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Nut files and fret pullers


JPJ
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So, I want to tell you a story. A few years ago I had an upcoming acoustic gig so I rushed out and bought a brand new four string Tanglewood acoustic. Now I know these things are marmite but I fell on the ‘like’ if not ‘love’ side of ownership so much so that shortly after I bought a secondhand Warwick Alien five string (Rockbass) off this very forum.

Now owning two very similar instruments that have poor residual values has gotten me thinking of going fretless with the Tanglewood as I am mainly playing fretless electric and EUB these days.
I have some purple heart strips ready to glue in place but I’ve been looking at fret pullers and nut files on line and there is huge price differential. So my question is, any recommendations for nut files and fret pullers please? 

 

 

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The luthier that taught me had a pair of pincers that he ground down to make the tips quite sharp for getting under the frets to remove them. Some heat will help too e.g. from a soldering iron

 

For nut files, don't buy cheap. I'll say it again - don't buy cheap. Hosco are a decent brand, but are not cheap

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On 26/02/2023 at 01:24, Norris said:

The luthier that taught me had a pair of pincers that he ground down to make the tips quite sharp for getting under the frets to remove them. Some heat will help too e.g. from a soldering iron

 

For nut files, don't buy cheap. I'll say it again - don't buy cheap. Hosco are a decent brand, but are not cheap

Hi @Norris  :)

 

            Anyway - this ^^

 

Fret pulling pincers have to be flat-ish shallow and sharp.  So pretty much any budget set of end pincers, held closed and flattened/slimmed on a grinding wheel will do nicely.  But why bother with that when you can get a pair already done from the excellent Chris Alsop web site for less than £12

https://www.chrisalsopguitar.co.uk/shop/guitar-tools/fret-pullers-and-fret-cutters

 

Nut files have to be decent quality.  I also use Hosco and have never regretted it. 

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Not knowing your skills please forgive me if I am about to teach granny to suck eggs.

Don't pull them all out at once if there is any danger of them being tight enough to be part of the strength of the neck i.e. it may forward bow on you if they are helping to hold it straight.

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On 26/02/2023 at 01:24, Norris said:

The luthier that taught me had a pair of pincers that he ground down to make the tips quite sharp for getting under the frets to remove them. Some heat will help too e.g. from a soldering iron

 

For nut files, don't buy cheap. I'll say it again - don't buy cheap. Hosco are a decent brand, but are not cheap

Yesterday, I watched a YouTube video that someone had posted on here, where a guy refurbished a MM stingray neck. He applied some solder to each fret and ran the soldering iron up and down the frets to heat them, before removal.

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5 hours ago, Crusoe said:

Yesterday, I watched a YouTube video that someone had posted on here, where a guy refurbished a MM stingray neck. He applied some solder to each fret and ran the soldering iron up and down the frets to heat them, before removal.

I do the same except I don't use any solder - just the soldering iron 

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