This tutorial provides instructions for refretting a fretboard. It describes leveling the fretboard surface using sandpaper up to 2000 grit, checking for straightness and radius with a fretting caul and radius block. The document outlines deepening fret slots if needed using a slotting saw after leveling removes depth. It also details fretting the first 12-14 frets using a neck support caul and arbor press, then trimming excess fret wire. Overall, the tutorial gives a step-by-step process for refretting a fretboard from preparing the surface to fretting and dressing the frets.

1. Fretting Simplified
by Brian Calvert
This tutorial could work on a refret but was
performed on a fresh fret board. Start out
with the properly radius fretting caul, a
matching radius block and a good straight
edge as pictured to the right.
Lay your straight edge down the length of the
board and check to make sure it is straight to
begin with. What your checking for is any
light that may escape underneath with the
exception being clear acrylic inlays ;)
Use your radius block to level the board
where needed, personally I use a spray
adhesive and start out with 320 to 600 grit
depending on the condition of the surface
of the board and I always trim the paper
around the sides of my block.
Clear your paper often and blow any excess
dust from your board. When working with
Rosewood or Ebony (naturally oily woods)
make sure you do not get a build up of oils
which capture the dust and can cause an
unsightly ridge down the length of your work.
Once you have made sure the fret board
is straight and level from the top to the
bottom lay your fretting caul in the area
of the first position and check to make
sure there is no light escaping underneath
it from end to end.

2. If all is well you should have no light escaping
underneath the caul no matter where it is
placed on the fret board.
I finished up leveling using 2000 grit
paper. This is an Ebony board and look I
can see my neighbors house in it without
adding oil =o)
Grab a business card and the fret wire you
intend to use and place the edge of the card
right up against the underside of the fret
along the tang.
Now flip it over and draw a line along the
edge of the tang and your card should
look like the one pictured above.
Slip the card down inside each of the
individual fret slots and check for depth, you
need to do this because with the leveling and
radius you just took a bit of depth out of the
slots by removing the surface of the board.
Be sure to move it side to side but do not
force it down, if you see any white below
the line while it is in the slot then you
need to whip out your slotting saw and
deepen that particular area.

3. Neck support cauls are a life saver and come
in handy when using an arbor press to fret the
first 12-14 frets as pictured above and to the
right.
I pre-radiused the fret wire using my
wooden fret bending tool and with the
neck support caul under the neck to help
support and steady it start to press the
frets in. I use a Dremel to trim the excess
off.
Grab a scrap piece of 2 x 4 about a foot long and measure the height of the base of your arbor press (A)
the width of the base (B) and the distance from your work surface to the bottom of the neck heal your
working on (C) then cut up the board to use as a supporting jig as pictured above. Place your two (A)
blocks under your neck support caul and your odd shaped block squarely under the neck so you can
continue to fret down to number 21 or 24 depending on the type of neck your working on without any
hassles supporting your neck.
Now grab a second piece of 2 x 4 and a double sided flat file. Make a cut the length of your piece of wood
that is at a 35 degree angle then cut a slot down the edge at position (A) marked below that is just thick
enough to grab your file. Insert the file with the course side towards the smaller flat area
You can see what mine looks on the upper right. I added a $2.79 piece of Tandy brand suede cut in two I
purchased from the crafts section of Wal-mart using contact cement. This helps your tool slide along the
length of the neck without scratching the tops of your frets.

4. First thing you want to do is square off the
fret ends against your neck, start off slow and
as soon as the "Cricket chirping" has
disappeared you will know your finished, then
move on to the other side.
After you have done both sides flip your
tool around and continue with the bevel
cut to your fret ends. Don't forget to
listen for the cricket to stop chirping =o)
For the next step if your working with a maple fret board I recommend you mask between the frets to
protect the finish of the wood.
Grab a course sanding sponge and run it up
and down the length of your board at the
same angle as your bevel cut. Do this quickly
back and forth a few times, then move on to
the other side and Repeat.
Now grab a finer grit sanding sponge and
repeat the process again. After your
finished doing this simply wipe the dust
off and buff out the top of your neck!
You can plainly see the bevel on the sides and my tang slots are almost perfectly the same depth along
the fret board so no fill is needed. Beats the heck out of me why all those professionals seem to think you
need a bunch of high end expensive files to dress out the end of your frets. Mine feel factory smooth and
I dressed all 48 fret ends in under 3 minutes using less than $2 worth of sponge power and a buffing
wheel =o)