for bound necks. I always do a bound neck. I've only used it for one job, but it was a multiscale guitar which is an ideal application. The frets are longer and the effective radius changes constantly. I use mine in a drill press in exactly the same manner. The best part, aside from consistent results, is you can really feel the fret seating properly, so you know not to push too hard.
Yes! Each press is the same resistance which really helps consistency. Thanks again for your support.
That J Edward’s fret press is such a great idea! I wonder how it would work on a multiscale fret board…
Brilliantly.
The JEdwards original is so good. I make compound radius boards and it's a huge timesaver - thanks for making this video Chris
You are a man of your word! Way to buy the real one after realizing it was a knockoff. . . and then make an entire video detailing why the J Edwards is superior. Seems like the cost is justified if the company has to custom make everything down to the screws. You’ve also given solid advance about what to use as an alternative if someone can’t pay $240 upfront.
Also, you’re SO close to 100k!! Congrats in advance!!
Thank you! While I do make, lap and assemble everything else, the fasteners I do not. I do have specific screws made to my spec though! I did look at buying a screw machine briefly. Each tool is very meticulously hand fitted and assembled. I found early on the tool really only works to my satisfaction if it’s very tight.
Oh wow, I had no idea how bad that Chinese knock-off was! Thanks for showing the crooked fret, I would not have expected it to be so dramatic.
I agree with everything you said, but you didn't show the imitation version in action, which is what I was actually looking for, you just showed the result.
I show the knockoff in action in the members only edit of this video.
It's a cool idea. If I hadn't already invested in the StewMac cauls or built more guitars, I would definitely get it.
I only know what a fractal clamp is because of the guy from Mythbusters.
Super cool seeing the idea used on a guitar.
thanks for this. i really waited for your review of that aliexpress version because i was so tempted to buy it.
In all fairness here, did you tighten the bolts up like they were on the American one??
No.
I bought the chinese tool to test it out and agree that the tollerances are pretty terrible out of the box. However, I've completely fixed it by adding 0.2mm shim washers at each rotational joint. Took maybe 5 minutes to do and now there is zero play while still having full rotation at all parts of the tool. If I could justify the price of the original, I would have bought it and I'm sure it does cost them a lot in materials, tools and time to machine it but I think this is mostly because its been over engineered in its design. It could be made for a lot less and appeal to a lot more people.
I'll let Jerame Edwards (@ibanezhoodie) respond to your comment about over-engineering and how buying knockoffs is so detrimental.
Materials, tools and time is just the tip of the iceberg when creating something from scratch and creating a business that you want to keep going into the future. Business 101
For the price it should include all the accesories to be used with the Stewmac Jaws 1&2 clamps. I guess Stewmac wouldnt like the idea and they´re just thinking out their own version of the tool. I´ll wait for the whole package.
Read the pinned comment.
I still hammer my frets but I get the press maybe better but I never buy Chia Amazon tools.That press head looks cool Thanks Chirs
Thx a lot to warn us.
👍👍👍🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️
Greetings from France.
I'm genuinely curious, what is the benefit of a fret press like this over a hammer? hammers are fast, do every radius, and are basically free in comparison.
Hammers ding the frets.
There’s a ton. Let it be known I still use hammers and fixed cauls. This is just a tool in a tool chest and I love tools. Pressing is low impact and gives your feedback to know when things are seated. A great use case is when doing vintage refrets with fragile lacquer or veneer fingerboards. Pressing also holds the fret down whereas a hammer strike could spring back. It’s all about control. Great question!
I started with a hammer. It works ok but I quickly moved to an arbor press with a caul. If you press a lot of frets, you can probably do a good job with a hammer. I think the press is even more important for the hobbyist than the pro.
Time. And you gotta go easy with a hammer. But it's fine. Just don't rush.
I knew you would do a comparison video. Thanks Chris.
This should do fan fret fairly easy.
Wonders if a drill press can be used with this tool.
Yes! That is actually how I prefer to use it and recommend that as well.
Very cool tool.
So close to 100K!
Nice review💪🏼👍🏼👏🏼
Bargain tools are rarely a bargain. Most of the time they either:
1. Wear out too soon.
2. Don't work as intended
3. Don't work efficiently and require more time
4. or are simply junk
I don't like wasting money and I surely don't like wasting time if the tool is not efficient. I don't need added frustration in my life
Cool tool!
Very useful. I didn't know a fractal version existed!
I'm not a professional builder. Only working on my second ever guitar, and only as a hobby. Unfortunately, I can't afford that much for the tool.
That said, I wouldn't buy something like this on aliexpress anyway. I just don't trust those copies enough.
I can't even afford the tool with separate heads for each radius. But I can 3D print heads like that to fit on a normal clamp. It's a LOT cheaper than
the fractal tool clone, and it's custom designed for exactly that specific guitar I'm working on ;)
No, it won't last for dozens of guitars. Might not even last for 2 or 3 guitars. But then, it's 50 cents to print a new one, and the materials are far less likely
to do any damage, even when something does go wrong.
For a professional luthier probably not as useful, but for a hobbyist who just builds a guitar because they like to it's the perfect solution ;)
And no, I'm not going to try and 3D print the fractal version. That needs the tolerances and the sturdiness you can only get from properly machined metal parts.
I bet the Chinese "engineers" probably didn't even order one of the legit ones to base their design off of 😂
Very likely, they are good in copying but lacking precision and invention, however they learn. We'll see.
I would imagine they didn’t at that price!!
Looks like a very simple tool to copy and dont believe you need direct access to do so.
Way overpriced too but cant blame manufacturer for wanting to make some serious profit.
No they prob just looked at a photo
@@jarexxsuvexx8212You might think it overpriced til you look at what it costs to create something from scratch and then you’ll see what you actually have to charge to make a profit decent enough to stay in business. I wish schools taught a business class so people could learn this. There’d be far fewer businesses going out of business.
I know your test guitar is flawed somehow but i really like that one
👍👍👍
The difference in quality is obvious.
I was just wondering if someone makes a fractal fret press hah
That was me last year! I thought of it and was like “surely someone makes this”. I was ready to plop down hundreds right then and there. I searched long and hard and found nothing.
@@Jedwardsguitarsit’s a rare use-case where those fractal designs actually make a lot of sense. Glad somebody makes a good one
Thanks for the review and the heads up but man, you really gave the counterfeit knockoff too much info anyway. I know you wanted to help us understand but now they know what to do if they wish to spend extra time, money on theirs. It’s a hard line to walk sometimes sorry to make you upset, but I gotta suggest less info for us for them. We’ll be ok. Thanks again for great advice in the past as well. Keep’em comin please.
The critical information was not revealed in this video.
A Chedwards tool! 🤦♂️.. the genuine tool looks fantastic, looks like a worthy investment for luthiers..
“Inspired by” - well at least they acknowledge what it’s copying! 😂
All the Chinese company has to do is purchase one Then reverse engineering... They most likely built their version off pictures of the original plus online specifications... Cheers 🍻 🥃🥃 🎸 🎵🎶🎶🎶
As you can see it is not enough. You have to understand what is important, what specifics have to be there for the tool to be useful, and you have to know how to achieve a good quality in a low volume. Yes, a lot of people will buy the cheap knock-off because they think it is the same when you use it you will learn about the difference. The bad thing is that a lot of the folks will think the better version will also not work properly.
@@dieterjosefI’ve already seen multiple posts of ,“I’ve used one of those articulating cauls before. They don’t work well”. It’s wild how many knock offs there are yet all seem to miss at least one critical point.
It's possible Chinese guy will make ver. 2.0 and then the inventor will reduce the price. Seems to be good for customer, however in long run when everything will be manufactured in China I'm not sure if it's good for us.
It's not good for the customer. When inventions are stolen and sold for a fraction of the price, two things happen. The thief profits off other people's inventions, and the thief takes away the incentive for the inventor to make or market products. That ultimately harms progress. The concept of time-limited patents exists to fight this, because it can ensure only the inventor can profit off their invention, enough to keep inventing more stuff, which ultimately benefits consumers way more than cheap knockoffs that don't even work as well (and therefore can harm the reputation of the original invention).
The race to the bottom is already a major problem worldwide (in many ways), we don't need to foster it by buying copies from IP thieves.
@@thormelstedWell said. Should be tatooed on the inside of everyone’s eyelids who even thinks of ripping off an inventor or creator.
Yes, when Chinese do it it ain't OK, but when someone from the US rips hard work from people from Europe or elsewhere, then all is cool. I don't see any TH-cam videos about it from a popular US TH-camr.
What
I guess you didn't get the idea behing the Chinese knockoff, it's only for true temperament frets! 😂😂😂
It amazes me, how in the car community, people will happily pay extra for the quality part and avoid the cheap knockoffs, but the guitar community has so many doing the opposite.
@@petew.1418 I would be careful about painting such broad strokes. There are plenty of people in both communities (and probably pretty much all hobbies and communities) that aren't willing to pay the premium for a premium product.
The Chinese makers will improve over time, than the Edwards will reduce it's price
Or tariffs will end the Chinese makers.
@@HighlineGuitars Same going on with US makers; check out new regulations for US-made items from the US for Europe; I guess the world had enough of that supermacy, ala ''made in with pride''. And I apologize to all good and honest, hard-working Amricans. But to pay for a simple device so much, plus it's not an original idea. I mean... I expect more from your YTC, maybe that is why I reacted like this.
@@bobibobik5903I forget which PR guy said it but “ideas are a dime a dozen, it’s creation/production (something like that) that matters. So this man created his in hard copy.
@@HighlineGuitars I apologize to you; i hope you'll accept it. Dough I didn't write nothing aginst you, and I respect your work a lot. Was even thinking to share some of my plans for DIY on the net for a small sum of $ or to ask people for donations. My tools aren't expensive, but they are super HQ. Also, i'm aware that for some people, even 30 dollars is a lot and that a skilled luthier can make something similar for themselves, so I wouldn't be uspet is someone do it. The truth is that I wouldn't be happy when a big brand does that as it happened in my acse, and that brand is from California, US. They ripped off some others as well.
@@stevelaferney3579 That is often the case, but the law has changed. I mean, there was always a law that protected authors rights and intellectual property; in the last 10+ years, it's done more on an international level. But still, a blunt rippoff happens from time to time even in our beloved ''western world.'' Anyhow, I have absolutely nothing against the person who made that gadget from a video and sells it, but it was a bit strange that He requested from a HighlineGuitar that he doesn't talk about some details, and as the old saying goes, '' the picture is worth 1000 words''.
It's just that I idolized the US so much, all my life, and the Western world as well, and sometimes I'm expecting to much. I suppose that my expectations are on a level of some dreemer (like that song from Lennon).
The frets just need to be pressed down hard on the fret board. And then be leveled. What's the big deal here?
No big deal.
They just need to be pressed or hammered in evenly and the best is presssed in and the easier and more efficient wins that’s all.