You can fast forward to the specific questions below: 0:08 Do uneven frets affect my sound & playability? 0:40 When should I check if my frets are level? 1:24 How do you check for uneven frets? 2:35 Can my guitar still sound & play great with uneven frets? 3:16 Can I raise my action to eliminate fret buzz? 4:11 Two Must-Have Fret Evaluation Tools 7:17 Let’s get started on the Fret Evaluation process 8:00 How to use the Fret Rocker and Fret Gauge 13:02 Are your frets properly seated? 16:56 Are your frets high enough to level? 18:00 How & why to determine your fret width size?
I love this whole series of videos and the products that were created to help players become more acquainted with their guitars, and to understand how to maintain them!
Thanks! I’ve mostly crowned by eye/ear/feel. I’m currently starting a refret on my Taylor, so this will be a massive help. I’m excited to get her back in action.
hi I bought your excellent string gauge tool, it's black and there's not written 'fret rocker' on it, I guess it's a previous version. Would mine work as a proper fret rocker too? thanks
The edges of the MN602 String Action Gauge are not held to the same stringent quality control requirements as the MN822 Fret Rocker. The MN602 String Action Gauge can be used to give you a rough idea of the levelness of your frets, but if you really need to diagnose the status of your frets, you need the right tool, which is the MN822 Fret Rocker. The MN822 goes through a stringent manufacturing and quality control process to ensure the flatness of the edges are +/-.0015” per ft.
Please explain because you have mentioned 23 years of fretting experience. If you fix fret number 4 because was a little higher and 3, 4 5 frets were rocking when checked with the rocker then don't you mess up frets 4, 5, 6 because you just lowered number 4 which becomes a tiny shorter than 5? You know very well that frets 2, 3, 4 and 4, 5, 6 could be even without rocking before you lowered fret number 4. Now you have 2,3,4 and 4.5.6 uneven with 3,4,5 even. How do you fix the other ones because any action you take on any fret impacts the evenness of the adjacent groups left and right?
@MusicNomadCare It is great question, and you have totally ducked it in your response. The question is clearly referring to your video, not the asker's specific guitar needs. Nice to know you are ready to win business - even if you can only faintly smell it. Another point, I hope this is a second chapter, following a clear explanation that truss rod/neck relief needs to be the starting point. And an extra bonus point, an acoustically audible rattle, as depicted, is only a concern if this is also audible through the amplifier. This is a an electric instrument, and a setup based on a use-case to the contrary, is a complete waste of time.
4 was higher than 2,3,5,6 Now4 is level with 2,3,5,6, So 2,3,4,5,6 are level The fret rocker needs to be laid over 3 frets to find one uneven fret,just because it rocks doesn't mean all 3 frets are uneven
@anpleidhceeireannach9498 Thanks for answering the OP question. Just to spell out the last little omission. With fret 4 being the tallest/proudest of the 5 (2,3,4,5,6). Putting the rocker across 2,3,4 doesn't exhibit any rocking, due to it only making physical contact with 2 and 4 - fret 3 is too short to touch the rocker, but the distance may be too small to be unnoticeable. A similar situation applies for 4,5,6. Looking for rocking and levelling isn't really proper with any relief or forward bow. The middle fret of the three should theoretically always be lower than if the neck was set straight.
I read somewhere that guitars in humid environments can over time bloat. This results in the fretboard that is attached to the top (eg fret 14 and up) to raise. There don't seem to be any other fix than to dry the guitar with a dehumidifier/a warmer environment or whatever you have on hand. It's a slow process that you probably shouldn't rush with a hairdryer.
Should I adjust my trus rod to be straight before I test with the "Rocker"? I mean if the neck isnt straight then even if the frets are level they are not level with each other because the neck has some relief?
If you have properly set up your guitar and the strings are on, you do not need to adjust the truss rod before using the Fret Rocker. Feel free to reach out to us at tech@musicnomad.com, and we can discuss your instrument's specific needs further. Thank you!
The Fret Rocker (MN822) is 4x thicker than the String Action Gauge (MN602 ), which is beneficial when checking fret levelness. The edges of the MN602 String Action Gauge are not held to the same stringent quality control requirements as the MN822 Fret Rocker. The String Action Gauge (MN602) can be used to give you a rough idea of the levelness of your frets, but if you really need to diagnose the status of your frets, you need the right tool, which is the MN822 Fret Rocker. The MN822 goes through a stringent manufacturing and quality control process to ensure the flatness of the edges are +/-.0015” per ft.
You can fast forward to the specific questions below:
0:08 Do uneven frets affect my sound & playability?
0:40 When should I check if my frets are level?
1:24 How do you check for uneven frets?
2:35 Can my guitar still sound & play great with uneven frets?
3:16 Can I raise my action to eliminate fret buzz?
4:11 Two Must-Have Fret Evaluation Tools
7:17 Let’s get started on the Fret Evaluation process
8:00 How to use the Fret Rocker and Fret Gauge
13:02 Are your frets properly seated?
16:56 Are your frets high enough to level?
18:00 How & why to determine your fret width size?
I love this whole series of videos and the products that were created to help players become more acquainted with their guitars, and to understand how to maintain them!
Really appreciated this introduction to using basic tools to determine basic fret issues. Thanks Geoff.
Thanks! I’ve mostly crowned by eye/ear/feel.
I’m currently starting a refret on my Taylor, so this will be a massive help. I’m excited to get her back in action.
Learn so much from Musicnomad's equipment care kit! Thanks Musicnomad
Another cool informative video. I hope you consider a crowing file and then do a video about leveling and crowning process.
I second that!
Lots in the works for our Next Level Fret Care program.
Please add some info on the solution to the infamous G string buzz on Stratocasters.
hi I bought your excellent string gauge tool, it's black and there's not written 'fret rocker' on it, I guess it's a previous version. Would mine work as a proper fret rocker too? thanks
The edges of the MN602 String Action Gauge are not held to the same stringent quality control requirements as the MN822 Fret Rocker. The MN602 String Action Gauge can be used to give you a rough idea of the levelness of your frets, but if you really need to diagnose the status of your frets, you need the right tool, which is the MN822 Fret Rocker. The MN822 goes through a stringent manufacturing and quality control process to ensure the flatness of the edges are +/-.0015” per ft.
Just got the Nomad diamond nut file sets, how and when would this be a part of a fret level?
Dig the tools and tutorials..
Nut files are for the nut, not frets. You would never use nut files on a fret.
@ ?
Please explain because you have mentioned 23 years of fretting experience. If you fix fret number 4 because was a little higher and 3, 4 5 frets were rocking when checked with the rocker then don't you mess up frets 4, 5, 6 because you just lowered number 4 which becomes a tiny shorter than 5? You know very well that frets 2, 3, 4 and 4, 5, 6 could be even without rocking before you lowered fret number 4. Now you have 2,3,4 and 4.5.6 uneven with 3,4,5 even. How do you fix the other ones because any action you take on any fret impacts the evenness of the adjacent groups left and right?
Great question. Can you email us at tech@musicnomad.com for more information about your question and your instrument's specific needs?
@MusicNomadCare It is great question, and you have totally ducked it in your response. The question is clearly referring to your video, not the asker's specific guitar needs. Nice to know you are ready to win business - even if you can only faintly smell it.
Another point, I hope this is a second chapter, following a clear explanation that truss rod/neck relief needs to be the starting point.
And an extra bonus point, an acoustically audible rattle, as depicted, is only a concern if this is also audible through the amplifier. This is a an electric instrument, and a setup based on a use-case to the contrary, is a complete waste of time.
4 was higher than 2,3,5,6
Now4 is level with 2,3,5,6,
So 2,3,4,5,6 are level
The fret rocker needs to be laid over 3 frets to find one uneven fret,just because it rocks doesn't mean all 3 frets are uneven
@anpleidhceeireannach9498 Thanks for answering the OP question. Just to spell out the last little omission. With fret 4 being the tallest/proudest of the 5 (2,3,4,5,6). Putting the rocker across 2,3,4 doesn't exhibit any rocking, due to it only making physical contact with 2 and 4 - fret 3 is too short to touch the rocker, but the distance may be too small to be unnoticeable. A similar situation applies for 4,5,6.
Looking for rocking and levelling isn't really proper with any relief or forward bow. The middle fret of the three should theoretically always be lower than if the neck was set straight.
What about when frets are level, 0.008" relief, high action and still buzzes with very light picking? Then what do you do?
Can you email us at tech@musicnomad.com and we can discuss your instrument's specific needs? Thanks!
I read somewhere that guitars in humid environments can over time bloat. This results in the fretboard that is attached to the top (eg fret 14 and up) to raise. There don't seem to be any other fix than to dry the guitar with a dehumidifier/a warmer environment or whatever you have on hand. It's a slow process that you probably shouldn't rush with a hairdryer.
Should I adjust my trus rod to be straight before I test with the "Rocker"? I mean if the neck isnt straight then even if the frets are level they are not level with each other because the neck has some relief?
If you have properly set up your guitar and the strings are on, you do not need to adjust the truss rod before using the Fret Rocker. Feel free to reach out to us at tech@musicnomad.com, and we can discuss your instrument's specific needs further. Thank you!
Love the video. If I have the original Music Nomad (black) action/height gauge do I need this blue one or do I just need the feeler gauge? Thanks!
The Fret Rocker (MN822) is 4x thicker than the String Action Gauge (MN602 ), which is beneficial when checking fret levelness. The edges of the MN602 String Action Gauge are not held to the same stringent quality control requirements as the MN822 Fret Rocker. The String Action Gauge (MN602) can be used to give you a rough idea of the levelness of your frets, but if you really need to diagnose the status of your frets, you need the right tool, which is the MN822 Fret Rocker. The MN822 goes through a stringent manufacturing and quality control process to ensure the flatness of the edges are +/-.0015” per ft.
@@MusicNomadCare thanks for the reply. Great info!
Does this video instruction apply the same to a bass guitar?
Yes it does!
Nice tutorial. You don't say whether to have the neck level or not. I'm referring to neck relief...
Gracias otra vez!!!
What if the first fret is the culprit?
Great question, can you email us at tech@musicnomad.com and we can discuss the needs of your specific instrument?
♍️📐🤘
There’s no such thing as fret buzz, just built in distortion.
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