For this project, I am again using prep-slotted fretboards. The risk to creating an unplayable guitar is too large by doing it by myself (each one takes a long time to build). One glaring mistake on this neck is the fretboard is not square to the neck, the frets lie at 2-3 degree angle. I don’t believe this actually affects tuning as the spacing is consistent and bridge can be adjusted to compensate for it. Next guitar it’s one to make sure I get right though.
Hammering in frets I think led to some of the inconsistencies (combined with not releveling the neck after applying the radius). This time I’ve create a fret press. I bought the arbor press second hand and then ordered a fret press head (far cheaper than paying for the whole lot to be shipped internationally!). I had to drill the arbor to take the head (first time I’ve drilled metal). The end result is a far more controlled and consistent fret fitting method, very pleased with the results so far. Of course, only once it’s strung up will the end result be truly judgeable.
After pressing in the frets, I did the normal trim and bevel of the fret ends. Interestingly at this stage the frets have picked up some scratches in them, I’ll have to polish them out as a post build stage.
End result – still some sharp edges to tidy, but mostly there.