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  #16  
Old 10-07-2019, 07:45 AM
roylor4 roylor4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AndrewG View Post
The frets feel 'bumpier' because they are taller on the Yamaha than Gibson's. The proper way to round-off frets is with a dedicated crowning file made for the job. If it's a real concern I would find a local tech and get him/her to do whatever you feel needs doing. Otherwise just practise-and lay off the lemon oil; a couple of drops once or twice a year as a cleaning agent is more than enough. If the fret tops feel rough buy a graduated set of abrasive fret erasers from Stewmac. Rub along each fret using the coarsest grit first, working down through the grades. It's what I use and they work well. Finish off with fine steel wool for the final polish.

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tool...t_Erasers.html
If the frets feel "bumpier", especially on the edges - you are feeling fret sprout. As Andrew says, a fret file will help and possibly hydrating the guitar. Fret sprout occurs when the wood dries out and shrinks, leaving the fret edges sticking out.. It is inevitable on some guitars. My Loar has some and I also feel it moving up & down the neck.
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  #17  
Old 10-07-2019, 07:49 AM
mercy mercy is offline
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actually Ive found that an ebony fingerboard is faster and slides better than rosewood. If your guitar has a rosewood board then you may consider a different guitar with ebony.
Some frets as taller so that may be what you are experiencing as well. Making them lower is not a job you can do yourself. You must take it to a repair person who has the correct tools and experience.
This assumes your action is what it should/could be.
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  #18  
Old 10-07-2019, 07:54 AM
Arthur Slowhand Arthur Slowhand is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gibpicker View Post
Sliding up the neck is what I was referring to, but I just now noticed the frets are a lot bumpier (sliding) than with my Gibson dread. Maybe they can be slightly rounded and polished with 1000/1500/2000 grit sandpaper.
I think you're in danger of making a 'Pigs Ear' out of a nice (albeit inexpensive) guitar. You'd be better off selling it and buying something you like, or modifying your technique to accommodate the higher frets.
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  #19  
Old 10-07-2019, 08:26 AM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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If the issue is that the frets are taller than what you are used to, or prefer, the frets can be milled shorter and re-crowned. Generally, for that, take it to a professional.

If the frets are wider than you are used to, or prefer, they can be replaced with whatever size you like. Generally, for that, take it to a professional.

If the frets have pronounced edges, they can be crowned to a less "boxy" profile. Generally, for that, take it to a professional.

Milling, crowning and replacing frets are bread-and-butter tasks for professional repair people. If that is the issue, one doesn't have to replace the guitar only for the reason that one doesn't like the frets.

None of that has to do with "fret sprout", oiling, polishing or any of the other things that one can do. A starting point is to determine if the fret size or profile is to what you object. A professional might be able to help you determine if that is the issue. Sometimes Internet forum advice is helpful, sometimes not so much.
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  #20  
Old 10-07-2019, 08:35 AM
phavriluk phavriluk is offline
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And, I think, we're seeing one of the reasons that guitar was inexpensive to purchase. I'll guess the frets were installed off the roll of fret wire. Period. No fine tuning. All the advice above cannot have been done to an instrument that retailed for so little. Labor had to be saved somewhere. The frets ate going to be as rough or as smooth as the manufacturing process, and the guitar manufacturer's budget, allows.
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  #21  
Old 10-07-2019, 10:44 AM
DesertTwang DesertTwang is offline
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uh... 10-gauge strings are for electrics...
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  #22  
Old 10-07-2019, 10:59 AM
jim1960 jim1960 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gibpicker View Post
Sliding up the neck is what I was referring to, but I just now noticed the frets are a lot bumpier (sliding) than with my Gibson dread. Maybe they can be slightly rounded and polished with 1000/1500/2000 grit sandpaper.
You're potentially about to give yourself a huge headache. Frets need to be level relative to the frets on either side or some are going to interfere with the ability of the strings to ring clearly. If you need your frets lowered, that's not a job I'd suggest doing yourself. Take it to a pro with a great reputation and get it done correctly.

Frets on different guitars can feel different because frets come in a wide variety of heights and widths. Some you'll barely feel as you slide over them, some can feel like road bumps.
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  #23  
Old 10-07-2019, 11:17 AM
Tony Burns Tony Burns is offline
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lemon oil should be used sparingly -like 1 drop on a rag and wiped on entire fret board
-if you put on so much you have to wipe it off- you are damaging your fret board - ( softens wood and frets can rise )
one problem with steel wool is that you can leave small amounts of it embedded into your fret board
-even if you cant see it -it can also possibly discolor your fretboard .
another thing to remember it to use oil sparingly on your tuners -
no more than once a year -and wipe off excess -
when cleaning your guitar -Id use only water -no soap etc.
and a soft all cotton rag .

somethings are better left undone if you dont know what your doing -
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  #24  
Old 10-07-2019, 02:28 PM
gibpicker gibpicker is offline
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Thanks very much to all who took the time to respond sharing their knowledge! I'm not going to touch the guitar and will try to find a good tech in the San Diego area to take a look at the Yamaha and my 33 yr. old Gibson which needs some work.
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  #25  
Old 10-07-2019, 03:09 PM
maxtheaxe maxtheaxe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell G View Post
Definitely this.
[IMG] star wars episode 4 title[/IMG]
Agreed...I've been using this stuff since it first came out in the 70s; the primary active ingredient is mineral oil and apparently whatever they use for propellant is finish-friendly...never had it do anything bad to a finish, even on nitrocellulose. Also, it doesn't seem to dry out the fretboard...I use it on my guitars with ebony boards, rosewood, maple, walnut...

Seems to do a good job both on allowing fingers to glide and cleaning/keeping clean the fret gunk and wrapped string corrosion that can build up. I always use it to clean up whenever I finish playing...actually seems to make strings last longer.
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