Fender MIJ ST72-55 Overhaul | Part 3

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

Evaluating the Fretboard and Frets 

Let us now shift our focus to the fretboard and frets on this ST72-55 Strat. The rosewood fretboard is clearly grimy and worn, with several discolored patches thrown in for good measure. Although not visible in the image below, there are also a number of deep divots in the wood. The frets, meanwhile, are in no better condition. Besides being generally uneven and riddled with divots, a few fret tops have even been worn completely flat. The only recourse here would be a full refret.

Rosewood Fretboard in Poor Condition

Badly Worn Frets

Choosing New Fret Wire

Pak Long has consented to a full refret, and would like to know what fret wire we offer here at CA Guitar Repair. Well, he has three sizes to choose from. The first is StewMac #149, comparable to typical Fender-style "medium jumbo" fret wire. The second is StewMac #150, similar to typical Gibson-style "jumbo" fret wire. Last of all is Dunlop 6000 "super jumbo" fret wire, which is standard on "super strats" by Ibanez, Kramer, Jackson and their ilk. After careful consideration, Pak Long has chosen StewMac #150, as his playing style incorporates lots of string bending.

Fret Size Comparison/StewMac #149

Fret Size Comparison/StewMac #150

Fret Size Comparison/Dunlop #6000

Chosen Fret Wire - StewMac #150

Fretboard Preparation

As pointed out earlier in this post, the rosewood fretboard is not in very good shape. This being the case, before we can even consider installing new frets, issues such as the the sheer amount of embedded dirt and grime, discoloration, and numerous divots need to be addressed. We also have to work on the fretboard to ensure that it is sufficiently level/flat, and has a consistent 7.25" radius.

Old Frets Removed

Fretboard Marked/Red Carpenter's Pencil

Fretboard Leveling in Progress

Checking Fretboard Flatness

Checking Fretboard Radius

Fretboard Prep Completed

Preparing the Fret Slots

With Fretboard Preparation [Fretboard Prep] taken care of, we now focus on getting the fret slots ready for the new StewMac #150 fret wire. Compared to the #150s, the original frets are narrower, and their tangs considerably shorter and thinner. As such, the existing fret slots need to be deepened and widened slightly to accommodate the StewMac #150 fret wire.

Deepening the Fret Slots

Cleaning the Fret Slots

Checking Fret Slot Depth

Beveling Fret Slots Edges

Fret Installation

Now we are finally ready to install the StewMac #150 frets. I've chosen to seat them with a plastic-faced hammer, a tried-and-true method which has worked for me thus far. I've also decided to apply super glue to fill any voids in the fret slots, after waxing off the fretboard, of course.

Fret Installation in Progress

Fret Installation Completed

Waxing the Fretboard

Super Glue Applied

Removing Excess Super Glue

Trimming and Beveling the Fret Ends

With the new frets firmly seated, it's time to trim the ends flush with the fretboard edges using my trusty StewMac Fret Cutter. As it's an older model, it's not capable of cutting through stainless steel, and can only be used on nickel silver fret wire. How, although the fret ends have been trimmed, there still are burrs that need to be removed. I've used a flat file for this purpose, and also beveled the ends with a Fret Beveling File.

Trimming the Fret Ends

Filing the Fret Ends

Beveling the Fret Ends

Close-Up of Beveled Fret Ends

Fret Leveling and Recrowning

To level the frets, I've utilized a number of implements. These include leveling beams faced with various grits of abrasive paper, as well as aluminum oxide and diamond sharpening stones. The frets also need to be recrowned, and this task has been accomplished with a StewMac Z-File Fret Crowning File. With the frets recrowned, the fret ends can now be dressed with a three-corner needle file.

Fretboard Taped Off/Fret Tops Marked

Fret Leveling in Progress

Fret Leveling Completed

Recrowning in Progress

Fret End Dressing in Progress

Fretwork - Final Steps

The fret tops have been leveled and recrowned, and the fret ends dressed. What's left, then? Well, there's still quite a way to go before fretwork is done. For one, we need to deal with the tiny ridges left over from recrowning. Though barely noticeable, these ridges can still be felt with one's fingertips, and need to be "rounded over" for a smoother playing experience. Previous filing work has also created numerous fine scratches, which need to be removed by even more abrading, followed by polishing.

Rounding Over the Tops of Frets

Polishing the Frets

Right, then. The frets have been polished, and we can now remove the masking tape used to protect the fretboard. Removing this tape reveals glue residue and a whole lot of metal filings, which have been duly removed with a soft brush, shop towels, and naphtha. As the fretboard is now clean, it's time to condition it with a good dose of lemon oil; and call it a day.

Tape Removed/Cleaning the Fretboard

Fretboard Conditioning/Lemon Oil