Don't fret, fix it

My Guitar Survival Guide, officially announced in the pending stock exchange prospectus as adayinthelifeofaguitaronthecheapmaintence, just to get the investors in, will feature from time to time, unveiling tips to make the most of your guitar when you just cannot race down to the music store, for instance, to buy a set of strings or replace broken hardware.
The tips will suit those who live in the country, others short of cash and another group, just plain mean. The writer may fit all three categories.
As this idea progresses, we could set up a forum. But today, here’s a useful way to improve the playability of a guitar that has been caressed so vigorously that its damaged frets affect the fingering of the notes. Before trying anything I write you should seek a second opinion, preferably from a trained luthier. For at least some isolated guitarists, that may mean talking to your horse or dog. Watch out, they may have suffered your constant attacks on their peace and quiet for so long that they bark or snort twice for "yes" just to shut you down with a useless instrument. They're like that.

THE love that the guitar engenders to so many players of all levels shows on the secondhand market. Many players often have a limited style and push the strings down so hard that deep grooves wear into the frets on their chord patterns.
My old ColTone twin-pickup solid, now under a renovation program (see earlier posts), had severe wear on the treble side of the first and second frets.
The former owner must have been a typical open-chord player … maybe F, G, A, C, D, E and a few minors and sevenths.
The wear over about 40 years caused the strings to rattle on the higher frets. The fret wire is extremely narrow and I wondered if I could match it easily with a new product, even if I could make the trip.
In any case, I live on an island without easy access to a repair shop or agent.

THIS time to get the guitar back into action quickly I have removed the two worst worn frets, the 1st and 2nd, along with the 21st and 22nd, the highest on the fretboard and, out of the ex-owner’s playing zone, in pristine condition.
It has been simple to cut the good frets to the right width with a high-speed hand tool and file off the edges, then use them in the first and second slots.
The damaged frets, when transferred to the high positions (see picture), still allow the playing of the guitar’s highest treble notes because the strings pass beside the problematic grooves.
These repositioned frets are too short to cover the 5th and 6th strings, but that’s not much of a worry for anyone but an extremely good player who routinely goes to the limits.
It certainly does not interfere with any of the songs in my repertoire, even though I occasionally venture into the high zones while playing my arrangements of jazz standards, mainly from the golden age from Jolson to bop.

TECHNICAL NOTES
1. Fret removal. This can be done best with the guitar on a benchtop and secured in a vice (as discussed) in No 2.
Be careful not to damage the fretboard. I used a chisel that was slightly blunted and, bracing the neck with one hand carefully slid the chisel between the ridge on the top of the wire and the fretboard.
Applying slight horizontal pressure to the butted union of wire and wood, I also gently twisted the chisel handle to give just a hint of an uplift. I repeated the manoeuvre on the other side of the fret and slowly worked along the full length to prize the fret out.
Excessive force risks splitting off pieces of fretboard because the wire has little groves at the bottom to help it anchor into the wood. Even the gentlest pressure may cause tiny splinters from the slot.
I have found it best not to touch these small splinters because the new fret should push them securely back into their "home".
It seems that in most cases a sharp blow along the empty slot is enough to ensure it is clear of any debris that could upset the seating for the new fret. Any awkward splinters that resist the savage breath will yield to brain surgery with a razor-like edge.
2. Fret installation. A "workmate"-style vice/benchtop with timber plates in the jaws provided the mounting for may latest operation.
Small pieces of foam dishcloth formed padding against the vice jaws for further protection of the neck
I had earlier dismembered the old ColTone so I only needed to secure the neck. Support for the body should be considered when trying this with any guitar with non-removable neck.
Here’s the detail: Place the fretwire into position on the slot. Tap it gently on one side with a small hammer but don’t hammer it any more than it starts to grab. This will only be a millimetre or so.
The aim then is to even up the progress across the full length of the fret. Use a small straight edge, as in a wooden chock, tool handle or whatever to keep pressure on the seated part, while working across the fret. If it is too awkward to hold down the straight edge manually, consider some sort of ancillary bracing, or clamping.
Work from side to side, hammering the fret in only about 1mm at a time, until it is fully seated and visually matches the height of the others. Any sharp edges on the fret may need a quick file. Otherwise, you can move on to the test phase.

IT may pay to use old strings to test the on-the-cheap fret replacement. Adustments may still be necessary so the last thing anyone wants is to risk damage to new strings by continued tightening and loosening, or taking them off a few times.
I test the frets with just the 1st and 6th strings, adjusting the bridge height and harmonics, if possible, and playing every note. In many cases they can be slackened off and pushed aside to allow attention to problem points.
Then, they are quickly recommissioned to test subsequent adjustments.
To start the testing, slowly bring the bridge height to the preferred "action". If all notes are clear, you are back in business.
If there is string rattle, track down the offending frets. Sometimes you can see that the fret in front of a rattle is not seated right down. You have two options.
Return the neck and fretboard to the vice mount to try hammering the fret down into position:
Before you try this, ensure there is no build-up of grime that will stop the fret going down. Clean away all grime with a semi-stiff brush, about hard-toothbrush grade, and a little all-purpose household cleaning agent such as window cleaner. A scalpel point will scratch off stubborn grime, which can set like resin but eventually softens if you are patient. Sorry, this cleaning should have been done earlier, but now you know, at least.
Before you start hammering, place the chock over the part of the fret that is seated properly and keep on the pressure while you hit the "bump". This is to stop the good side rising and creating a new problem, as can happen if the wire is bent.
If the fret bump is in any way intransigent, go for option 2, which is:
File the bump down to match the profile of its neighbours. Use a fine flat file (mine is about 5mm wide), and take just a little at a time, tightening up the string regularly to see where the buzz cuts out. Stop filing as soon as you get a clear note. You can polish the fret(s) with super-fine emery paper but be mindful that you may not want even this gentle cutting against the grain of the fretboard.

WELL, I guess that’s it for now. I’ll be back with more tips for guitarists in the bush. For the time being, don’t take care, Take Five, which I just tried on the ColTone. She wasn’t made for cool jazz but she’s getting there. Maybe, instead of quoting Dave Brubeck I should have used a BB King analogy and reported, "The Buzz is Gone."