Need advice for fret spot leveling an acoustic guitar

Bradders · September 2023

I have an acoustic guitar that has fret buzz on the high E at the 14th fret. I have used a fret rocker to check the frets and the 15th, 16th frets are high. The rocker is rocking on every fret from the 15th to 19th. When I sight the fretboard from looking from the bridge end down the fretboard to the nut I can see a slight hump at the 15th and 16th frets. I am considering doing a spot level witht the strings on as I think its just a slight amount that needs removing, the buzz occurs when atticking the string more heavily not lightly.

Any advice or suggestions would be really helpful.

Can I do this with the strings on?

I saw a thread where there are various diy tool suggestions for spot leveling. Then other people are saying do a fret level with strings off around the general area.

Help!

WezV · September 2023

You can use a fret kisser when its just one fret. if its more than that I would go straight to leveling the whole area, and anything downstream of it.

I prefer to do it with strings off. You can get tools that go under the strings, but in this situation the fretboard is not being affected by the string tension on the neck shaft, so no need to do it under tension

I assume its a 14 fret neck join on the acoustic, so its not unusual to have a change in this area, often the fretboard slopes down towards the bridge after the join. I would level from 12th towards the bridge

Winny_Pooh · September 2023

Rocking on every fret after 15th does not make sense.

I would do as above and introduce fallaway from the 15th all the way up. I use a flat stew mac diamond (knife sharpening) block that is maybe 15cm long for these jobs.

I've had to do this heavily on a Gibson AJ acoustic as the board was angling up to the bridge due to bellying under the fingerboard.

For good measure on electrics with low action I take even more off the highest and 2nd highest fret individually as they can tend to "kick up" when introducing relief into the neck.

Bradders · September 2023

WezV said:

You can use a fret kisser when its just one fret. if its more than that I would go straight to leveling the whole area, and anything downstream of it.

I prefer to do it with strings off. You can get tools that go under the strings, but in this situation the fretboard is not being affected by the string tension on the neck shaft, so no need to do it under tension

I assume its a 14 fret neck join on the acoustic, so its not unusual to have a change in this area, often the fretboard slopes down towards the bridge after the join. I would level from 12th towards the bridge

Yes it is a 14 fret neck join. As you say a level of that area makes the most sense from the 12th. Just needed to have someone confim that.

Many thanks for the adive:)

Bradders · September 2023

Winny_Pooh said:

Rocking on every fret after 15th does not make sense.

I would do as above and introduce fallaway from the 15th all the way up. I use a flat stew mac diamond (knife sharpening) block that is maybe 15cm long for these jobs.

I've had to do this heavily on a Gibson AJ acoustic as the board was angling up to the bridge due to bellying under the fingerboard.

For good measure on electrics with low action I take even more off the highest and 2nd highest fret individually as they can tend to "kick up" when introducing relief into the neck.

Thanks for the advice, def all very helpful. I feel more clear now on how to proceed.

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Need advice for fret spot leveling an acoustic guitar

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