Frets too big/tall?

[UKPAULIE]

So I'm mainly a fingerstyle player but have started working with singers so I wanted a reasonably priced strummer, something that would sit well in a mix, with vocals etc so I bought a guild gad-jf30e jumbo. Now, the guitar sounds fine and has a lovely growl in the low end when strummed, everything I hoped it would be. However, the frets seem unusually large. When I try to slide, even just one fret, its like my finger hits a wall, the frets seem very high. Intonation is fine, it plays nicely other than that. The action could be a bit nicer but is playable, its just this fret issue. Logic tells me they need filing down but how do you do that? Is it something I can do myself? Any advice is welcomed.

[redir]

Anyone can do anything themselves

But with out experience you risk turning it into a nightmare.

It's also possible that the fret height is fine but the crown profile is wrong. If you can take close up pics that might help. If you have calipers and can measure the fret height that could help too.

But it could just be that you like low frets. In that case your guitar would need a fret dressing.

[UKPAULIE]

Originally Posted by redir

Anyone can do anything themselves

But with out experience you risk turning it into a nightmare.

It's also possible that the fret height is fine but the crown profile is wrong. If you can take close up pics that might help. If you have calipers and can measure the fret height that could help too.

But it could just be that you like low frets. In that case your guitar would need a fret dressing.

I would suggest that your "Anyone can do anything themselves" claim might be something you would want to reconsider if I were to show up for your open heart surgery...(hint: I have never been to med school) lol just kidding. Thanks for the tips and I will take some pics tomorrow.

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by redir

It's also possible that the fret height is fine but the crown profile is wrong. If you can take close up pics that might help. If you have calipers and can measure the fret height that could help too.

The crown profile could indeed be the problem.

On the fret height measurement, a much more accurate measurement can be achieved by using a short straight edge (like a fret rocker ...or even a utility knife blade) to span two frets, and then insert feeler gauges until the blades contact both the straight edge and the fretboard.

Using the depth gauge rod on a standard 6" caliper to measure fret height is not really the best procedure.

[Bob Womack]

Another possibility is that you've simply become totally adjusted to playing on low frets and are applying too much pressure to the string. I play on .054 jumbos on my ES-335 and have no problem whatsoever sliding. Higher frets require a lighter touch. Once you adjust, you might find that you like the lower finger tension required.

Bob