Should you use a notched straight edge for guitar and bass setup? It’s a precision tool and is invaluable for some jobs. But maybe not setup. Read more…

Guitar Repair, SetupGerry Hayes19 October 2022guitar, bass, repair, luthier, fret level, setup, measurement

How to Handle the Nut During Fret Work

I was recently asked whether it’s necessary to do anything with the guitar nut during a fret level or refret. Great question. Let’s find out…

Guitar RepairGerry Hayes7 January 2020repair, guitar, bass, setup, nut, refret, fret level, luthier

Zero Frets: How to Treat Them When Levelling Frets

Zero frets are all well and good but what happens when you need to level or refret a guitar with one? How do you handle a zero fret during fret-work?

Guitar RepairGerry Hayes17 September 2019frets, refret, fret level, zero fret, repair, setup, guitar, bass

Action/Style/Fret-Buzz: The Other Side of the Coin

I’ve often hammered home the idea that players need to understand that a guitar needs to the setup for their style to prevent fret buzz. ‘As low as it can go’ isn’t as simple as it sounds and the player plays a massive part in whether a guitar buzzes.

But sometimes the guitar is to blame. And I should talk about that too…

SetupGerry Hayes20 February 2019style, fret level, guitar, refret, setup, limiter, fret buzz, bass, buzz

My Guitar Buzzes When I Do This

This article kicks off with a doctor joke. Immediately comes back with a fret-buzz joke, and then discussed player psychology and guitar repair.

It's got everything…

OpinionGerry Hayes12 March 2018psychology, guitar, bass, tone, buzz, fret buzz, style, player, fret level, refret, setup

All about the frets

So, we're rounding out our discussions on frets. We've covered a lot and it makes sense to finish off with a quick and dirty round-up of some of the relevant properties of frets.

Read on for more…

Guitar RepairGerry Hayes19 February 2018frets, refret, fret level, fret size

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

Fret levels and refrets: Redux

When can you get away with a fret level and when do you need to go all out and refret an instrument? There's a time and a place for both jobs. Read on to get a feeling for when you might need to pull the trigger on a full refret…

Guitar RepairGerry Hayes22 January 2018refret, fret, crown, fret level, setup, neck, guitar, bass

When you shouldn't setup your guitar

There are times that I will advise a player AGAINST having their guitar setup. There are times when every repairer/tech should do this.

Find out why…

SetupGerry Hayes15 January 2018frets, refret, fret level, setup, guitar, bass, action, relief, fret wear, intonation

Brian May and the Zero Fret Controversy

After the last article on fret wear, I was surprised to get some responses refuting my statement that a zero fret would (all things being equal) wear more quickly than other frets.

It seems that Brian May is partly to blame for this. Well, not quite. Check it out…

Guitar RepairGerry Hayes8 January 2018frets, refret, zero fret, fret level, brian may, red special, premier guitar, wear, fret wear, detective, guitar, bass

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.

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