Sandpaper

[mustache79]

What kind of sandpaper are you using for fret polishing, and where do you buy it?

[charles Tauber]

320, 400 and 600, usually the black wet/dry stuff available at hardware stores everywhere, followed by oooo steel wool, always rubbed along the length of the fingerboard, never cross grain. No, unless the fingerboard is finished, I don't mask it. This treatment results in a satin finish on the frets, something I'm happy with. If you want a shinier finish, continue polishing with successively finer abrasives followed by rouge and a buffing wheel.

[naccoachbob]

I have used Micro Mesh as well, going thru the grits on it. Just mentioning this in the event you have some. The steel wool and polishing materials Charles talked about work as well.

[fazool]

I've done a great deal of auto body work and guitar polishing refurbishing and amateur woodworking.

One very important point : do *NOT* skimp and buy cheap sandpaper. Ever!

I am a big fan of HF and the crap they sell as sandpaper leaves black residue everywhere. Cheap paper clogs.

Stick to name brand high quality expensive stuff. Period.

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by mustache79

What kind of sandpaper are you using for fret polishing, and where do you buy it?

I use 3m wet-or-dry paper, which you can obtain at any auto paints store. They come up to 2500, and I will progress from 320, 400, 600, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500. If you can't buy them in single sheets you might be able to get them at an auto body shop. Grizzly I believe sells them as well as the MicroMesh.

[redir]

I like 3M as well and they sell it at my local Lowes. I use the same method Charles does 320 - 400 - 600 and steel wool.

[bnjp]

I use Micromesh 3"x4" pads (after initial sanding to 600) folded in half and use a paintbrush motion with the bent edge up and down the (taped) fretboard on each grit up to 12000. on electric guitars I usually go back with 0000 steel wool just to get them super smooth for bending.

I use the micro mesh wet with soapy water and find I can do 20 or so fret jobs with one set of pads just by bending it in a different place on the pad.

This was just an idea I had and it worked. The disadvantage is that any sanding marks are parallel with the strings so bends are not as smooth as sanding them perpendicular. I feel it's more accurate though, and the steel wool smooths them up better if you need it.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by bnjp

I use the micro mesh wet with soapy water...

Last thing I want to do is to introduce soapy water to an unfinished fingerboard. But, that's just me.

Micro mesh is a great abrasive, particularly for very fine polishing (above 1200 or so). In the 320 to 600 ish range, I don't see a need for it, as the usual hardware-store varieties, at a fraction of the price, work sufficiently well for me for fret/fingerboard finishing.

I'm satisfied with a satin finish on the frets as providing a good balance between economy and aesthetic appearance. I, personally, don't feel the aesthetic need to have a mirror shine on the frets. Apparently, my customers agree. I'm not saying its "right" or "better", just my preference.

[bnjp]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

Last thing I want to do is to introduce soapy water to an unfinished fingerboard. But, that's just me.

Micro mesh is a great abrasive, particularly for very fine polishing (above 1200 or so). In the 320 to 600 ish range, I don't see a need for it, as the usual hardware-store varieties, at a fraction of the price, work sufficiently well for me for fret/fingerboard finishing.

I'm satisfied with a satin finish on the frets as providing a good balance between economy and aesthetic appearance. I, personally, don't feel the aesthetic need to have a mirror shine on the frets. Apparently, my customers agree. I'm not saying its "right" or "better", just my preference.

There are certainly other ways to lubricate the pads, but a mild hand soap and water (not too sudsy) has worked for me for a long time. I tape the fretboard and then dip the pads in the water to wet it slightly. When I feel it starting to dry out I rewet it. It doesn't even soak the tape usually. I have I never felt I was damaging a fingerboard either. If I use steel wool, I do it before removing the tape, then vacuum all the wool mess. Then I remove the tape, clean the whole fretboard with Naptha, and treat the fretboard if it's unfinished.

As far as the mirror shine goes, it's more than aesthetic for electric guitar players who play lighter strings and bend a lot of notes. You can really tell the difference. I don't think it's that important on acoustics.

[murrmac123]

I have to say that my preference is always to get the crowns as shiny as possible, and to this end I sand along the length of each fret, individually, using a stainless steel fret guard to protect the fretboard wood adjacent to the fret. It's a bit fiddly, ( and a lot more long winded than sanding along the fretboard) but the results are worth it, IMO.

OTOH, if your customers are happy with a satin finish ...hey, why spend any longer than necessary ?

[LouieAtienza]

Polishing the frets can help them wear longer, since there is less resistance/friction between string and fret. I also think they make the guitar sound better, but that's just me. Also if you sand with very fine grit paper you won't need to polish up with steel wool... As to steel wool, the fragments can get into the fretboard wood, under a fret, snag a fret end.... so care should be taken to avoid areas that can cause problems.