Fret Level + Dress Deluxe Tool Set – StewMac

Fret Level + Dress Deluxe Tool Set

Ready to get serious about fret work?
We’ve made it easy to do a professional fret level and dress at home with this complete set of tools.

Worn frets make a guitar play bad and sound even worse. Fret work is a real challenge without the right tools. Not any more! Our Stewmac techs hand-picked this set to include the same tools they rely on in their shops every day. It makes super-quick work of leveling, crowning, and polishing frets to a mirror shine. This set will save time on every fret job that comes your way, whether it’s your own guitars or if you’re working in a shop.

Fret Level + Dress Deluxe Tool Set includes:

Stewmac 18″ Fretbar + 2 String Jacks Also sold separately
The Fretbar is one of our favorite all-around fret leveling tools. You can use it with the strings on or off, and the precision-ground surface is dead flat to quickly and accurately to get frets level. It has the perfect weight and size to make the job easy. The 18″ length also makes it a super-accurate straightedge, essential for getting your neck straight.

Even tricky necks are not a problem with the Fretbar. When used under the strings, with the guitar tuned to pitch, you’ll level the frets under real playing conditions. Because the neck is under tension, you’ll clearly see every hump, twist, high or low spot. With the Fretbar you’ll level the frets without worry or any “surprises” that pop up after the job.

3M Stikit Gold Abrasives Also sold separately
This specialty sandpaper cuts like a file, lasts longer than regular sandpaper, and is sized to stick right to the 1″ width of each Fretbar. It’s the same professional sandpapers we use to quickly and cleanly level frets, and to remove the scratches before you recrown and polish.

Each set includes two 15-yard rolls of 320 and 400-grit Stikit, the right grits to level frets fast. More grits are available separately.

3M Polishing Papers Also sold separately
These 3M finishing papers behave more like ‘finishing fabric’. The sheets conform to any surface and you can use them just like cloth—wet or dry! Because of their flexibility they’re great for polishing frets, but they also work on finishes, plastic pickguards, pearl inlays, and more. Just go through the grits for a mirror shine!

Each set includes ten 8.5″ x 11″ sheets, two of each grit: 400, 600, 1200, 4000, and 6000-grits. More grits are available separately.

Micro-Mesh Foam Sanding Block Also sold separately
This block is the perfect density for polishing: firm but soft. It’s a flexible, rubber pad that is purpose-built for uniform polishing, letting you really get good contact with the frets, without causing dents or dings.

Original Z-File Also sold separately
Z-Files won’t mess up your carefully-leveled fret tops because they only touch the sides of the frets. After you’ve leveled the frets for uniform height, your crowning file restores their rounded shape, leaving the thinnest possible line of leveled surface on top. This is when other crowning files can accidentally scrape the fret top, creating a buzzing low spot and ruining the job!

Looking for just the basics? Check out the Fret Level + Dress Tool Set.

Works on stainless frets, too!
All of our tools are suitable for use on stainless-steel fretwire*. Modern stainless-steel fretwire is known to be harder than the traditional nickel-silver blends, but our own shop experience indicates the wire does not cause premature wear of files or sandpapers.
*Excludes our original Fret Tang Nippers. We recommend our Deluxe Fret Tang Nippers for stainless-steel fretwire.