Fret Slots too Large?

[mr smits]

Hey all. I beveled my fret ends too much (strings slip off the fret), so I'd like to refret the neck. I'm concerned when I remove these frets the slots will be too large because it will be the 2nd time I've pulled the frets. What are my options if the slots are too large? I was thinking hide glue. But does it need wood shavings mixed in with it?

Thanks!

[Greg Mirken]

Ebony fretboard? Might be OK. Indian Rosewood? Maybe not. You might run a bit of hot water in the slots to swell the wood fibers back. I have a tang crimping plier similar to this: https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/too....

In the old days I would just bang a corner of a file into the bottom of the tang to mushroom out barbs. You see this on old guitars and mandolins occasionally.

I'm not a fan of gluing frets in [old-timer y'know] but I will use a drop of CA to seat the ends, especially on a spongy board.

[Mark McLean]

If the problem is that the strings slip off the frets it might not be the fault of the frets (unless those bevels are huge? - maybe show us a picture).  It could be that the strings are aligned too close to the edges of the fingerboard.  The remedy for this would be a new nut with the slots for the first and/or 6th string cut a bit further inboard from the edge of the fb.  Half a millimetre makes a big difference.  You can also bring the string spacing in a bit at the saddle end if necessary with some micro grooves in the saddle.  It is a lot easier to replace a nut than it is to refret the whole board. 

[mr smits]

Thanks, I'll photo the nut. To me the spacing looked good at the time I cut it - I used a string spacing ruler to space the nut after seeing where the string naturally laid (i.e. I laid the outer Es on the board with no nut to see where they wanted to be - this looked good so I marked the Es and then used a ruler to mark the other slots).

After looking at the photos, it does look like the low E might be too close to the edge. That's where it naturally sat when strung up without a nut, so I cut it there. But I can probably cut a new nut and bring that in. I think the bevels were 35 degrees. I photoed them, too.

Any thoughts? I'd rather cut a new nut for sure than refret it, mainly due to the slot issue mentioned.

Ps. The wood is rosewood.

[Greg Mirken]

Good call, Mark. Yeah, your bevels are fine; make a new nut.

[Mark McLean]

Yes, the photos show that your problem is at the nut.  The 6th string is definitely too close to the edge of the fingerboard.  I usually cut the 6th string slot 3.5mm in from the edge, and the 1st string slot 3mm in.  Then space the others between them using the SM spacing ruler.  Like Greg said, your frets look fine.

[mr smits]

Great, thanks guys.

This is the first time I cut a nut after letting the string naturally sit where it wanted. I guess that's a bad idea!

[Palle Clausen]

https://www.stewmac.com/video-and-ideas/online-resources/learn-abou...

[mr smits]

Ah, I've made many. Just thought letting the string sit where it wants to determine the outer spacing might be a good idea. It's not!

[Palle Clausen]

As written in the guide from Stewmac:

"Determine the spacing you want between the outside E-strings. A good measurement is .050", or about 1/16", in from the top of the beveled ends of the first fret."

If you have made many, I guess you already know that.

[mr smits]

Usually I use the old nut as a template. With this one I didn't do that because I wanted to see what letting the string fall naturally would do.

[Mark McLean]

You can’t let those suckers go wherever they want.  You need to be the boss of this situation.  

[mr smits]

Got it. Haha.

Oh well more experience nut building.