I have done a lot of fret work and while the Stew brand is obviously quality they are also very expensive especially for things you don't really use for a bunch of reps. My $50 set of fret crowning tools has 3 sizes so I have not found an instrument it did not work on and the results are amazing. For this $150 item I use a similar shaped small square from Harbor Freight with medium grit sandpaper on the edge. Might not be as quick or precise but when they are finished you can't tell the difference.
You can use the fret kisser with the strings tuned and find the high fret , take it down with the fret kisser, check the playability and then make the fret nice again.
I have one and it never gets the frets level. People on the luthier groups report the same problem too. Will consistently tell you a fret is level when it isn't.
0:07 Only get this if you do a ton of frets...lmfao, wrong. Love the 2 booze bottles on the bench with 25% left in em...Good thing he is feeling good to do repairs/setups. This tool is for an isolated high fret, and only if the frets on both sides are fine. It will not let you go lower than the frets on each side, very nice. You cannot use it if the frets are a mess all over....this is for SPOT leveling. Sorry, but dude also, you use this tool with the strings tuned to pitch. A lot of so called techs do not realize how much strings under tension affect fret leveling.....poor customers.
Can you use the fret kisser with normal neck relief? Or do you need to straighten the neck first? I would be using it on my own guitars. So I wouldn’t have to worry about the neck relief drifting over time (say for example 8thou relief down to 4thou) I would set it right back to where I like it.
how would you go about spot fret leveling if you didn't have the fret kisser? i've read people say it is otherwise sort of time consuming, i believe the time-saving benefit is because you can use the kisser with the strings on, so you wouldn't have to remove the strings every time you want to spot level. but, how would you do it?? would you use a regular crowning file in such case??
Hey man. I need guidance. Love your vids. I colored an awesome quilt top with insane pop. Put tru oil on it. Im like 15 layers in.. but it looks worse and worse. Still too thin to sand and level. Can i put 2k over tru oil? Or will it react and mess it up?
This video is not sponsored by StewMac. StewMac treats me like everyone else
Ha ha 😂
They are ridiculous and expensive. Shipping charges!! I don't buy from them!
I have done a lot of fret work and while the Stew brand is obviously quality they are also very expensive especially for things you don't really use for a bunch of reps. My $50 set of fret crowning tools has 3 sizes so I have not found an instrument it did not work on and the results are amazing. For this $150 item I use a similar shaped small square from Harbor Freight with medium grit sandpaper on the edge. Might not be as quick or precise but when they are finished you can't tell the difference.
I wish you all a successful 2023 and a lot of videos from Derek.
You can use the fret kisser with the strings tuned and find the high fret , take it down with the fret kisser, check the playability and then make the fret nice again.
Does the neck need to be straight or with the correct playing relief with strings on?
I have one and it never gets the frets level. People on the luthier groups report the same problem too. Will consistently tell you a fret is level when it isn't.
That seems like a good Tool to have around even if You don't build Necks just to fix a Store bought that You Really Like but just needs a Quick fix !
0:07 Only get this if you do a ton of frets...lmfao, wrong. Love the 2 booze bottles on the bench with 25% left in em...Good thing he is feeling good to do repairs/setups. This tool is for an isolated high fret, and only if the frets on both sides are fine. It will not let you go lower than the frets on each side, very nice. You cannot use it if the frets are a mess all over....this is for SPOT leveling. Sorry, but dude also, you use this tool with the strings tuned to pitch. A lot of so called techs do not realize how much strings under tension affect fret leveling.....poor customers.
Can you use the fret kisser with normal neck relief? Or do you need to straighten the neck first? I would be using it on my own guitars. So I wouldn’t have to worry about the neck relief drifting over time (say for example 8thou relief down to 4thou) I would set it right back to where I like it.
I've had one for quite some time and use it semi-frequently. I've found it to be a real time saver. A necessity? No. But handy nonetheless.
how would you go about spot fret leveling if you didn't have the fret kisser? i've read people say it is otherwise sort of time consuming, i believe the time-saving benefit is because you can use the kisser with the strings on, so you wouldn't have to remove the strings every time you want to spot level. but, how would you do it?? would you use a regular crowning file in such case??
That's a useful tool for minor fret leveling
which crowning file do you recommend? I looking something universal (different fret sizes) and high quality
hope you get feeling better.
Thanks buddy
What crowning file is that?
Well that's a nifty tool.
Hey man. I need guidance. Love your vids. I colored an awesome quilt top with insane pop. Put tru oil on it. Im like 15 layers in.. but it looks worse and worse. Still too thin to sand and level. Can i put 2k over tru oil? Or will it react and mess it up?
I wouldn't use sandpaper on tru-oil. Steel wool but not sandpaper.
Email me derek@bigdguitars.com
@@pedraw ye ive been only using steel wool. Buffing lightly. I guesd tru oil is too soft for sandpaper.
@@bigdguitars sent you an email! Thanks man!
👍👍👍👍👍
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Nice tool, but I could never justify buying it.
For sure.. The rig I use for that work cost about $5 and has done me right every time
Way too expensive.. and if you're going to do it to all the frets at the same time..
A 'fret kisserr for $150 from Stew Mac is stupid ... pure and simple. Look at it. It is not nearly worth that to normal builders of guitars.
HAVE THE CHINESE VERSION AND IM 145 DOLLARS TOO THE GOOD! U OVER PAID FOR A NAME FRET ROCKER!! THATS NOT ECONOMICAL!!
Always take the advice of people who type in all caps!
@@guyincognito1423 Especially from self-declared Internet experts who have no proof that what they're saying is true...
the constant camera changes are horrible.....stick to showing us what you do....this is really bad