Help!! Fretting about my frets

[bogoboy]

I was reading somewhere (a website) that Fender maple necks have a problem with the finish chipping off on the metal frets (appearently the frets are installed first and then the whole surface is coated with finish thus the frets are too.) I thought nothing of it until the VERY next day while playing one of my fingers felt like I had stuck it on a shard of glass (on my finger tip). One of the chips of varnish (Polyurethane?) I guess popped off and lodged itself into my finger tip!!

I was thinking of CAREFULLY - masking either side of fret with tape and lightly sanding (320-600 grit sandpaper) each fret crown to remove the dried varnish. This would have the duel purpose of removing the offending varnish and buffing the crown of each fret.
I realize that I have to be careful not sand too much as this might cause uneven frets- is there a better way? Perhaps I should get re-crowning files?

Anybody...

Bogoboy

[ajcoholic]

you dont have to (and I wouldnt) sand the finish off the frets. it will come off just by lightly scraping along the fret with something like a single edge razor blade. Just dont dig into the fret. You can actually scrape it off with a dull piece of metal that wont damage or scrape the frets.

[SCREEM]

you could use sandpaper, the black automotive stuff, but start with 1200grit with a light once over, then 2000grit. Sand the fingerboard all over not just the frets and change the paper often (1200g) the grain will fill with material very fast. If your strat is recent there is plenty of poly on it and you will not wear it prematurely. Finigh the job with some acrilyc polish on a rag but let the polish dry on the rag first :rockon:

[auger]

hey guys...
I noticed the same thing on mine during first string change...
but had played it faithfully 2 to 3 hours a day and 90 percent of the varnish was off already...fortunately no cuts....or slivers
the remainder came of with my thumb nail...just scraping....
I didint want to mechanically remove it..since the necks are designed to polish themselves up from playing....and mine glistens now...and there is no varnish on the frets...
my other rule is I always wash /dry my hands clean before playing....and use a micro fibre cloth to clean the neck,,,,,after every use..

keep on jammin
Auger

[rippinglickfest]

Mask tape off your frets and use 0000# steel wool.........it wont remove fret and it will give a nice shiny smooth as glass feel. It'll be some work though. Using a blade might put nicks and burrs in the fret that will catch your strings
Ray