Stagg-erd Frets and Other Frustrations

My plan to finish up the wiring was halter by a few minor issues, because of course nothing would be that easy.

First, the high e wouldn't ring properly.  I had this problem on the g string and corrected it by messing with the saddle.  Unfortunately, the high e only presented this problem when the string was played open, which meant the nut slot was the issue.

Super.  More nut work.  Looks like a set of nut files are in my future, but I'm not super keen on spending over $100 on a professional set.  I'll find a cheaper way.

This really didn't matter much though, because the high e was breaking right at the tuner. The culprit?  A burr on the tuning peg, right at the edge of the hole.  Filing it out shouldn't be a problem, save for the fact that I don't own any metal files.

Thankfully, I know someone who does.

The offending hole

Still, I'm on the fence about doing this work.  I said earlier that I was thoroughly unimpressed with the quality of these tuners, so I might just bite the bullet and order a new set.  My goal is to deliver an extremely playable and reliable guitar, and new tuners would be a pretty low cost way of achieving that aim.  

Screw it - I'll file this down so I can get it strung up to deal with the first issue.  We can decide about tuners later.

Finally, it was apparent that I needed to level the frets.  Whole step bends at 15 fret out, which is unacceptable.  In order to that, I needed a fret level, a fret file, and a fret rocker.

I checked out Amazon and decided to go with a set from "Neck Check Guitars".  Delivery was just over a week, and the quality of the stuff seems reasonable for the price.

I taped up the neck and went to work, first using the rocker to determine the high points, then setting to work with the leveler and the file to get things back to playable.  I was admittedly a little nervous, it occurs to me that if you go to far, there's no going back.  Thankfully, getting a fret down even a hair requires pretty considerable effort.  The only think I'd recommend is that you constantly check your work.

In addition, I taped some 2000 grit sandpaper to a small magnet I had lying around to polish off the frets after the filing.  For a first time, I'm pretty happy with the results, although I think some more work is required at the 17th fret around the 5th and 6th strings - whole step bends no longer fret out, but I can do better.  

I will do better.

Is this really worth it?

Yes and no.  If you were to pay someone to do this work, you'd be better off looking for a deal on Kijiji - you'd easily spend the $250 in bench time I got my Epiphone Les Paul for.

That doesn't matter here though.  First, this is family.  Second, my time doesn't cost anything. Third, turns out I really enjoy this sort of thing.

Funny how it's only "work" if you don't enjoy it.