DRY-PRESS IN - - - - OR GLUE FRETS INTO BASS NECK ????

[nick-p]

About to fret my jazz bass project neck. is it ok to simply press/hammer frets in or would you reccomend i glue and clamp them solidly in ?.. [ ps; what type of glue ? ]

[Ned Knepp]

I'm not a pro but I think hammering, if the frets hold well, makes it a lot easier for the next refret job.

Ned

[thefishinmusician]

Superglued frets come out easy...A bit of heat,and boom, they'll come out no problem..

[Mike Kolb]

How about using all three at once? Prior to installing, I'll dilute a little titebond (maybe 4:1 glue-to-water) and run a bead along the bottom of the fret just prior to hammering (it seems to act as a lube, to help 'glide' the fret in). The little bit of "insurance glue" is just a bonus.

Then, before moving-on to the next fret, I'll give the just-installed fret a quick grip with the "jaws" caul pliers for another measure of consistency with it's brethren. As far as the actual hammer-in itself, using many short & quick strikes seems to keep the fret from bending. Oh yeah... wipe the frets down with naptha just before installing to ensure all the manufacturing grease is out of the picture.

[nick-p]

thanks folks, i eventually went for making a radius steel block to fit in my drill press with a very thin bead of titebond and a light hammering where needed to finish. see photo

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

I hammer on the frets with a little bead of CA glue on the tang, or at least a drop at each end. Lots of little hits on the fret, with supple wrist, holding the hammer by the handle, using its own weight.