Best fret crowning files

A third option is to used the standard fret crowning file then narrow up the sides with a triangular file. A lot of work but in the old days, techs would crown frets with only a triangular file. Hope this helps I'm also trying to choose a crowning file right now, looking for the best moderate-priced one. KGWagner Member. Messages 3, I wouldn't be so concerned about price - the most expensive files out there will pay for themselves the first time you use them.

What's more important is how you're going to use them what kind of skills you have , what you're comfortable with and what you're going to use them on. As they say, there's more than one way to skin a cat. Left unsaid is that there are a number of different knives you might use to do the skinning. Some files are like an 3" paring knife - good for a wide variety of things in the right hands. For instance, if you are samurai fretmaster, the typical safe-edge tri-corner file may be used to level, crown and dress.

Maybe not the best way to go, but the fact that it can be done speaks to the importance of considering your skillset. Other files are more specialized, designed to make a particular operation easier while perhaps unable to do other operations. Crowning files fall into that category. Ultimately, all you're trying to do is narrow the top of the fret so it has the minimum amount of contact necessary to properly fret a string, while leaving the fret comfortable to live with.

Also, the less work you have to do to get there, the more you'll like the tool. Finally, what's the tool's life expectancy? You're not only spending more money, you're suffering a greater amount of time where the tool is less efficient due to wear.

All that said, for crowning, I buy the two-sided straight diamond crowning files. They feel best for me, last a long time, laugh at stainless steel, and leave a finish that doesn't require a great deal of work to clean up.

Excellent advice above. The importance of the condition of the frets cannot be understated; it's got everything to do with how the guitar will play. Thanks for that perspective. I've done fret work in the past with the humblest of tools and tiptoed my way through to a nice result. I'd like to invest in a tool to make my life a bit easier but I'm not at a point where I can buy the Cadillac for every step of every single project. I liked what I saw at Chris Alsop Tool, too.

I think I'm about due for a new crowning file, so I'm gonna try one of those on for size. In addition, you should look at the average rating to see how it compares to similar products. If you are uncertain if you want to invest any money into your purchase, consider the pros and cons first. Will the purchase provide you with enough benefits to justify the cost? You can also look at the product description and customer reviews to brainstorm other pros and cons.

If something breaks down, will the company fix it? You do not want to be stuck with a faulty item if your purchase ends up breaking later on.

A final factor to consider is the warranty. When you make an expensive purchase, you cannot afford to buy the same product again in a month if it breaks down. While warranties are important for every purchase, they are especially important for a costly item. You need to make sure that you can get a replacement if something goes wrong. In addition, a warranty is a good sign that the manufacturer is confident in the quality of their products.

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Billions of reviews, millions of products are filtered before listing the top 10 best products for you buy. I did have a junk neck to practice on though.

The standard round StewMac file works great. I used them for over a decade for thousands of levels and refrets before I got my Plek, and never had an issue. It was posted above that a too wide file will take material off the tops. That's only if you keep going after you lose your flat top.

It's nothing to worry about with the StewMac file. I have also used the Z File, admittedly not as much, and I don't really dig it. It's easy to make your sides uneven, whereas the round file makes that impossible.

No matter which way you go, you are going to need practice. It's way easy to blow out the fret ends, so start in the middle and work your way out when you start. After you get your chops up, you'll develop your own method. Messages 39, Timtam Member. It works by filing 2 different facet angles. So you give it a few strokes, flip the file over and give it a few strokes and repeat the process until you have a thin, straight flat down the center of the fret.

Last edited: Sep 9, Timtam said:. You usually use both by flipping them over to apply their two-angled facets to each fret. They just apply those two facets to each side of a fret in different order.

But the end result is similar. FunctionOverForm Member. I think this video will be interesting to all of you. Gray Ghost Silver Supporting Member. Stew Mac centered Z file. Take your time and you cant lose. I hadn't seen that centered Z. I've only used the offset. I guess you can never buy too many tools Messages 1, I use a Z file and I really like it. They are pricey but worth the investment. I have come across one person who bought all three of the Z-files with handle.

But I don't think there is any real case for buying more than one. It's a toss up between the Original and Centered grit. The Safe Edge is perhaps only for the overly-cautious, and can only apply one facet to a single side of a fret at a time, so requires double the work to eventually get to the same point as the other two files.

The Original and Centered, if flipped, give you two facets applied to each side of each fret a little rocking motion smooths the distinction between them, if desired. Then in a later video he said the Centered was the way to go.