Frets-how low is too low?

[Madison]

Just trying to get a general consensus.
When is it time for replacement/past the point of milling?
 .020"? less?

Is the a professional minimum allowance or, is it just personal preference?

[G._Hoffman]

Some of both, and it depends a bit on the width of the frets too - wider frets will be flatter, higher - because the flatness of the top of a fret will cause problems with buzzing and intonation.  Generally, if it is down below 0.020" I'm probably going to want to do a refret.  Then again, my recollection is that the Fretless Wonders are quite a bit under that.  (Of course, I can't stand those thing - I've got a small supply of the wire, though!)

We have customers who get refrets over dresses every time, though, so it is very much a personal preference thing.


Gabriel

[Madison]

The .020 was just a low ball number to  start with.
I don't think any of my personal guitars are that low.
I just milled a Strat copy and was pleasantly surprised to find it was still a healthy .040 after.

I do have and have played some that are about .030.
I personally don't have any trouble with it.
Do you think .030 is too low on a LP style?

>>wider frets will be flatter
I thought crowning is supposed to take care of that?

Thanks a lot!

[G._Hoffman]

The .020 was just a low ball number to  start with.
I don't think any of my personal guitars are that low.
I just milled a Strat copy and was pleasantly surprised to find it was still a healthy .040 after.

I do have and have played some that are about .030.
I personally don't have any trouble with it.
Do you think .030 is too low on a LP style?

It all comes down to personal preference.  I like fairly tall frets on my electrics, and smaller ones on acoustics.  I know plenty of guys who love small frets on everything, though.  I also know plenty of guys who love big frets, and a few who love truly HUGE frets.  You look at something like Dunlop 6000 (0.118"X0.058"), and I wonder why you don't just scallop the fingerboard (well, other than when you are putting them on a vintage guitar, of course!)  I find I have to push harder with shorter fret wire, which isn't good for my hands, so I try to avoid it, particularly if I'm going to be doing a lot of bending.  As far as "too low on an LP style," well, it isn't about the style of the guitar, it's about the style and preferences of the PLAYER.

>>wider frets will be flatter
I thought crowning is supposed to take care of that?

Thanks a lot!

I didn't say flat, I said flatter - i.e., they will have a larger radius curve.  The string may still only make contact at one point (as it should), but it will have more opportunities to buzz.  Even when you've recrowned the fret, the wider fret will have a stepper slope.  Which may be fine.  Or not.  It's up to the guy whose going to be playing the thing, in the end.


Gabriel

[G._Hoffman]

Then again, my recollection is that the Fretless Wonders are quite a bit under that.  (Of course, I can't stand those thing - I've got a small supply of the wire, though!)

My mind's playing tricks on me, apparently.  Fretless Wonder frets are, before being installed, .027" tall.  At least, as near as I can tell.


Gabriel

[Madison]

>>they will have a larger radius curve.  The string may still only make contact at one point (as it should), but it will have more opportunities to buzz.

Totally makes sense.

Lots of stuff for me to still learn.

I appreciate all the info.

Take care.

[Jim Coash]

For me, too low is when they begin to misplay.  I have played several guitars that needed fret work but none of them were mine.  I have never needed to replace frets on any instrument I ever owned.  Even the 1956 Gibson ES-125 "student" I have still plays as easily as any guitar I have ever owned and there are no fret noises anywhere on the neck.  It has been re-strung and tweaked by my friends on Parsons Street twice.  Of all my current guitars, none get more complements from players than that one.  Several have told me they would take it over any other in my collection.  No cutaway, painted Gibson logo, dots on the neck, one black plastic P-90, rosewood bridge, simple trapeze tailpiece and very dark tobacco sunburst finish with plenty of checking.  The neck is absolutely straight after 58 years of use.  Jim