The Problem Levelling Necks

Repairing some types of neck deformation can require working to level (sand or plane) the neck itself with the fingerboard removed. This brings its own considerations, though.

Guitar RepairGerry Hayes16 April 2020guitar, bass, repair, luthier, warp, bow, neck, neck deformation, level, fingerboard

Fitting Nuts: The Curved Bottom

Fender nuts usually have an arc along their bottom. This mates with a similar curve in the nut slot itself. If you’re installing a new nut, you’ll have to match this radius closely for a good fit.

Find out how…

SetupGerry Hayes21 February 2019guitar, bass, fender, radius, fingerboard, fretboard, nut, upgrade, repair, pre-cut nut, bone, tusq, nut replacement

Setting Saddle Radius on the Floyd Rose

A reader request, this one. Floyd Rose trems are less than straightforward in many areas and setting height and radius on the saddles is definitely one of those.

Get the info on how to change Floyd saddle height…

SetupGerry Hayes2 April 2018radius, fingerboard, bridge, saddle, floyd rose, locking tremolo, locking nut, setup, guitar, DIY

Wrapover Bridge Radius Mismatch

For the best playability, it's important that your string heights match the radius of the fingerboard. But what happens when you can't actually adjust each saddle height?

SetupGerry Hayes27 March 2018radius, fingerboard, neck, setup, guitar, bass, bridge, wraparound, wrapover, tailpiece, tun-o-matic, fender, gibson, tele

The Pros and Cons of a Partial Refret

Replacing only a couple of the most worn frets on your guitar can sound like a fantastic solution to get fret wear sorted and save some cash to boot. And sometimes it is.

However, here's what you should know about a partial refret…

Guitar RepairGerry Hayes29 January 2018frets, refret, fret level, guitar, bass, repair, setup, neck, fingerboard

Frets are consumables

Frets don't last forever. They're essentially a consumable item; designed to wear and expire as they're used.

Recognise the signs of fret-wear and a couple of things that will speed it.

Click to read more…

Guitar RepairGerry Hayes4 December 2017frets, refret, fret level, crown, setup, guitar, bass, neck, fingerboard, intonation, fret wear

Saving vintage guitars with clever refret techniques

Correcting excessive relief or neck-bow is easy with an adjustable truss rod. What about those vintage guitars made before adjustable rods were fitted, though? Are those wonderful old instruments never to be played because there's too much bow in the neck?

No way. Find out how to use levelling and compression fretting to save these guitars.

Setup a Compound Radius Guitar

While most guitars have a single radius along the length of the fingerboard, a compound radius instrument has a radius that gradually increases/flattens as you go further up the neck.

Some players find these a godsend but they do require some different methods to set them up and to perform fretwork on them.

Guitar Repair, SetupGerry Hayes7 August 2017compound radius, radius, fingerboard, fretboard, frets, fret level, refret, setup, luthier, repair

Chip Stoppers save the day

I don't have to use these chip stoppers very often but, every now and then, they're invaluable. If you regularly refret guitars, it's worth having them on standby.