Non ADA Gear > Guitars
Upper frets issue
rabidgerry:
Hi all,
I have a problem with a guitar that seems to require a totally unnecessary amount of pressure on the high E string to some extent the B string just to get the notes to fret correctly without choking on the last say 4-5 frets of a 24 fret axe I own.
I have already had my luthier guy look it twice and this time it has come back better but still unplayable for me on those last frets.
The initial issue began with the guitar choking out on those frets and I kept raising the action to try help the problem but of course it just made everything unplayable. So I took it to my guy and he through some fancy filing got the frets to allow for the notes to ring out much better and sustain for a lot longer. That it great! But I still can't play those frets.
I can use a little bit of pressure and go up the fret board sounding all the notes no problem and then I get in around those last frets and suddenly choke fest!!! Unless I apply a shit load of tension to the point so much tension is applied that you can't move around or jump from string to string with any kind of fluidity because your trying to apply all this pressure to have notes ring out and basically I don't know why this is and how the hell I can fix it??? I also have the exact same guitar in another colour and it rings out not problem applying the same little amount of pressure on those upper frets, so I have to get this issue resolved or else I will be selling this guitar on reluctantly as it's rare and sounds great and it plays great every where else.
Has anyone got any ideas?
bunkyloo:
I have a 89 Jem that had a similar issue and sat in its case for many years. The neck was slowly twisting. I figured because I moved from a cool climate to southern California (extremely hot here ).
So I finally had the fretboard shaved proper and a new jumbo frets installed. Thankfully no damage to the tree of life inlay but $250 usd later plays great again wish I would have done it years ago.
So mabey that might be an issue.
Systematic Chaos:
--- Quote from: rabidgerry on September 09, 2018, 10:09:21 AM ---...
I have already had my luthier guy look it twice and this time it has come back better but still unplayable for me on those last frets.
The initial issue began with the guitar choking out on those frets and I kept raising the action to try help the problem but of course it just made everything unplayable. So I took it to my guy and he through some fancy filing got the frets to allow for the notes to ring out much better and sustain for a lot longer. That it great! But I still can't play those frets.
...
--- End quote ---
Did you (or your luthier guy) check the neck relief/bow (Truss Rod). Seasons and different locations with their different temperatures and humidities have a certain impact on the neck and its relief or bow. So before filing and stuff I'd try to get it back to normal with some truss rod adjustments. No rocket science behind it all.
Another problem could be those last frets having their tangs come out of the fretboard. This can easily be rectified by re-seating them (google it....easy fix)
If you take the file to the frets, make your luthier give the guitar a complete fret level and -dress.
Twisting/warping of the neck could be another culprit, but I'd consider shaving/sanding down the fretboard as a penultimate final resort.
If youŕe absolutely happy with the guitar as a whole, bite the bullet and have a good luthier do a complete refret with either Jescar EVO or Stainless Steel frets. It's well worth the investment and will take your guitar to another level.
rnolan:
Hey RG, it could also be the neck angle :dunno: , though you luthier guy should have been able to tell you that
rabidgerry:
I probably should have mentioned that of course the truss rod has been adjusted, the luthier would never have just went straight in at the deep end. He checked it and I also tried adjustments before he even got near it.
I normally adjust my own truss rod but I am always reading how only a thin amount of space is needed under the 7-8 fret when checking the relief and I always have a lot more than that, so before I let him have it, I had adjusted the truss rod to have very little relief. I think the luthier ended up adding back a little more again. He only adjusted the frets after I said I still can't get notes to ring out properly in that area and so he was able to gradually give me a little more clearance on those upper frets. So yeah they ring out now but now I need to apply a stupid amount of pressure.
I'm getting fed up with the axe and embarrassed to have to take it back to the guy again and say "I still can't play up here".
I have no clue as to what else can be done hence posting here. If I take it back to him what might he suggest?
It almost feels as though my fingers are to fat to play up there and the strings don't touch the frets properly making it feel like my hand is playing in mud slowing it up but in reality it's because the strings aren't contacting the frets properly and the only way to get the contact to it press stupidly hard at which point you render your fingers immobile as too much effort is going into fretting the strings.
Neck angle, Luthier said the neck is very straight and because it's a through neck he had to do stuff with the frets as he couldn't shim the neck.
It's a pain in the ass is what it is.
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