Why fret dress?
Fret dressing ensures that the guitar frets are of an even height allowing for optimum playability. Smooth and even frets ensure easy string bends, reduces fret wear so they actually last longer and postpones the necessity for a re-fret. It also helps to elminate fret buzz and achieve a low action.
What is fret dressing?
It entails skimming off all the high points on the frets to bring them down to a uniform level. The frets are re-profiled and polished to a mirror finish. The set-up includes adjusting the truss rod, the top nut, the action, the intonnation (where adjustable) and the tremolo system.
Does my guitar need one?
On used guitars the frets get worn at the points of contact, where the notes are played. Over a period of time the frets become uneven and the playability is affected. If you’ve owned a guitar for a while have a look at the frets, particularly around the D and A chord areas (second and third frets) under the strings. If you see evidence of fret wear then you should consider having the frets dressed.
New guitar?
New guitars bought from a shop rarely have a uniform fret height. In the factories the frets are pressed or hammered into the fret board as part of the mass production process. This inevitably leaves undulations in the frets which in turns leaves the guitar’s playability compromised. To compensate for this the action is sometimes raised or the truss rod slackened by the factory or shop. When buying a guitar I would always recommend budgeting to have it fret dressed and set-up professionally.
How often?
To keep your guitar in the best possible playing condition you should have it fret dressed and set-up professionally at least once a year. Changes in temperature and humidity can cause the neck of your guitar to move and this will result in an uncomfortably high action or unwanted fret buzz.
Just a set-up?
Doing a set-up without a fret dress doesn’t address the variations in fret height and therefore the instrument will not achieve it’s optimum playability. That’s why I usually recomend a combined fret dress and set-up.