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Old 02-08-2021, 05:09 PM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2009
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A matching radius on the frets works if you press them in, but as you have found out, doesn't work when hammering them in. I overbend the fret with pliers, so that the fret is at least 1/32" higher than the fingerboard in the center.
I have often said that it took me about 100 fret jobs before I was proficient. Because I primarily gained my chops in the repair realm, it was sink or swim.
One of the things I learned early on is to use a flat faced hammer. A crowned face just exacerbates the problem of flattening the fret, causing the fret ends to pop up. You also must learn to limit the number of hammer blows.
If it makes you feel better, I see sprung fret ends all the time on vintage Martins with original frets. Until recently, Martin always hammered the frets in. The remedy consists of removing the fret, rebending it, and hammering it right back into place. A good pair of fret pullers is essential.
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