#1
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At last ...the StewMac Z Fret crowning file
I will finally be able to kiss goodbye to my trusty old triangular fret crowning file ...http://www.stewmac.com/Content/Downl...143.pdf#page=2
I would imagine that in the years to come this will become the crowning file of choice for every tech. One can only wonder why it took so long to come up with this product. |
#2
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Just curious how this product is different than the diamond offset fret crown file that comes in 150 and 300 grit, seems to be the same result intended. Different look for sure.
http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools...Fret_File.html |
#3
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Kind of looks like a ripoff of the LittleBone approach to crowning...
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#4
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Looks to me like the LittleBone would still have the advantage of following the fretboard radius as a guide whereas other schemes involve free handing the cutting motion (in two axes no less) ) which is where it can go wonky.
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#5
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Seems like a solution in search of a problem and it also doubles the amount of work needed to crown a fret.
As far as leaving the top of the fret untouched, I have zero problem doing that with this file: http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools...Fret_File.html What puts me off most about the z file is that it basically doubles the amount of work per fret. Unless I'm missing something, you file a fret with the file in one orientation and then you have to flip the file and file the same fret yet again to get a symmetrically crowned fret. Crowning frets is tedious enough as it is without having to do two rounds of filing on every fret. |
#6
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Conventional diamond crowning files create a "school-bus" profile which is less effective than the inverted V profile both in terms of feel and intonation. (The inverted V is the way that Bruce Springsteen and Glen Campbell have their frets shaped btw). I will be refretting my 000-18 very soon and will post details of how the file performs. |
#7
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Reckon I'll continue use my triangular safe-corner files. I use two - equilateral 60 degree and "cant saw," with 100 and 40 degree corners. It takes almost no time to "safe" the edges, and they are cheap to replace, so I always have sharp ones at hand in various lengths and cut.
Never could stand the rounded concave ones. . .
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Cheers, Frank Ford |
#8
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If I was going to give any of them a try, that centered Z file is the one I would go with too. At $90 a pop though I'll be sticking with what I have that works. I'll be interested to hear what you think of it once you've had the chance to put it through its paces. |
#9
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I guess I'm in good company without a specialized fret file.
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Rodger Knox, PE 1917 Martin 0-28 1956 Gibson J-50 et al |
#10
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Should I instead by using my offset file only at 45 degree angles to hit everything BUT the top to get a more rounded shape? The shallow radius had me worried and I went and got ALL the file sizes to compare and they all fit poorly in that regard. So, it seems I approached it wrong and maybe this Z file will help. |
#11
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I've found with the different convex files I've used that it is too easy to over file, and too easy to get an inconsistent result across the length of the fret. Certainly, when I use a triangle file, it takes me longer than the concave files (diamond or mill) but I get noticeably more consistent results. Each to his own, however. Many ways to skin a cat!!
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---- Ned Milburn NSDCC Master Artisan Dartmouth, Nova Scotia |
#12
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The advantage of the Z file is that it will remove more material from the sides and shoulders of the fret than the conventional concave diamond file, and remove it twice as fast as is possible with a triangular file, which is what I use at present to give that desired profile. As an analogy, think about speed bumps in the road ... a speed bump with a "vertical", or near vertical edge will give you a nasty jar if you drive over it without slowing down ... a speed bump with a shallow angle will allow you to drive over it without such a jar. Same thing with fingertips on a fretboard ... the frets are the speed bumps. |
#13
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__________________
Larrivee L-10 Custom Larrivee DV-10K Larrivee L-03 Taylor 412K ('96) Yamaha LL16-12 (SOLD) PRS 'Studio' (SOLD) Rickenbacker 660-12 (SOLD) Fender USA Deluxe Strat Fender USA Roadhouse Strat Fender MIM/USA Partscaster Fender MIM Nashville Tele Kelsey Custom Hardtail Strat Fender MIM P-Bass |
#14
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I like certain things about stewmac but you have to remember that they are trying to sell tools, ergo they will make tools in order to sell them. I don't think about it too much, too much work to do.
This is pricey and it's a bit of a unitasker. Unitaskers do not belong in my shop because real estate is at a premium. It's easy to buy a tool, it's tougher to think through a problem and develop a solution. |
#15
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The thing with Stewmac is that you have to separate the wheat from the chaff. I concede that they do have some tools which could be classed as luxuries or indulgences, but the question I always ask myself is .."A : will this save me a significant amount of time compared to the alternative, and B: will this produce a better end result than using the alternative". In the case of the centered Z file, it is a no-brainer ...it will halve the time taken to crown the frets and because there is now no need to mask the fretboard (as has to be done with a triangular file, even with a safe edge) time is saved there as well. As far as multi-tasking is concerned, there are plenty of essential tools which are dedicated to one single purpose ...I have yet to find an alternate use for a string winder or a bridgepin reamer , to take two examples at random. |