Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: Pete si on November 02, 2020, 06:54:54 AM
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Can I use flitz to polish my frets or do I have to buy some other fret polishing stuff?
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Yes,
but spend the time to tape off the fingerboard with low tack tape,
...there will be blackish residue.
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0217/5614/files/Taped_1_large.JPG?1690)
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Is that a carbon-fiber guitar, Elwood? How do you like it?
Peter
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I just grabbed that pic from google images.
(I've heard really good things about the Rainsong and Emerald brand guitars,yet to play one)
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I just use quad uber fine steel wool and 2 bits of blue tape which I move onto the next fret after doing the last. I don't use any polishing compound. Be careful when doing the polishing near pickups as they can attract the tiny tiny bits of steel coming off the steel wool.
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I also mask off the frets and then use a superfine grade Scotchbrite-type pad to polish them. Same level of abrasive quality as 0000 grade steel wool and no concerns about bits of steel ending up on the pickups. I like using the Flitz to polish brass but have a certain amount of concern about the solvents getting on the fingerboard or finish.
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I just use quad uber fine steel wool and 2 bits of blue tape which I move onto the next fret after doing the last. I don't use any polishing compound. Be careful when doing the polishing near pickups as they can attract the tiny tiny bits of steel coming off the steel wool.
I do that, but I tape off every fret first - and completely cover the p/up w/tape!
Peter
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I just grabbed that pic from google images.
(I've heard really good things about the Rainsong and Emerald brand guitars,yet to play one)
Ah - thanks. I've played one (disremember the brand), and wasn't blown away - but wasn't completely turned off, either; I mean, it sounded better than a Ovation. And there are so many more options now, and so many people are singing their praises, I figure I should what knowledge comes my way.
Peter
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I use fret polishing erasers from StewMac: https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/tools-for-fretting/polishing-and-abrasives/fret-erasers.html (https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/tools-for-fretting/polishing-and-abrasives/fret-erasers.html)
Along with StewMac Fingerboard Guards: https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/tools-for-necks-and-fingerboards/stewmac-fingerboard-guards.html (https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/tools-for-necks-and-fingerboards/stewmac-fingerboard-guards.html)
Bill, tgo
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I looked at the stewmac fret polishers and there are several grits. Which one do you use?
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You guys with yur fancy-schmancy store bought fixins, why back in the day we even had to make our own steel wool by whittling on the tractor frame till we had enough to do the job at hand!
(insert winking smiley face emoticon here)
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Lol. I like you do-it-yourselfers!
Now back to the 21st century. I saw on this Nomad site they have a fret polishing kit. Comes with the juice, 3 fretboard guards of different sizes and a shmata (cloth). I think I’m gonna give it a try on one of my guinea pig guitars and see how it works. I will publish the results here. I don’t like using steel wool on my guitars for reasons stated above.
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I looked at the stewmac fret polishers and there are several grits. Which one do you use?
I have the full set and use them all when I level, crown, and polish. If polishing only, the 2000, 4000, and 8000 should be all you'd ever need. As for the guards, they are great, save a lot of time and effort vs. tape, but I found the rubber bands useless - just holding in place is quite sufficient.
Bill, tgo
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Uh, never polished frets on my basses... Am I'm missing something?
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I mean, I play it at least a couple of hours every single day and they look shiny to me. Never thought they need more rubing than use, I've just wipe off some gunk built up at fingerboard close to the frets once in a while.
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Uh, never polished frets on my basses... Am I'm missing something?
Same. I have had my frets ‘professionally’ redressed once. They were showing significant amounts of wear from round wounds and an assertive playing style.
Given Bill’s description it sounds like he is doing much more than “just polishing”. Which makes a lot of sense, periodic maintenance can alleviate the need for significant material removal to bring the crown of a fret back to smooth and level.
Paul (who plays with a bit lighter touch these days and currently flat wounds)
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I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube vids about guitar repair lately. I would like to become somewhat proficient at doing some repair and maintainence myself. The thought of handing over my bass to someone I don’t know scares me. Not to mention the cost involved. There’s a guy named Dave on YouTube who really knows his stuff and I’ve learned a lot from him. His channel is Dave’s fun and games. He’s a bit of a character too.
Things I would never have thought of doing like truss rod adjustment I now feel confident about. Alembic even encourages us to do it ourselves. Of course I have my guinea pig guitar to practice on before I would attempt anything on my bass. I get a sense of pride and accomplishment when I finish a task and it comes out like it should.
Leo Fender once said ‘the sign of a good guitar is how easy it is to repair’. When it comes to alembics that is so true.
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Pete, are you referring to the “Dave’s World of Fun Stuff” channel?
Bill, tgo
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I'll just bet...Alembic fret wire is stronger, more resistant to signs of wear, than...other manufacturers. I may be wrong, but then again, I may be right! Round wound strings are "harder" on the frets than flats, any least in my experience.
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Bill, tgo
Yes that’s the channel. The guys a little nuts but he can set up a guitar
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After given some thought about polishing I got inspired and cleaned my bass today, thanks.